Home sweet open road
In a place far away I’m just rolling out of bed. If not in body it’s in
spirit. Rolling out of bed moaning as I rub my eyes and stand up to go
out against the world. Throwing all my clothes on the floor scattering
them about as I poke for something half stylish to wear. Slide on my
shoes…been tied since I bought them cause I’m to lazy. Walk downstairs
snatch my keys off the mahogheny end table as I munch on a sweet
blueberry pop tart. Out the door I whisk myself and into the big world.
Lucky blue hat twisted backwards so that it’s not even doing its job of
blocking out the sun. I want to see the sun want to feel the
squint….the worlds fresh and I am alive. Trod ding through the fresh
grass as the birds chirp a new melodolic song of jubilation. Step up to
my sleek metallic white ride and let myself inside. A simple connection
to a physical machine. We inhale the same cold summer’s morning oxygen
as we fire up the day. My blood pumps as that of the oil just warming up
to the day’s task. Muscles work as connections between bones, like
bearings between rods. My brain firing off synapses thousands of times a
second and her brain firing as well running the body its attached
duties. Ill tighten up the harness move it to first and bring on the
world.
It’s a feeling I know all too well. It’s a feeling I cherish the same
way a child cherishes losing training wheels on his first bike. It’s me
and my chariot out on the Highway…free as a dove diving along the
rifts of an ocean scent.
Last four years of my life I have beaten the asphalt path a sum of over
250,000 miles. I have a connection with that road. Whether it be gravel,
dirt, asphalt, concrete, or sand it’s my companion the majority of my
days. It’s been my fearless comrade through tears. Tears that have
streamed down my face as I leave the sweet embrace of home for my double
life as a supposed fearless soldier. That road shares my tears and
millions of others as it carries us to places we no longer long to be.
Its shared laughter. Laughter of me and the guys just living free.
“Chappy you what?…no really…you didn’t..Awl man that’s nuts. What
did she do?” The guys go crazy over one of my new conquests. Yeah the
road managed to catch that secret as well. Road knows all my secrets.
It knows of the love made on back roads while daddy’s texting her “get
home young lady”. Knows of the struggles of being a person, knows of
life laughter and love. When the wheels won’t turn it’s there for the
sole. The sole of my slipped on dusty kicks and the soul I squander deep
inside. The road was relentlessly there. Been there to thrust me towards
and away from love. Been there to lead me to a cold jail cell for a
wacky Christmas day stay. It was also there to carry me away from
reality. I’m Mario Andretti and the road would agree.
I’ve experienced a lot of my life peering out a windshield. Staring
aimlessly at miles of cornfields or the high rise buildings of
Nashville, Pittsburgh, Louisville, Cincinnati, Columbus…the list
trails on and on to each destination. Each destination different but the
foundation the same. Wouldn’t take back a mile while I’m sure my ride is
pleading the opposite.
Deep inside as I drift away I’m back in Tyler County I’m on rte 2
cruising to the ol DQ. I’ll be grabbing a medium twist cone and windows
down heading to pick up the guys. It’s just me the road and the fresh
summer air. The only real non kinetic thing in my life.
Reality is a road to you can be anything. It can be your morals your
values your drug your existence. My road has metaphoric value. It’s
something that I hold onto for reality and illusion all at the same
time. It’s my comedy my tragedy my rain my sun. Reach down inside you
and hold onto whatever it is that carries you away in this world.
Whether it be miles I spend dancing with the metallic white lines of an
interstate or the musty dust cloud of a back road I’m sane in those
moments. I’m every emotion that a person could manage to experience and
I’m as free as the wind through the trees. Find your road find your
happiness and never look back. Tomorrow truly isn’t promised so why
wouldn’t we be happy today?
