Date: Tue, 23 Jan 1996 06:22:23 -0700
Title: Tractor BoomBoom Diktat

4:30:00 am, La Paloma Ranch, Gila Bend, Arizona.  Clear, crisp morning.
Cockroach Tod climbs into the medium-sized John Deere tractor cab,  checks
fuel gauges oil gauges hits start button and the machine rumbles and finally
roars into a start mode. As he releases the brake he sees the large note
stuck to the main transfer gear lever. He grabs the note, jams the tractor
into gear and reads aloud,

"Wel-come to the 30-second-delay-club.    RUN OR DIE, Cockroach."

4:30:12 am.
He sits, staring at the note, half smiling, sneering,
and suddenly begins to scramble within the close quarters, to open the door.
"Shit.  SHIT!  NO!!", He whimpers and then screams.

The large tractor lurches forward and begins to creep along,
dutifully pulling the 30-foot spring harrow, unstoppable.

4:30:21 am.
Panic, jacket tangled with gear lever cables, "get out GET OUT GET OUT!
GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT GET OUT," pounds & races through Tod's consciousness.
Flings door open, climbs from under the steering wheel and gear levers,
leaving his torn jacket,

4:30:25am
starts to jump but has to scurry further back,
away from the 8' rear rubber tire
miss the harrow jump jump Jump JUMP JUMP JUMP!
leaps into mid-air
lands feet first, running
two strides -

4:30:30am
And the rig transforms itself into a thunderous  fireball deafening noise.
Tod's back's afire as he is launched,
flying 18 feet parallel to the plowed field,
clears the flood control ditch embankment,
lands face first into the dried mud.
Cooked cockroach writhing, fire's out.


I had to watch.  The least I could do.
More of a diktat between Roach and me than revenge.  Hard to explain but...
the deed is done, be he dead or alive.  I'm sure Roach understands.

Claire screamed with glee when the tractor blew. I figured I could depend on
her to set it up and get the timing just right.

*dik.tat \dik-'ta:t\ n [G, lit., something dictated, fr. NL dictatum, fr. L,
neut. of dictatu]s, pp. of dictare to dictate : a harsh settlement
unilaterally imposed (as on a defeated nation).


2zzzzzzday.
later,
d.

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                            ()'  \_/()

Sometimes it's a little better to travel than to arrive. -Robert
Pirsig (Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance)

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