Main Street Drag

As I turn onto 9th and Main St, the cruising drag in Joplin, I am filled with joy as I see people I know! Cars line both sides of the street. Some are new and flashy: a couple Camaro's; others trashed and filled with junk; jacked up trucks, blaring country music; sporty race cars bumping loud bass systems; on a good night there will be anywhere from fifteen to twenty crotch rockets. The sounds of screeching tires and engines roaring fills my ears. I hear people yell random things from various cars, many of them are guys cat-calling some of the girls. As it passes I hear a truck's exhaust flare up, then I'm instantly covered in pollution and the smell of smoke. I make a stop down at the gas station at C and Main. I talk to a few people congregating around, the clerk inside eying them wondering if he should call the cops. I walk inside make a right turn open up the 3rd door from the right and grab a Red Diamond Sweet Tea. On a hot, summer night there is nothing more soothing on your parched throat. As I walk to the counter I get out two dollars from my pocket, waiting in line to be helped. The clerk and I exchange some words, getting details on how the past week has been. I return back outside to see cars constantly driving into the lot, circling around, checking for cops, then peeling out in order to catch everyone's attention. The sound of burnouts and squealing tires is something we have all heard before, but we instinctively look up every time we hear it again.