headlights flashing
behind me, truck passed
me on fire, her gas tank on
empty, needle buried in her
booking agent zone,

I dialed her
number on the
cell phone, her voice
soft with thanks, bar neon
flashed Suspicious Minds,
she booked the band closing
jealous wives out behind the blinds,
homeless man at the trash bin digging
out watermelon rinds, my mind caught in
the track, escorting her every night always
staying in my car not walking into the bar,
waving her off on my way to the dirt backroads,

home again,
quiet, fragrant
cedar and sandalwood,
cold beer, shot of whiskey,
she'd be phoning at ten, suspicious
minds I called a cab, pulled another tab,
the girl in the band I wondered,

free will and trust,
kiss, no tell and lust,
my key ring with her spare
truck key turned the ignition,
gas gauge on full, cab waited
while I wrote her a note, left it on
her seat, "suspicious minds are part
of backcountry roads" -

cab driver turned
on the backcountry
dirt road the way we
came, said he delivered
five gallons of gas to the
owner of the truck I was just
in, my cell rang, it was ten, she
said she'd be home at two fifteen,
I asked the driver to take me back to
get the note, "suspicious minds are part
of backcountry roads."

Lyrics by: Copyright 4.18.2010 Ms. Sage Sweetwater, firebrand lesbian novelist