I was driving slowly across the tracks
at a Rail Road Crossing
when the lights started flashing
and the arms came down
in front and behind
so I couldn’t back up
or go straight ahead
I was stuck on the tracks
with a train coming
and I froze
for a second
and then thankfully
had the presence of mind
to go left and hard right
just barely around the barrier
and Shirley was screaming in the car
and the train roared past
too close
and I said to myself
and maybe out loud,
“I hope I never do that again.”
These are the things you remember.