Epic Road Trip #4

The endless merging of people like rivers
and the corn always falling down the waterfall—
then a break for a walleye with Clamato and bud
at the Depot on Jeffers Street
where one guy talks with a smile
about how every man's thoughts at one point turn to suicide
and two other men converse about
that perfect afternoon spent mixing for Elton John.
You can see the bobbins spin in the Ideal Uniform store
across the street,
and a man come out with a roll of asbestos
from the Nebraska Safety and Fire Equipment building
with the rusted window frames.
They're carefully taking tar off a roof
without leaving a trace of debris.
The North Platte grain elevators are full.