a chance encounter

poem by horace p sternwall

illustrations by pete palomine

as i was walking down the street a surly beast i chanced to meet he seemed a stranger to civilization and had ideas above his station he fixed me with his limpid eye and asked me if i cared to die i held his gaze and answered straight that i was but a child of fate this answer quite amused the creature good humour liquefied his features and just as i relaxed my stare he disappeared into the air