This past week has been thought provoking. I left Florida and steered Rocinante in the direction of Atlanta. Of course coming from the Gulf side of Florida one must make a bend around to get in the direction of Atlanta. The route involves a lot of horizontal movement since Florida is flat as a pancake. Once in Georgia and heading in a northerly direction I longed for a bit more vertical motion. I got it but not before spying a huge amount of dark clouds and sprinkles on the windshield. The rain didn’t last long.
I stopped for a quick bite at a Subway. They make a great flatbread vegan veggie sandwich. I texted Rae that I’d be in her neighborhood later that afternoon. Her response was, “Ok”. Rae is a person of few words. The ones she lets fly are always gems. Two days with her was amazingly simple and fullfilling. Rae has an energy that I like. We get along very well with no interference or conflict. Just about the time that Georgia stops looking like Florida I arrived in Marietta.
My next stop was Tennessee to visit Nicole and her family. I was paying attention to the landscape. Clouds were darkening and Georgia was beginning to resemble Tennessee. Mountains were now looming toward the west and north rain was beginning. I texted Nicole my ETA and she responded with, “Ok! Drive safe, lots of rain here.” I deduced that this was going to be a wet ride for 5 hours.
Nicole welcomed me. The kids were home from school because the rain was coming so hard that driving was tricky. The school buses were grounded for the day. Staying with Nicole and Tim included a bed sharing deal with Olaf. Olaf being their five hundred pound lab-pitbull mix. No big deal. I just distracted Olaf and then flopped on the couch. Mine!
A day later I’m back on the road and driving to South Carolina for a night and then to North Carolina for a three day stop. I like the area around Morehead City. There are several vegan restaurants where I can pig out if I want. The local military base has lodging for cheap as well. It’s all good.
On the way to the base I stopped at a gas station for a coke cola for an energy lift. I was doping off a little and I only had an hour more to drive. A scene at the gas station gave me an idea for a story which I wrote today and posted below.
I have been absent from writing for while and probably will continue to during this trip. One never knows.
Peace Out,
G. M. Goodwin 3 March 2018
PROCRASTINATION
Danny sat quietly, watching nervously while his fingers clutched the pistol on the seat next to him. He’d thought about this moment over and over. Still he didn’t know how to take the next step. He wanted an end to the rage that kept him awake at night and enervated during the day. He couldn’t keep living like this.
Presently he was sitting in his car at a gas station on Tyree Road in Kingston. He’d been sitting like this for about forty-five minutes. Danny relaxed his gun hand to feel the flat slide and machined grip. This gun had become his closest friend for the past six years. His only connection to whatever comfort came to him was this steel icon. M 1911. Danny didn’t feel quite ready, not yet. He waited. Soon, he thought.
The wind blew his car and he felt the vehicle rock with the gust. Dust flew across the parking lot around the two gas pumps. One car was visible at the pumps. Dust and trash blew in circles with the gusting wind. The wind and debris matched Danny’s thoughts. The driver of the car at the pump ran into sight from the store front and climbed clumsily into the front seat. Danny heard the engine start and the vehicle pulled swiftly away onto Tyree Road toward Beulaville.
Danny stared out the front of the windshield. He was looking toward the coin operated vacuum cleaner attached to the side of the gas station. He just stared at it without seeing it. Danny was thinking confusing thoughts about ending his miserable, tortured existence. How many times must he endure and how many days must he stomach in order to bring finality to this life? Danny was worn out and so weary with grief and resentment. He only wanted a moment of peace which would never come.
The wind blew and rocked the car again. An off-shore storm up north was sucking the air off the coast of North Carolina and dust and debris were in the air and swirling across the landscape. Danny caught sight of a coke bottle skipping across the parking lot. It rolled and bounced out from between unseen automobiles parked on the opposite side of the gas station. Danny could see the bottle contained all of its liquid contents. Then a little skinny kid dashed out from the same direction as the coke bottle and ran it down. The kid scooped up the bottle and held it up to the light and examined the contents. The coke bottle held value for the little kid. The kid appeared to be pleased with his capture. He turned and dashed back out of sight.
The scene of the kid and the coke bottle broke whatever spell was holding Danny in the car. Another car pulled up beside Danny’s. An older man got out and slowly walked around Danny’s car and into the gas station. Danny pushed the gun under a cushion on the front seat. Too much was going on now. The old man’s car next to his was too much. Danny was growing uneasy. He reached under the steering column and turned the ignition key. He pulled the shift lever out of parking gear and slowly backed away from the building. He turned the car around and left for home. Again.
G. M. Goodwin
3 March 2018
Playing Fair and Being Kind 