The hitchhiker
heading south on 3
towards Woodstock
represents, to my mind now,
a sort of Choose Your Own Adventure
If you decide to keep driving, turn to page six
If you decide to pick him up, turn to page nine
If you decide to keep driving…The End or maybe
If you decide to pick him up…The End
If you decide to throw caution to the wind, page nine
If you decide to roll the dice, let fate do the work, let freakin’ Jesus take the wheel
go to page nine
If you roll down the window
If you ask him: Where are you going?
If you let him in…
If he smiles angelically
If he pulls out a gun
If he asks where you’re going
Where the fuck are you going?
go to page nine
At least you get to see what comes next
you will know where you are going
page nine
or page six
Does it matter anymore?
If you keep driving
If you get in an accident
If you stop for lunch
If you pick him up
If it turns out he knew your high school boyfriend in a past life*
*true story
If you run over him
If you drive off a bridge
If you kill him
If he kills you
If you fall in love
If you write a poem…
If you decide to keep driving, turn to page six
If you decide to pick him up, turn to page nine
Click here for more about the Choose Your Own Adventure books. Photo & Poem ©2026 Jen Payne. If you like this poem, you’ll love my book SLEEPING WITH GHOSTS, on sale now at my Etsy Shop.
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