MECHANIZED MAN

WE THREE - IT WAS NICE OF THEM TO KEEP US TOGETHER THOUGH I DO NOT KNOW WHY OR WHEREIN OUR IMPORTANCE LAY - WERE LOADED ONTO THE FLATBED OF A TRAILER (HOOKED BEHIND A TRUCK) BY A BOBCAT. THAT'S A MECHANIZED MOVER WITH A BUCKET ON THE FRONT. THE MAN WHO DROVE A NOISY PICKUP TRUCK HAD A FELLOW TRAVELER, A BLACK DOG, WHO SAT ON THE PASSENGER'S SEAT. WE - SILENT - RODE ALONG COUNTRY ROADS UNTIL WE STOPPED AT A DRIVEWAY BESIDE A HOUSE. WAS IT HERE THAT A MODERN AMERICAN FAMILY WOULD NEWLY RESIDE? WHY WERE WE MOVED? AS OUR TRIP ENDED, A SECOND VEHICLE, WHICH HAD APPARENTLY FOLLOWED US, ARRIVED. A YOUNG MAN, A YOUNG GIRL AND I GUESSED, THE MOTHER ALIGHTED FROM ANOTHER GAS-GUZZLING MACHINE AND CARRIED A FAST FOOD LUNCH INTO THE HOUSE. THE FATHER ( OBVIOUS NOW) WAS ABANDONED TO HIS MANLY DUTIES. FIRST HE UNLOADED THE FAMILY DOG, HIS DOG PEN AND DOGHOUSE. THEY SIGNALED THAT THESE PEOPLE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN A LIFESTYLE OF IN-HOME LIVING FOR LONG ENOUGH PERIODS TO CARE FOR AN INDOOR PET. POOR POOCH, FOREVER, LIKE US, EXPOSED TO THE ELEMENTS (THOUGH POOCH HAD A BOX). BUT I STRAY. AFTER REVVING IT UP, THE BOBCAT WAS UNLOADED FROM THE TRUCKBED BY THE MAN. HE THEN TURNED THE MACHINE AROUND AND DROVE IT UP ONTO THE TRUCKBED, SHOVEL FIRST. WE THREE GOT SCOOPED UP - FAT, HEAVY STONES THAT WE ARE. OUR ONLY AIRBORNE EXPERIENCE THEN TRANSPIRED. WE WERE TRANSPORTED A FEW FEET TO A SPOT ON THE GROUND AND DUMPED. JUST DUMPED! THEN THE BOBCAT, HAVING DONE ITS ONLY JOB, WAS RE-LOADED ONTO THE TRUCKBED BY THE MAN. NEXT, THE MAN RETREATED INDOORS TO JOIN THE OTHERS. I PRESUME ALL FOUR, AROUND SOME CIVILIZED CONSTRUCTION OF A TABLE - OR NOT - THEN CONSUMED THEIR BAGGED UP, TAKE-OUT LUNCHES. WERE THEY THINKING THAT THEY WERE REWARDING THEMSELVES AFTER A HARD JOB WELL DONE? THE SMALLEST OF US, WHISPERING, ASKED ME, THE LARGEST ROCK, "WHY DIDN'T SOMEONE JUST CARRY US ONTO THE TRUCK AND UNLOAD US THE SAME WAY? WE'RE NOT HUMONGOUS, YOU KNOW. ARE WE CONSIDERED DANGEROUS OR ALIEN? THAT ELDERLY COUPLE DOWN THE LANE WOULD HAVE JUST PICKED US UP OR WHEELED US ALONG IN A WHEELBARROW TO THE SELECTED SPOT" "BEATS ME," I SAID, AND ASKED MEDIUM SIZED ROCK IF HE THOUGHT THOSE TWO OLD, ODD, UNMODERNIZED BIRDBRAINS DOWN THE LANE WOULD EVER HAVE WASTED THEIR HARD-EARNED MONEY ON FAST FOOD MEALS. BABY ROCK INTERJECTED THE ANSWER, "HELL NO.! AND A BACKHOE, HO! HO! HO! TO MOVE US FRO AND TO!" WE THREE JOINED IN LAUGHTER, CHIMING TOGETHER, "WHO ARE THE ROCKHEADS? WHO ARE THE ROCKHEADS?"