The Driving Part 2

The Tamarack substation contained a 24 hour Starbucks so the caffiene obsessed and late night drivers could get their fix before hitting the tenebrous twisting roads that would take us through the mountains. I work in coffee shop owned by Starbuck corp. so I generally refuse to drink the foul tasting black swill. I prefer to burn out my pituitary gland with kidney killing energy drinks owned by Coca Cola. Elizabeth, Lauren, and Kelly bought coffees and cakes. While I showed my good friend Will the wonders of flattening a penny for the mere cost of fifty-one cents. He seemed to think that it was wasteful expensive while I assured him that it was all part of the fine traveling/touristing tradition.

After fueling our bodies and emptying our bladders we set out again for parts hazily shown to us on mapquest. The gps I brought along guided us as best it could. This is foreshadowing. Kelly decided to drive this second leg of our trip. She started us off on the right track. Too right of a track actually as when she veered back onto the interstate her grande/vente/tall/large whatever you call it coffee tipped over the side of the cup holder and into obscurity. I say obscurity because after a round of cursing from the rather demure Kelly we pulled into the nearest gas station so we could clean the interior of the van. At the time we could not find where the coffee had spilled. All cats being gray in the dark, or in this case all things are indecipherable in the dark, it was difficult for us to find the dark liquid on the already dark interior in the night. Looking slightly into the future however, it was easy to spot the large waterfall reminiscent stain in the morning that started near the cup holder and ran under the floor mat.

Kelly drove for a solid two hours before she began to hallucinate slightly. Nodding in and out has always fascinated my as I wonder what did I miss those moments someone flicked the off switch in my head. Was it important? Will there be a quiz? I woke suddenly and in pain because car seats are not comfortable particularly when two people are trying to sleep on the same bench. Kelly looks back quickly trying to keep her eyes on the road.