Heartburn

just a simple twinge

Heartburn from a fast-eaten
fast food breakfast croissant
tied and bound my chest.
I drove one-handed,
through rush hour traffic,
cell phone on speaker,
trying to call the boss,
to tell him
I was going to
be late again.

Adjusting the volume
on the CD player
and holding a hot
coffee on my lap,
I thread
between two cars
in a quick
lane change.
Damned crazy drivers!
Wake up I am coming through.

Who goes
the speed limit
in the slow lane anyways?
If I am any later
I am going
to be in trouble again.
It is time for a smoke
and the scream of brakes.

Christ!
If I get
in a wreck
at 75 mile an hour,
heartburn will be the least
of my worries.