I picked up a hitchhiker today. It’s not something I normally do, but my radio stopped working and I hate being alone with my thoughts.

     He was a bearded guy about my age in a sweatshirt and jeans. “Expressway if you can,” he said. “Right before the on-ramp would be great.”

     “Perfect,” I told him. “I’m heading that way.”

     In high school, I kept a machete under the front seat of my truck in case things like this went bad. At least, that’s what I told people. Truthfully, I was in an Army-Navy store with my friends one day and they were buying stuff and I felt like I had to leave with something.

     I only used the knife once and that was to...

Please subscribe to keep reading.