Five firetrucks contending with Atlanta traffic

men inside sweating from the heat

but otherwise unbothered

it’s a violent city

 

Seven police cars blaring sirens

action movie driving stunts

up on sidewalks

yelling at peds to get going already

 

Two ambulances with EMTs

roused from a leisurely evening at Chipotle

finishing last minute tortilla chips

as they burn out of the parking lot

 

Millions of cars slowing down in a line

and her saying

‘I forgot the film,’ defeated

I’m glad, sure what she had planned was illegal

 

My phone reads these text messages out loud

‘No we didn’t see anything,’

‘Bummed that it’s on the complete other side,’

‘Thought of asking neighbors but hate them,’

 

Traffic is at a standstill a block away

flashing lights going on into the night

she’s asleep now, her head listing to the right

my phone is on silent, I read the message

‘We’re getting coffee, feel free to join,’

 

I put my blinker on

and start to merge into the left lane

away from the scene

toward some better direction.