Meditation on Assumed Purpose and Intent, 3 of 4

When I was in junior high I used to walk around in auto salvage yards.

I used to like to go out there particularly to look at the older cars. In the dry climate that New Mexico is, old cars can last a long time. I saw some really desirable and interesting cars there.

Many were complete. The owner never parted out complete cars.

Others may have been missing a door or all doors, the windows gone, the motor might have been in the trunk.

These cars were frozen in time. Looking at them square in the grille they seemed to want to go. Their headlights, as if eyes wide open, anticipated forward movement, being driven again.

The seats waited in vain for people to sit, the ignition waited in vain for a car key.

The most that would ever happened is that somebody would come get another part off of it, or that it would rust, eventually, it would sold for scrap metal.

Some cars were wrecked, some worse than others. I saw one heap that had the roof cut off of it.

No matter the extent of their own immobility, they seemed oblivious to their condition or surroundings.

Assumed purpose and intent.