dead meat

we took the train to santa fe yesterday.  there was a free, heartwarming concert by kyma dawson.  this song was my favorite.  then, new mexican dinner and a return trip on the train.  in the dark.  we were all tired.  but there was a high-energy rebel, a kid named james who is fed up with it all:  obama, wall street, child labor, coach bags, tuition hikes.  he was articulate and passionate and entertaining.  we all fell a little bit in love with him.  

then, there was an extraordinarily large sound all around and beneath us.  like a bag of rocks on the track.  boulders.  the train seemed to lift off the tracks.  i put both my feet on the floor and held my breath.  then the engineer announced that it was a cow.  we'd hit a cow.  and the smell seeping in through the metal and glass of the railrunner was like something burning or melting or spoiling.  

james said:  some people eat hamburger.  e said:  i think i may be vegetarian.  i said:  i hope the cow didn't see it coming.  then we were all quiet.

photo by sharon montrose.  found here.