The Ox and the Lady

2009 is the Year of the Ox, a beast of burden that occupies very little space in our literary history. Babe the blue ox has pretty much had to hold it down in that world, so help keep him company by writing an ode to the ox. A poem is probably the most fun way to go, but feel free to write in any style you want. Read more about the year of the ox on Wikipedia.


Ox was starting to sweat again. His hands were clammy and he was having a hard time steering in the rain as it was, but now it was getting worse. Each gust of wind made the car shake a bit more and he thought about slowing down before he reminded himself that it wasn't really an option. He was in this far and getting out was still a long way off. Now there was only Sweetness to deal with and then, he could leave town. At least then, he could feel like some progress had been made.

The next turn was a little too tight for the car to take peacefully and he skidded just enough to bring his stomach up to the bottom of his throat, before the wheels caught and he got the car back. He had just enough of a second to look down at the passenger seat and make sure that the kid was okay. She seemed scared, but even that much wasn't obvious. She should be scared even if she didn't have the sack over her head. And since she couldn't see what was happening, Ox was afraid she'd be nauseous as well. But she never complained. She just sat there in her green overalls and red sneakers with her hands folded on her lap. Her silence was made all the more obvious by the fact that the radio was off. It was starting to get to Ox, just a little bit.

This had been Leroy's play. It'd been his idea to do the kiddie snatch. It was his marker that this was going toward paying off. It was his girlfriends step kid that was getting taken. But somehow, it was Ox sitting here in the driver's seat of a stolen Aerostar van with a mute five year old on his right and Leroy was nowhere. The last Ox had heard from him was about five minutes before the snatch. Up until then, Ox couldn't avoid Leroy if he tried. He'd called every other hour for the past five days, ironing out every last detail. And now, there was nothing. Leroy wasn't picking up the phone. Ox was just short of scared, but not enough to blow the plan. The plan was bible. As long as he stuck to it, he'd be golden. Leroy or no, Ox was getting paid today.

Lee hazlewood - Stone Lost Child