THE HANSEL AND GRETEL TO AND FRO TRAIL

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THE HANSEL AND GRETEL TO AND FRO TRAIL

A crinkly Fritos bag peeks out of the driver side window of the vehicle I am trailing up 20th Street.

Suddenly, the world at large sucks the empty orange package out of the car. I watch as it twirls itself onto the middle lane. It resides there only a moment, then is pulled aloft by an errant breeze.

In my rear view mirror, it waves a confused good-bye and tumbles forth to an obscure destiny.

Then, a plastic drinking straw appears as the hand of the driver tosses it forth to join its Fritos pal.

Is the navigator of this motorized conveyance marking the roadway for later return navigation? I’ll call him GPS-less Hansel, since Gretel left him in a huff some time back, the thirtieth time she disapproved of his careless use of public byways as personal dumpster. Among other infractions.

By the time Hansel retraces his journey on 20th Street, searching for the uncyclable markers, his way will have been long obscured by breeze and street maintenance personnel.

“Dammit,” Hansel will mutter. “Where am I?”

Alone tonight, in his battered lounger, gazing at an enormous screen, scarfing canned beverage and micro’d popcorn, he will have forgotten his adventure.

However, tomorrow is another day, so his can and buttered bag will rest beside him as he once more marks his way up 20th.

“Maybe today will be better than yesterday,” he mumbles half aloud, as he extrudes a sausage-egg wrapper onto the noncommittal street

© 2019 A.D. by Jim Reed

 jim@jimreedbooks.com

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