I met a man from LA

who told me he’d lived off the grid-

he gave me a hint

on how to survive

and he called it

the old fruit trick:

You carry a fruit

and when picked up,

you slice it in halves

with your knife

(make sure the driver sees

the steel)

before you offer him a bite.

Then the man laughed as he smoked his cigarette,

and told me be careful where I tread-

there’s a code to the road,

and if you don’t learn quick

you end up shot or dead.

stickin out thumbs

ain’t for fun,

and there’s danger out

in Oregon

but the Heartland calls

and the misfits go

just know

that hitchin

is a lonely business.