A blue rubber ball
rolling down a driveway
me on my morning run
a child rushes after it
heading into the street
a red Honda
hurrying toward her
the girl focused on the ball
I grab her and pull her away
gouging my knees
the frazzled driver
a reporter for the Chronicle
the story on the front page
tomorrow, an old lady
risking her life to save a child
But no story on the front page
the next day or the next
and no wonder, because it wasn’t true
yes, a blue ball rolled down a driveway
but no child, no oncoming car
no writer from the local paper
I tossed the ball back into the yard
and ran a few more miles
creating a story in my mind
cobbled from wistful dreams
of wanting to be a hero, rescuing
dogs from burning buildings
saving a woman trapped in a rip tide
instead of living in the shadows of life
safely colorless and totally predictable
