Pulling up in what appeared to be a combination small diesel truck and dune buggy the 20 something young man said "hop in I will take you to the end of the road.." seeing my perplexed face he chortled enthusiastically "I just bought it, it is awesome!"
"U.n ..no, but thanks for the offer" Stammering I replied guardedly. Some of us have boundaries I reasoned, besides on my way to work.
"Come on!" I want to see how she handles with a passenger" He said persuasively as he opened the door. I looked over the blue and white vehicle, spotting a bumper sticker from the radio station I worked at, and decided I would give a quick whirl. I need to be more trusting.
He gunned it from the gas station where he had stopped off, out town on a open but frequented desert road. I reached for the dash, feeling my heart swell into my stomach, and yelled "Slow down!" He laughed and continued to accelerate. A police cruiser passed us by, and quickly turned around after us. "I told you!" wondering what I had gotten myself into. As the cruiser sped to catch up, my new "friend" continued to accelerate. I did not know him, yet he seemed vaguely familiar. Maybe he was a friend of a friend, he acted as if he knew me. While he did not slow down we were approaching a "T" in the road and assumed he would pull off. He cackled loudly above the siren bearing down on us from behind. I looked at him and firmly and loudly said" You need to slow this thing down..now. We are going to be injured arrested or cause harm to someone else." He looked at me and grinning and replied "Amphibious." as we busted through the wooden guardrail, slammed and popped over the two foot cement curb, and plunged headlong into the Black Mountain reservoir.
Clutching the car, my heart racing, relief washed across me as we floated calmly down the shores edge. "There going to wait you out and catch you."
"Ahhh...I'll just say the throttle stuck." he arrogantly waddled his head. He was a large well muscled man with short blond hair and blue eyes. I was furious. I felt violated and abducted. I considered my impulse to grab him by the neck and ring it.
We drove from the water onto the boat launch under the steady watch of two police officers and a small contingent of city workers. As we pulled to a stop they handed both the driver and me documents with large fines and court summons.
I pleaded with the officer, "but I am just a passenger!"
"Sorry sir.." she deadpanned "..the plates list this as a combination recreational vehicle and in the state of Idaho, that means, that you are equally liable as a passenger for damages and guilty of several infractions." In perfectly bad timing and equally poorly delivered sincerity my new captor declared "Throttle stuck!" eliciting a groan from the small contingent of bystanders and officials alike. "Tell it to the judge" blank stare officer number two responded waving the tow truck off to impound with the strange dripping blue vehicle in tow.
"Unless you have any questions we will let you off on OR, provided you promise to make your court date, gentlemen.", the cackle of the shoulder mounted mic calling them off to yet another emergency. Everyone melted into a photoshop like blur as the impact of what happened focused my rage towards this irreverent cautionless abductor. I let loose yelling and standing him down "Who the hell do you think you are!" I screamed menacingly into his face. Being a good two or three inches taller he looked down with a smirk, seemingly un-intimidated by my violent threatening posture. "You enjoyed the ride as much as I did." he said in an almost southern Matthew McConaughey accent. Turning he walked away down a path lined by small newly planted trees that ran parallel to the reservoir. I turned after him, stilling myself of the notion to run full tilt and tackle him to the ground. Hearing me follow him he turned with clenched fists and clench jaw and said "You want a piece of this?!" I stopped. Perplexed by my quickness to violence and a new awareness of those around us and resignedly stated" I am pretty angry, but maybe I could see that as a moment of risky living that , though catching me off guard, was what I needed to be alive today." Surprising even myself, I said, tears welling in my eyes, "Thank you."
He looked at me blankly seemingly unstirred by my sincerity and emotions. "But I am not.." I continued "..paying for half of this, I will let the judge know that you abducted me." Swelling with rage and flaunching and strutting like a spoiled child he screamed "WHAT?!" his head rolled ghetto style and his large palms struck me hard in the chest, careening me backwards farther then I expected. My forty something year old legs barely staying under me. Looking back I saw the officers had left but a few city workers and passers by heard the commotion and were watching this brawl unfold. I considered walking away, taking the non-violent side, that is when I heard him say "This is about both of us!" and was blinded by a white flash as his fist snapped my body sideways and to the ground. I rolled and was up on my feet, my martial arts training and Welsh heritage taking over at the humiliation of being sucker punched, a knife hand whistled to the bridge of his upper lip clotheslining him and knocking him skyward, I was in control physically but righteous indignation soared through my adrenals as I pounced on his limp body with the intent to do him further harm... his cowering body melted into mine. He was me.
I awoke heart racing, anger and raw emotion a clot of comforter and pillow between my arms. Reeling, I puzzled over the dream, becoming aware that it was about one person and not two.
Esau Kessler
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