Chasin the Snake

VIII
Got up early to ride the bus outta here. Jouncy bouncy early morning river valley bus, out the window just a scream and a shout down the boulder ride to the glimmering Indus below, and the bus-top SWAYS over that edge and my stomach SWAYS with it. Just keep looking at the blue heart, a scratched sticker above the driver’s head- “I Love Blue-hearts”? “I Love..Love”?? “I Love Blue Love”? Jouncing bouncing along to a Ladakhi love song, Casio backbeats over a wire-high folk melody- did the synthesizer kill folk music everywhere? Ancient campfire melodies stamped on plastic bass-lines and tincan beats. Jouncing bouncing, keep looking at the blue heart, front of the bus, don’t lose yer lunch.. but the valley is a vision, pulling my eyes out the window. Dusty hills and that azure snake glimmering and swimming thickly through the valleys its eaten over the centuries, the road like a little brother humming along, imitating its bigger brother’s moves- a little less smooth, a little less deft. Hairpin!! Hold on, eyes front. A hundred knuckles go white. The men still muttering under their breath, spinning prayer wheels (ohm padme ohm) or just a grunt on the inhale, asking Indus’ little brother for deliverance. I’m praying to the Blue Heart to keep my breakfast down, feet cold in the desert air, head sweating in its yakwool toque. Chasing the snake three hours all the way back to Leh...