I walked into the office.
"Rudy's been in an accident. I need to leave."
A hug, her face forming a question.
"He's okay, just scratches but stranded. The car is in bad shape."
"Go, we can handle the rest of the day. Let me know what happens, friend."
The news came between duties. I gathered my things. It was only 9:00 am.
Would I get paid for today? I didn't clock out. Is this unethical? I bet it's hot as hell in my car.
He climbed out of his passenger side window on a busy street to call the police. Three cars involved, his the only one to turn over. The police report took over a month. Uncertainty is a hateful place to occupy. We considered other transportation options. The bus, even for it's short trek, would take almost two hours. Cycling seemed improbable in August's unrelenting heat. We decided on carpooling. Early, sleepy mornings. Late, anxious nights.
Uncertainty was banished in the name of cold, hard truth. The fault was his. Insurance couldn't help with anything. His car, faithful as she had been, was not worth the money to fix her. She is sitting in our garage - accumulating dust and bugs, no doubt. His khakis were stained with car oil.
When it rains, it pours.
Carpooling has become a way of life. The mornings are earlier and sleepier. The nights are less anxious. I got paid that day. It was a small win in the wake of great loss.
***
School is on hold. An MFA is silly, anyways. I will write on my own time. I will read on my own time. An MFA is not magic. If I am not motivated to do the hard work before the program, what will keep me engaged with the literary world afterward? Thank you King, Dillard, Lamott, Bradbury, Zinsser, and Plath. If I've learned anything from reading you, it's that the daily hard work matters.
Cheers to the daily grind.
Cheers to family and friends who ease the burden of the daily grind.
Cheers to almost six months of marital adventures.
