A Car Ride

A 2.2k word memoir about a car ride with my mentor

 

A Car Ride

Nearly a month after our first meeting I found myself in snowy weather, at night, driving to a house in East Providence.  After getting lost several times in the labyrinth of one-way roads and hidden street signs, I found my mother’s friend waving at the end of his driveway.  Throwing the car in park, I quickly stepped out and said hello.  Hands now in his pockets Kris briskly replied, “Okay, let’s go.” And then, “Oh, don’t forget to lock your car.”  He gave a friendly smile and turned to his jeep.  Hopping into the vehicle I closed the door and he backed out of the drive way. 

“So, why would you ever want to be a photojournalist?” He asked. 

“I don’t know, I kinda’ like to take pictures and write.  I figured a journalist or something would be a good idea.” 

“Hmm.” He murmured, then asked, “It being December, are you looking, applying, or hoping to hear back from colleges?” 

“Actually, I’m already in.” I said with pride in my voice.  I had received the good news earlier that week. 

“Really” said Kris, obviously surprised.  “Good for you.  What do you plan on doing?” 

“A writer or teacher, I figured writing for a newspaper and getting some side cash wouldn’t be too bad as I travel after college.  I’ve always wanted to travel.”  I said.

“It’s a lot easier than you would think.”  Said Kris.  “You can virtually go across the country with a couple hundred dollars, your camera, and a car.” 

Turning onto the next street we continued on down the snow-dusted road, the squeaking of the windshield wipers keeping a constant, rhythmic, time.  Looking around the messy car filled with warm clothes, cameras, and camera lens, it was easy to forget I had only met Kris ten minutes ago.  The car was humble; it brought thoughts of a small cabin on a snow covered mountain and a warm fire burning in the hearth, but it wasn’t.  It was just a warm car moving across the city, a destination on the driver’s mind.  “Can you really do it?  I’ve always wanted to travel, and not just in the US; all over if I could.” 

“You won’t be going to five star hotels.  Quite often enough, you would sleep in your own car, but you can do it.  As for traveling abroad, I was out of the country for most of my first two years with the Journal.” He said.  Turning his left blinker on, he bent forward to look both ways and continued, “Keep in mind though that there are things that will go wrong.  I’ve had things stolen, but don’t let it deter you, there are a lot of good people, a lot of interesting places, and amazing once-in-a-lifetime shots, but if you’re not careful, it could be the worst time of your life.  There are so many things that can go wrong.”

Retreating to my own thoughts, the car went silent except for the radio, which played a soft jazzy tune.  I thought of how today you see young adults on TV, hear them in rock bands, and read their books.  These ‘stars’ have started their lives.  Unlike myself at the moment, they are going somewhere, but where am I going?  Parents and teachers say some college students don’t even know their career goals.  Things change, they say, but with the price of college going up, and three children to send on to higher education, is it possible to keep up without going homeless or in debt for years?  If I don’t start, how will I finish?

What am I going to be doing five, or ten years from now?  At the age of ten I wanted to be a doctor, at the age of eleven I wanted to be a lawyer, at the age of fourteen I wanted to be a rock star, and finally, at fifteen I wanted to be a writer.  Heck, if Christopher Paolini, author of Eragon, can do it at sixteen, why can’t I do it at fifteen?   My teachers and parents were both right though.  People change and what you want one day may not be what you want the next.  What if down the road I didn’t want to write, what would I do then? 

 Kris’ words echoed in my head, ‘It’s a lot easier than you would think.’  Good, because the worst thing I can think of is to spend the rest of my years in this place: Rhode Island.   It’s sad some times.  Adults ask where students are going after high school and some say CCRI or URI.  Some just want to get a job right out of high school and stay in Rhode Island for the rest of their lives.  That is just hell in my opinion.  I need to get out; I need to see something more.  Nova Scotia, England, Italy, Australia, Germany, New Zealand, Japan for god’s sake.  I want to be anywhere but little old Rhodie, the smallest state with the biggest name. 

            As his words echoed in my head again I thought, good, because I want to learn about what’s out there.  I want see the cultural differences.  I want to see how Chinese food tastes; I mean the real stuff, not the stuff you get down the street at China Buffet.  I want to see the good and the bad.  When I walk down the infinite streets, I want to do it with fear in my heart; fear of the unknown. 

            Nowadays I find certain freedoms are being infringed upon.  More security means less freedom and what do you really want more?  They ask, ‘don’t you want to feel safe the next time you step out your door?  Don’t you want to feel safe the next time you board an airplane?  Don’t you want to feel safe the next time…?’  I don’t want to feel safe all the time.  It would be lonely, boring, sterile.  Who would want to be unable to bring anything into the world?

            I want to bring something into this world.  Not necessarily a child, or a wild and cool invention, but knowledge.  Not only do I want to travel and see the world, but I want to learn from my experience and gain a wider perspective of the world.  When I get old and tired, I want to settle down and teach what I have learned, teach what I’ve seen, and teach it well.  When I’m dead and gone, will people remember me and say, “Wow, he lived his life and had no regrets.” Or will they simply remember me as the guy who worked in cubicle F-13? 

            All of these thoughts flooded my mind and in that moment everything seemed possible.  ‘It’s a lot easier than you would think.’  This simple sentence opened doors for me.  It took a bleak future and filled it with possibilities, like a breath of fresh air.  Have things gotten hard for me yet?  Probably not, and I’m sure that there will be tough times ahead, Kris himself even said there are dangers out there, but who wants to live a completely peaceful life?  What’s the fun in that?  What’s the fun in not adding to the world?  I will learn what I need, I will get out and see the world, and I will teach what I’ve seen.  The doors are open.

Author's Note

Yup, my first time posting something online... Please, for the love of god, tear it to pieces.

Reviews

[Raef C. Boylan]

I've read this through a few times now, and I'm not sure if I CAN tear it to pieces; it's pretty damn good.
You've clearly worked hard on trying to convey the atmosphere of the car to your readers; that travelling cosiness can be very hard to describe, yet you've done a good job:
"it brought thoughts of a small cabin on a snow covered mountain and a warm fire burning in the hearth, but it wasn't. It was just a warm car moving across the city, a destination on the driver's mind."
You could probably do a little better though; keep coming back to it - take a few short trips in your car, see if you can recapture this feeling and try and write some introspective ideas down - maybe you can refine it. It's not essential, just a suggestion.

I like how the first half kind of sets the scene, and the second half is more a self-exploration for the narrator, examinging aspects of life that all Westerners (probably all people, but a few things seem specifically aimed at the current Western political and social climate) should currently be able to relate to.

Seriously, good work. I became absorbed in it and wanted to know more about this character because he seemed interesting and thoughtful. I wish him luck on his journey - will you be adding any more to this, or is it intended to be a short glimpse?

p.s.
"Japan for god's sake I want to be anywhere"
[Japan for god's sake; I want to be anywhere]?
or
[Japan; for god's sake, I want to be anywhere]?