I picked him up- br just released from br mental health treatment- br br they'd drugged him br to some nth degree br and I could feel him br looking out the car window br deciphering hospital life br from the outside highway realities. br br We pass road kill br and he yelled stop! stop! br br I stopped, backed up and he got out br to have a look. br br A dead cat, mauled br and bloody. br He got down on the road br and began to weep and cry out. br br 'What? what? ' I said thinking they had damaged him. br br He said 'they killed him.' br 'Who? ' br 'This cat.' br 'Who killed him? ' br 'They did.' br 'He was hit by a car, ' I said. br br 'No, no, ' he said. br He was not hit by a car, he said staring at me. br br 'They killed him in the bushes br and dragged him up here br to make look like an accident.' br br He then looked at my startled face steadily and suddenly br laughed. br 'Just a little paranoid joke' he said. br br We laughed all the way home.