7:27
a.m.
The
Driver advanced to The Intersection, the point where all roads met, where rush hour
traffic never ceased, and where no quarter was given. The left-hand signal was turned on, and the
game began.
Inch
up – inch up – maybe – nope – after these three – traffic light’s red – now
there’s a bunch on the right – inch up – maybe now – maybe now – maybe – maybe
– maybe –
7:39
a.m.
“Hi,
Sue? Yeah, I’m probably going to be a
little late this morning… Yep, I overslept and now I’m stuck at The
Intersection…. Oh, it’s infamous around here, you can probably find news
reports about it online…. Yep, that’s the one…. OK, I guess you’ll see me when
you see me – oh shoot, I missed an opening!” [BEEEEEP!!! SCREEEECH!!!!!] “You go for it, dude! At least one of us made it out of here. Welp, I should go before I miss another one –
it’ll happen any minute now, I just know it.”
8:01
a.m.
The
mini-microwave dinged! at exactly the same time the mini-percolator finished
dripping. Simultaneous Completion of Hot
Coffee + Morning Pizza = Serendipity.
8:35
a.m.
<The
reason for all your suffering, the reason for all your pain; you know there could
only have ever been one answer: I AM YOUR GHOST.>
“Whoooooooa,”
The Driver breathed while watching the screen propped in front of the steering
wheel. “Glad I missed everybody talking
about it this morning.”
<Wait
a minute – do you mean “your ghost” as in Dead-Me-From-The-Future, or “your
ghost” as in Embodiment-of-a-Torment-That-Is-Literally-Haunting-Me?>
<…The
first one.>
<Whoooooooa!>
An
opening! The gas pedal was floored as
the screen went flying. Fake out:
someone was just changing lanes on the main road. Good thing the brakes recently had been
replaced; the new tread marks on the ground joined the thousands previously
left behind.
9:30
a.m.
Snoooorrrrreee
– gak? The Driver awoke to see traffic
was clear in both directions and to hear the horns blaring from behind. The car smoothly pulled out of The
Intersection now that the Rush Hours were over, since everyone else was at
work.
If
I my play my cards right, The Driver thought, I can do this all over again
tomorrow!