in my mind i'm going to carolina

i can hardly understand her

on the phone.

it's like she's from another world.

an underwater world

where

words are drawn out like molasses. 

i'm twenty miles from charlotte 

she says.  not too far off the interstate,

but far enough

in the woods

where we don't be bothered.

it almost sounds like she's eating

road kill barbeque and

drinking moonshine.

i hear the sound of a gun

clicking, which is exactly what

it is.

you need to come down for

a visit, she says.

we can go tubing down the river

maybe hunt some squirrels.

do you play any

musical instruments?

no, not really, but i can keep a beat

on the dashboard pretty good.

my my, ain't you a funny boy.

well, when you come down for a spell

there are a lot of things

i can teach you.

we  have fun down here

in the holler.

i hope you are a believer,

because on sunday 

we like to go over to

the old church to worship.

you ain't afraid of snakes are you?