Marjorie Ray

a short drive

  • Home
  • Contact

Viewpoints on the Road to Burlington

I’m in the car with my middle son Evan heading up to UVM.

He’s driving and eating potato chips and drinking soda and only has one hand on the wheel.

We’re going 70 mph.

I try not to watch the road. I look at the trees, the mountains, the steeples in villages. I see big white rolls of hay like marshmallows lined up across a field.

An obnoxious car, getting off at the next exit, zooms in front and cuts us off. My hand grabs the door. I am now trying to steer the car with my energy; to slow it down.

I regret that I didn’t bring my knitting. I only have a tiny pad of paper for writing notes.

Evan glances down at his ipod to pick a song. I tell him NOT TO. He says he isn’t looking. I tell my same story about hitting the deer; it only takes a second, sometimes they jump out in front of you from nowhere.

Miranda, catching a ride up to see Alec, takes a picture from the back seat. 

Evan-driving-with-Mom

******* Evan *******

I am driving directly centered in between the two lines on either side of the car, going roughly 10 miles over the speed limit, a common practice on the highway when intending to reach your destination faster than google maps has predicted.

I reach a slight turn on the highway and in my peripheral vision I witness my mom engage in a death grip on the door handle, shortly followed by a classic “SLOW DOWN”.

I try to ignore my moms delusional nonsense, because this is realistic, this is how people drive, but in my moms eyes, this will be her last road trip, ever, because anything can happen, and this is most likely the time and place, where after a year and a half of driving, I am randomly going to go off the road.

Later in the ride I attempt to change the music. Instantly my mom says “You’re not really gonna use that thing now are you?” I tell her I am only changing the song, only looking away from the road for an eighth of a second, even though I have witnessed her looking away from the road for an equal, or longer, amount of time. The conversation ends with “you can never look away from the road ever, anything could jump out or on the car”.

Miranda

*******Miranda*******

Moments after departure, the boredom sets in. We’re passing picturesque views, but it doesn’t matter. I’m jaded. Boredom is all-consuming. The first hour at least is uneventful.

Maybe halfway through we’re at a rest stop and I get a cup of black tea. I sip the tea incessantly once it cools because there is nothing else to do. By the time the cup is empty, I have never had to pee more in my life.

I decide not to say anything, I just want to reach the destination. At least trying to convince myself that I don’t have to pee helps to stave off the boredom.

Evan aggressively engages his mom in a discussion on driving safety. “You’re saying I can’t take my eyes off the road for an eighth of a second. Will an eighth of a second make a difference?!”

Of course it will. I’m not getting involved.

Related Posts

June 11, 2016 Filed Under: College, Vermont Tagged With: Driving

Comments

  1. Laura says

    June 12, 2016 at 8:18 pm

    🙂 I’m with Miranda.

  2. Rob Danforth says

    June 12, 2016 at 8:43 am

    I have been all three of those voices from time to time. I wonder what Luna would have said. After all, it’s all about the dogs. (in my world) thank you for sharing yours. This one in particular really got under my skin.

    • Marjorie Ray says

      June 12, 2016 at 9:59 am

      YES. My thoughts as well ~ about having been each different voice over time. I am so thankful and proud that these two teenagers took the time, and had the guts, to write for this post.

  3. Annie says

    June 12, 2016 at 6:06 am

    It only takes part of one second to make a fatal mistake at 70 mph.

  4. Lycia says

    June 11, 2016 at 11:11 pm

    Miranda is a very smart girl!

Hi, I’m Marjorie

Writer-Blogger-Web-Designer-Marjorie-Ray-Codewryter

This site is my personal blog. Welcome. I design websites at codewryter.com

Popular Posts

Glen Albrecht My Dad with Boat

No matter what ailed you, my dad had the solution

Mike-Negotiating-With-Kangaroo

Learning How to Negotiate in Australia with My Brother Mike

Marjorie-and-Richard

The Things I’ve Learned About Marriage

Me with Marina del Rey neighbor

The time Gene Hackman sat down next to me

Luna-before-Evan-leaves-for-college

The Night Before He Leaves For College

Search:

Contact:

Have a question?
Want to start your own blog?

Get in touch

Connect on Social:

Connect on Social:
  • Facebook
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe:

Support crazy bloggers!
Receive new posts by email.

  • Home
  • Contact

Copyright © 2023 Marjorie Ray · Built by Codewryter