Pencil character sketches drawn on napkins, br greasy finger prints on doorhandles. br with the smell of diesel br in the vest of the stations attendant, br he moves in short quick motions br communicating with his hands. br br while over at pump three br the silhuette of a large truck driver br clumsely and irreverent slips through br the cold night air muttering something br about the frieghtline gravel snow packs up north. br br his mile markered memory worn thin br like his wallet he pulls out br to pay for the coffee br or arsenic, cup o joe, black jonny.... br br as off in the distance juan valdez br slowly moves along the highways br shoulder just outside of the lengthy br headlights pallid grasp, br pale as a ghost.... his mule speaking fluent japanese.