Sunset

The day was young, as was the couple starting their journey for the day. The young man opened the passenger door for the young lady. She climbed into the small, white, single cab pick-up truck, smirking at the man as she brushed aside the papers and miscellaneous items in the foot well. The man looked sheepishly to the ground and apologized for the mess. He quickly scurried to the other side of the truck and hopped in.

The man inserted the key into the ignition and fired up the truck. The sound of the four cylinder engine filled the cab, being quickly overpowered by the audio system. He put the stick shift into gear and backed out of the uphill, slightly curved driveway.

"I think the mountains are in order." he said to the lady, sitting at a stop light.

"Are we going to get provisions for our travels?" she responded.

"Of course. What would you like?"

"I'm thinking Dr. Pepper and some Doritos."

"Okay."

The dirty Mazda pick-up pulled into the gas station, the man fueled up and purchased the necessary snacks for the drive. The lady inserted an Offspring CD into the fairly high quality Alpine stereo and cranked up the volume.

The sun blazed on the horizon, forcing a lowering of both parties sun visor. The red S-10 gleamed in the rising sun, freshly detailed, as it was every Saturday. The road ahead was smooth as could be and straight as an arrow. The mountains lie ahead, but seemed eons away.

The first turn came up quickly, almost unseen by the man, then soon after another. The man reached over to an energy drink and took a quick sip and looked over to the passenger seat, seeing only a shadow of what had to be the most beautiful woman ever to have passenged with him. Wavy blonde hair, almost white from the sun, though darker than it once was. Fair skin like no other and curves that had filled him with countless happy thoughts, just translucent thoughts now. The glare from the ever rising sun was dulled somewhat by the layers of dirt built up on the hood of his black Nissan.

Suddenly, without any warning, the paved road became rocky, muddy, winding, unexpected changes in the grade. Long up-hills followed by sudden drop-offs into steep-pitched tight turns. No room for error, just enough room for the truck and an edge that cascaded into the oblivion. The woman by his side, hair darker, skin whiter, eyes as blue as can be grabbed the steering wheel and guided the truck to safety. The road again was paved, but potholes abound.

Finally the road smoothed out. Smiles on the faces of both widened as heavenly twisted roads appeared before them. A tight right hander approached. The man grabbed the shift knob of the white Nissan’s six-speed manual transmission and dropped it into second. Tires squealed as he rounded the corner, getting ever so slightly sideways, then floored it into the next awaiting curve.

The temperature dropped sharply, heater on full, but not making an impact on the chill in his soul. He felt the rumble of the V-8 coming through the MagnaFlow exhaust in his blue Dodge truck. He looked through the rear view mirror but could see nothing, a bed full of his remaining worldly possessions. To his right, a passenger seat with stuff. Superimposed over the relatively meaningless items again was the vision of curves to dream about…and dream he did.

The day, still not half over, found himself with new warmth by his side, pulling a heavy load in a Freightliner Columbia, destined for greener pastures, pastures that quickly browned with fruitless endeavors.

The road rose to new heights, bumpy to be sure, but serenely happy. He checked the rear view mirror to check on the rear-facing seat filled with love, then glanced to the woman, a glow on her he had never seen, and never wanted to forget.

Almost noon, the road lowered to depths not driven before. The pressure of the atmosphere was near unbearable. Breathing grew difficult; sitting inside the purple full-size Dodge seemed such a tight space for four. The man, the woman, the two children bonded the truck and the road. Up ahead a bright light could be seen. Very far in the distance, but clearly on the road they traveled. The truck struggled a little more than normal to pull the weight of the trailer, fuel mileage dwindling, but they now had a destination. Miles away, with countless curves, hills and steep drops, light could be seen.

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The day grew short, not long before days end. The silver haired woman still beside the man, white hair blowing from the open window on the black M5 drove at a steady pace on the straight, narrow road, straight towards the horizon. The sun a shadows breath from being completely set welcomed the car. The man looked into the eyes of the woman with the last words of the day, “There is not one person I would have rather driven this road with”.

With one last gleaming ray of light, the sun crossed the threshold of the horizon and the day was done.