Sipping mamas' coffee out of the little round metal cup, that had been attached to the gray metal Thermos, captured hot off of the blue flame burner, that had been percolating about five a.m., and left a trail of steam rising up, up, up as it boiled its happy self in the glass top.
One cup with breakfast, four for the road, kept each day even, cold or shine, as another day would break the clouds, and sunshine would pierce the highway, opening two lanes between the trees, and laying the earth wide open with its wet belt peeling off, and the birds flying from tree to tree.
The farmers tractor was caught up in repairs, two big rubber tires on the rear, it's seat cover was broken from miles and miles of left hand turns, across these red dirt fields. The steering wheel was marred with rocks, and hands so tight, that fingers left their imprint, and daddy's hands were imprinted with the wheel. SH-41 ran from Sayre to Minco, with one little stop in Cogar, before making its way to the City.
It is locked, but a look inside the tiny mesh gate, the floor all crusted over with splints and boxes, rags, full two by four blocks, paper filters and gloves, square cans, round cylinder cans with labels half off, the sorrow of the time past, and that Thermos, buried deep, shows its life was still there.
Ralph Peck
Photo by Ralph E Peck
WS Kelly Merchandise
Cogar, Oklahoma SH-152-SH-37
Comments