The miles get chewed up as the sun beats down. White lines flash by, counting the seconds to my destination; from my departure.
I am leaving behind everything I thought I wanted, everything a man could desire, for what? New challenges are around every corner and sweep of the road and for now I am taking them in my stride, enjoying the curves as they sweep past. Hedgerows full of life watch my passing, my passing of little interest to those inhabiting the hedgerow apart from the sudden shattering of peace my passing brings.
My mind wanders to where I’ve just come from. The people I knew and loved. What must they be thinking now?
I left because it was time to leave. I knew in my bones I had to move on, I needed to find something new. Those people will soon forget as they get on with their lives. There are people I could regret leaving behind but I will soon get past this regret when I find new people to get to know and love.
They could never know my reasons, no one must know my reasons. I will find a new town, a new job and new people then in a few years it will be time to move on before anyone finds out. I enjoy my secret but I must take care when someone gets to close, bedroom close, not to speak about why I came, why I move on. I cannot become embroiled in a family with its responsibilities and then the certain knowledge of knowing and passing it on to another.
I remember the days when horses where the way to travel. I remember how good it felt to be out in the wilderness on horseback with the wind in my hair. Now I drive the latest car with a tiny nuclear power pack at it’s heart. The music rarely changes though, always loud and raucous but now it travels with me as it has done for over a century when on horseback it was in my head alone.
I look ahead into the distance as the clouds take on familiar shapes, this happens every time I hit the road. The world is my oyster and I am it’s grit of sand waiting to be captured.
©2011 Trevor Litchfield
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