When you drive in Michigan, you've gotta watch out for the deer. You can't drive a mile on the freeway without being reminded that deer might jump out in front of your car. It's a dangerous proposition because the more you drive the less you notice the signs, and you forget to look out for the deer.
There is an implicit contract between the driver and the State everytime you drive these freeways. You are asked to obey the speed limit and employ safe driving practices. The State has to make roads safe and hazard free. For the most part this contract is followed to the letter. There are always wildcards.
The traveler may choose many modes of travel: a fast vehicle, a fuel efficient vehicle, a big vehicle. The traveler may choose from many routes. Those that are paved are deemed safe for the driver. They take the unpaved road at one's own risk. It effectively breaks the contract between the driver and the State.
So, the traveler and the State have a pretty neat arrangement. Except they've neglected to have another party under contract, Mother Nature. And that's where the deer come in. If you choose to travel the paved road in your vehicle of choice and a deer jumps out in front of you, you may swerve to miss it or you may strike it. There are consequences either way. But once that deer leaps in front of your vehicle, you will never ever forget that every time you travel the freeway, there is a chance a deer may jump in front of your vehicle and that contract you thought you had is worthless.
There is an implicit contract between the driver and the State everytime you drive these freeways. You are asked to obey the speed limit and employ safe driving practices. The State has to make roads safe and hazard free. For the most part this contract is followed to the letter. There are always wildcards.
The traveler may choose many modes of travel: a fast vehicle, a fuel efficient vehicle, a big vehicle. The traveler may choose from many routes. Those that are paved are deemed safe for the driver. They take the unpaved road at one's own risk. It effectively breaks the contract between the driver and the State.
So, the traveler and the State have a pretty neat arrangement. Except they've neglected to have another party under contract, Mother Nature. And that's where the deer come in. If you choose to travel the paved road in your vehicle of choice and a deer jumps out in front of you, you may swerve to miss it or you may strike it. There are consequences either way. But once that deer leaps in front of your vehicle, you will never ever forget that every time you travel the freeway, there is a chance a deer may jump in front of your vehicle and that contract you thought you had is worthless.
KZ
40 comments:
FIRST!!!!!!! what what.
Yeah the roads in Michigan are crazy and the people drive like they have no sense. I almost had a fender bender in Michigan.
Okay, I haven't finished my coffee but am I missing the cryptic message hidden in this post? How was NYC Zed?
Oh, and I hope a deer didn't wreck your car.
@Phoenix
Hey Young Delicious! I hope you're sufficiently recovered, I know I'm not. You are a helluva host. Y'all did that shit! I'll be writing about the trip a little later. This is an allegory about how I'm feeling right now.
@1969
You might be missing what I'm saying. This post is about love or at least a deep infatuation. My car is fine!!!
KZ
the combonation of the deer story and the picnic photos makes me think of bar b qued vennison.
were ya'll eating wild game at the cook out?
@ miss ahmed - no venison this year but who knows what we will have cooking up next year.
So is that why you weren't around yesterday? Did you hit a deer on your way back to Satan's Anus? If so, glad your OK because it could of been worse. I dated a dude once that flipped his SUV over trying to avoid a deer (on his way from Philly to visit me in Virginia)...guess he had me on the brain (bad sign) LOL!! Anyway, he got messed up pretty badly and so did his vehicle...but the deer walked away in perfect condition...go figure!
Zeddie I so enjoyed spending time with you in NYC. It was a lot of fun...you were a lot of fun (nothing like I exected but that's a good thing LOL!!).
Today is my last day in the office and probably on the computer for awhile but when you download your pics please pass them on to me. Especially pics of those calves LOL!!!
uhhhhhhhh I guess I'm a little slow...this went over my head too (as most things do) *sigh*
Hee hee...I gotta secret I gotta secret..lol
Whew, thought bluey had bit the dust...or the deer.
Interesting.
No. Seriously.
@Miss Ahmad
These cats love venison in the wilderness of Michigan. I prefer my meat store bought.
@Phoenix
Don't try to slip no deer meat on the grill!!!
@RD
This is about following a pre-determined path and being knocked off your square by unexpected events.
Ooooh, I can't wait to write about you. It's coming soon!!!
KZ
Me? You're going to write about me? Ok I gotta go get some popcorn for this one...either it will be a horror story or it will be a drama...am I right so far??? LOL!!!
man don't sleep on the deer! i love me some deer! >country< my cousin had some jalepeno deer sausage with cheese. that mess was good.
and i have seen vehicles first hand get fucked up by deers. if you get hit by love like a deer fucks up a car, man you're in trouble.
sidebar: the roots are coming to new orleans next month :)
knocked off your square? humm...
This story is about love or deep infatuation hmmmmmm. And about how you are feeling right now hmmmmmm. And about following a pre-determined path and being knocked off your square by unexpected events hmmmmmmm. So once I add up those three statements hmmmmmm, I still ain't got NOTHING! But it seems like Slish knows what this is about???? hmmmmmmm
Had a good time on Saturday too, good meeting you face to face.
loves it. And for ALL of ya'll.... he AIN'T talking about Venison.
HA!!! I got'cha Zed and thanks again for the Brooklyn T-shirt!! I love it!!!
Ahhhh....the lightbulb has gone off.
So your contract between you and the state was going smooth, driving along the highway....and then when you least expected it...a deer jumped out. Threw your whole ride off course.
Hmmm.....I really get it now. Did you swerve to avoid it, did you hit it or did you miss it but now you're scared to get back on the highway for fear of it?
is this deer thing like bear pussy cuz that one kinda threw me for a loop!
He was guaranteed to get some but the red tide came in from out-of-nowhere, so that guarantee went out the window. LOL I'm probably way off base. Just f*ckin with you. I hope you had a good time at the cookout!
I read your post and realized you went down the "deep" path, a path I didn't really know how to navigate so that's my comment
Ok - so basically what you're saying is, you're damned if you do and damned if you don't?!? I guess I'm not included in the role call of intelligent people that use blogger! At least you know how to use an allegory for the shit going on in your life, whereas I just don't blog it! And it's plenty fucked up!
@Slish
You know the deal. How many times did I come up to you and say the same thing again and again? It had to be at least 10.
@Blah
Interesting indeed.
@RD
Why in the world would it be either of those things?
@Aqua
This ain't about deer at all, but I too have seen cars fucked up by deer. The road from Detroit to Satan's Anus is littered with deer carcasses.
@Miss Ahmad
Yes, ma'am. Knocked from my square.
@OneFrom
Hey mama! It was very good to meet you Saturday. Y'all some cool ass women! I wish we coulda kicked it some more Saturday night, but it's cool. The East Coast ain't nothin' but a frightening plane ride away.
@Robyn
After pouring out my heart to you about this, I feel like my ballsac is filled with estrogen.
You know exactly what this post is about. It's about unexpected longing, something that comes along and makes you re-evaluate all the shit you thought you wanted. And the cause of it is totally unaware of the effect it's having on you.
@1969
The deer don't know it's a deer and I'm a driver. The deer is just being a deer, not trying to enhance my life or change my path. I, of course, recognize the deer immediately and try to avoid it, fearing the worst.
Sometimes an African has just gotta say "what the fuck" and give it a shot against his better judgement.
@Miss Ahmad
I'm pretty slow witted and kinda goofy, so the story may not convey what I'm trying to say. I'm on this page emotionally butt assed nekkid.
@BZ
Wow! That's quite an assessment. I could see where you got that. I see it, but it's not where I was going. That's actually damn good BZ!
KZ
@Honest
This was the best way I could describe, in an obtuse way, a very simple situation. I just didn't wanna put all my shit out there like that.
@BJ
You know you're freaking highly intelligent, so I musta wrote the story badly.
It's not really "damned if you do, damned if you don't". It's more of a case of "I'm doing everything right, planned down to the smallest detail. What could go wrong?" and then BLAM.
KZ
i figured that. i just got caught up talking about the deer.
i always relate the way i feel to being hit by a bus. that shit will mow you down quickly.
i had no idea there were still deer in michigan. wolverines, yeah. deer, nah.
i've been in near accidents with deer and it always scares the SHIT out of me. don't they see the fucking headlights??
oh well...
so you say this is about love or deep infatuation? lawd...if that's the case, then i hope you down for slamming headfirst into it cuz love gets you like that. LOL
I know this ain't about no damn deer, but I can't read between the lines...
Zed...I agree. Sometimes you just gotta say WTF.
Life is all about taking the chance and never having a "what could have been" moment for the rest of your days.
I'll finish this on my end maybe then these grown folk will figure out what your talking about...
Holla at yo boy...
Lemme find out Zed that you had an Epiphany this weekend too....maybe that is why I wrote about epiphany. Zed...could you be moving east to tame the beast....hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm very interesting....Things not going according to the grand Zed 2 year plan I see...but that my friend...could be a good thing.
BTW Zed...there is a reason you ain't feeling casual anymore...YOU just didn't know it yet....;-)Always the last to know *smile*
Arrrrrrgh!!! Not about deer? Love? Worthless contracts?
If I wanted to think today I'd be working. Please post a translation for those of us that ride the short bus. Love ya!
@All
I am honestly trying to work on getting NYC story done for y'all. I'm getting pulled a bunch of different ways today. It's long as hell and I can't seem to edit it.
@Newy, Mack, and Chele
In a nutshell, the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.
The Freeway = Life's plan, one's personal plan.
Vehicle = One's drive, ambition.
Deer = The uncontrollable element, some externality that makes you "reconsider" the road.
I used to travel deer lined freeways, so I was constantly vigilant. Now, I think I let my guard down. I gotta either swerve or hit it.
KZ
Damn u need a helmet to ride these highways?
Ok lemme see...
you swerve and avoid hitting the deer but instead hit a tree, flip over 6 or 7 times and die (God forbid)
or
you say a quick prayer and hit the dayum deer, killing it (and crushing that poor old uncontrollable element). Perhaps jacking up said vehicle (that ambition which of course can be repaired or replaced)...but increasing the chances that you can get right back onto the freeway (personal plan) you are so determined to be on...unless your plan isn't the Most High's plan, in which case your plan is a shyty one anyways and you've just crushed something that could have taken you on another path to greatness...
So either way you’re screwed LOL!! I never did particularly care for deer...but that's just me!
@Ill Nana
If a helmet would help, I'd cop it.
@RD
Think about how fucked up this situation is. You hit it, you ambition is totaled. You swerve, your ambition is likely totaled.
I think my ambition needs to be a hovercraft.
KZ
So what smacked you in the aiss?! Got you when you least expected it, eh?!
@CC
Whatever smacked me in the ass, I'mma get you to smack it back!!!! You the shit, mama!
KZ
don't you drive one of them big old trucks?
can't those four wheel drive create roads of their own to drive?
i say if you don't want to hit the deer, create a new road...or try the road less traveled (that cracked me up)
my question is would the deer still be a prize if it were road kills?
uh...did you hit (or almost hit) a damn deer?
@Mariposa
Sweet naive Butterfli. This a matter of the heart that the heart has to resolve. I just needed to write it out. I need her (whoever she is)to understand how deeply I feel without freaking her out. Thus, the allegory.
@Miss Ahmad
This ain't about Robert Frost, silly! I built this road. It's paved and striped. It happens to go through deer country.
@FA
No, baby. That's not it. Read the comments. The answer is in the comments.
KZ
@Miss Ahmad
This ain't about Robert Frost, silly! I built this road. It's paved and striped. It happens to go through deer country.
huge sigh of relief, that's the answer i was looking for!
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