the root end of the saguaro formed a bulbous knot and the curling wood made a whorl on either side like empty eye sockets , like the single eye of a squid , or a horrible cyclops eye , which heroes had to poke out in order to make their escape from doom ridden caves , yes , i wanted to punch out that single threatening eye that watched me impassively from its position on the floorboards of the back of the station wagon .