West to East (flash non-fiction)

One of my earliest memories

The earliest memory which I believe is truly my own is of a car; wouldn’t you know it?  It was probably a Hudson or a Nash, early 40’s most likely.   I was about 7 years old when our family returned from Hawaii.  We traveled by car from the west coast to the east coast.  My dad drove, mom rode shotgun, and my two brothers occupied the rear seat.  I’ve been told about the canvas water bags hanging on the front and rear bumpers as we crossed the desert.  I’ve been told about my dad telling us the glow we could see in the eastern sky was West Virginia, even when we were far west of the Mississippi.  All I remember for sure is the wide shelf located above and behind the rear seat, under the rear window.  This was my place in the car.  We drove days; we drove nights; and seemingly, I lay on the shelf all the way from California to West Virginia.  Everything else about the trip is information that I have been given.  I recall the short, fuzzy, tan texture of the shelf; the back of my brothers’ heads; the slant of the rear window glass that was sometimes cold and sometimes hot; and how I could look up at the sky or out at the road behind me as we travel east and it ran away to the west .  Melancholy memory?  Perhaps, I don’t know; maybe just the beginning of my long strange trip.  

Reviews

[roniO]

I like that childhood memories are played back in childhood form in our minds, uncluttered with experience and worry. It seems the older I get, the actual things I remember are the things of my childhood. The years between young and old become a blur.

[Coyote Poetry]

It is funny how we remember some things and forget the rest. Me and father did many things. I remember our days fishing and I hated fishing. Now I am the grandfather and I take my grandchildren fishing. I enjoyed the short tale. Thank you for sharing the amazing story.
Coyote

[andrew mitchell]

Great recollection and a enjoyable read Carl.

[Soren]

Carl this is a nostalgic memory, a little older than min in a 49 Buick. There was no air in these and I can remember how hot they got on hot days. This write brought back some old memories. Thanks for sharing.

[Samuel Dickens]

It's no wonder you remember that trip, being so long and tiring. I've always heard that "shelf" referred to as the "rear deck". My earliest rides were in a model "A" Ford, which soon got replaced by a '38 Chevy with a leaky exhaust that always made me car sick.
That's funny--your dad saying the Eastern glow was West Virginia.