The A/C in my grandpa's tiny Ford Festiva had been broken and no one told me. The air in the car was just full of humidity and the traffic on I-65 was brutal. Stop. Drive. Sweat. This process and songs on the radio repeat for the next hour and a half. All I had the opportunity to do during this time was stare at my surroundings. Cows, corn, your occasional pond here or there for a little fishing.
Aside from that It was just me and the other thousands of people trying to get to Indiana on a Saturday morning. The black cloth interior of the vehicle acted more as an oven rather than anything else eventually causing my brand new shirt to be soaked in sweat once I pulled up to Southlake mall, still a little pissed off due to the exhausting car ride here in the heat. It was all worth it once he got out of his car and started walking towards mine.
Even though it's been two years, I still get butterflies every time we see each other again. It was a long drive just to get here, but past the construction Indiana can be pretty beautiful; even more so when I’m with him. In the car alone together everything goes from claustrophobic to blissful. The bouts of anger rush away and freshness fills the car as he gets in. Whenever we are together the greens of the grass and trees always seem to become so vibrant and alive; and the clouds all of a sudden turn into familiar shapes that we can point out as if we are kids again.
A Glimpse of Time
Tiffany Ballenger
14