Breakfast in a Box – an entry from the On a Road poem series
Somehow we ended up at a Jack in the Box
a dumpy hut-like fast food joint
which, frankly, none of us had heard of
prior to this alcohol fogged trip to the coast
but they serve breakfast so here we are.
The place isn’t open yet
so we’re loitering in the parking lot
in what would look quite convincingly
like a stolen Pontiac Trans Am
-no, really officer, it’s our friend’s car;
disregard those beers in Sal’s pockets-
It might be a tough sell job.
The three of us followed a road map
to get us back here to Redondo Beach
after a little shuteye in a suburban
subdivision overnight. What a night!
When the place finally opens
we order some chow to quell our hangovers
while Dean finds a payphone and
makes a call to Damion back in the valley
“Hey, what’s up man?
Yeah, your car’s fine – we slept in it.
But somehow we ended up at a Jack in the Box.”
“Better to sleep in an uncomfortable bed free, than sleep in a comfortable bed unfree.”
Swimming with Elephants Publications 