Outside of BaltimorenI stopped at a liquor store,nto use the telephone,nto see if my wife was home.nnI inhaled the rainy spring,nchewed on the raw wind,ndialed my numbernand counted the rings.nnA bomb went off in the parking lot,nit threw me down, singed my hair,nand shattered the glass of the liquor store.nI saw a gutted van, burning green and gold,nspitting sparks; I thought I saw someone inside.nnI stood in shock ‘til the cops rolled up,nthey took me in, I was the only witness.nI waited until the Feds arrived:ntwo men in shades, half my age.nnThey asked me about Desert Storm,nthe Turks, the Kurds, chemical wars.nI told ‘em I only know the road–nI told ‘em I only soldnthe Magipeeler, Forever Knives,nthe Eternal Dicer, Miracle Slicer.nThey said: You’re not a suspect.nMaybe we’ll keep in touch.