It’s just me, little smoky gasps from beneath a raised hood, and two $1 bills in my pocket. Lime streaks are drying fast on the windshield of B’s popsicle blue NSX. “What now?” I raise my head to reticent glare.
Gosh darn, what a nice man! Thank you for sharing bits of your life, meeting such lovely people. I was especially struck by the line: "Maybe just because we’ve only learned to see time one way doesn’t mean that’s the only way it works." How true. I think, depending on our life experiences, we really do see time differently. I feel a lot of the times in a standstill although I am aging.
And thank you. That was probably my favorite line in this piece. I really love the concept of every age we’ve ever been or will be living inside us at once. It’s comforting to me.
Oh, interesting. Is the standstill a good thing? Neutral? Not so great?
That is a cool way of seeing that! We have the child in us still in us and the wisdom of our adult self too. Somedays it is a good thing, in other ways not. It depends how you see it! Sometimes it is like life passing you by, but other times, life is still beginning and full of possibilities.
"I'm not sure how many miles I’ve come since waking this morning in the driver’s seat to a signpost—Prison. Do not pull over—that was just out of sight last night." Hooked from the get go. Loved this glimpse into a string of moments, chance meetings, and a happy ending!
I loved all the vivid details in this story…and it was really heartwarming to read about a stranger’s kindness, especially amid all the violence that is happening in our world right now. Thank you for sharing 🌻
Thank you so much for saying so, Kelsey. That's why I do these monthly first Saturday posts on strangers and acquaintances having each other's back. I think it's important to foster kindness by seeing it and boosting it. I appreciate the kindness of you reading and commenting. :)
I love the run up to the time sentence "Would that seventeen-year-old eyeballing indecipherable hunks of metal be inspired by the knowledge of a red Ford and a woman with three decades more lines etched into her face who could pop the hood and trace wires past the firewall to troubleshoot a jury-rigged fan switch? Is it possible that van called Ruby, that woman already existed, like a seed? "
It makes me want yell, Teach Me!! But that's probably because I also own a temperamental van.
I recently read a novel that plays with time in a fun way: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel.
Thanks, Heather! Lest I paint myself as more capable with auto stuff than I am, please be aware I still know very little--only vastly more than the girl on the side of the freeway back in the, what would it have been, early '90s? Sheesh. Time moves along. But that's not saying much. I can diagnose at best, and I'm only guessing. ;)
Oh, I'll check it out. i do love the idea of playing with time.
I loved this story, Holly. I love the looking forward and backward in time. The longer you live, the more time tends to collapse and you feel like all those earlier versions of yourself.
Thank you, Ben! I had fun with that aspect. I truly am comforted by that collapse--and the idea that's growing firmer in me that the later versions are in there too. It's like you said in your interview with Kimberly. Writing allows you to dig into concepts that intrigue you and compel you. I enjoy being able to do that even in "little" pieces like this one. And I much appreciate you reading and commenting.
There is something very beguiling about a person who incudes you in their "we" from the get-go. The cynical will say it's a device, but I think we can usually tell the difference between someone who means it, and someone who's playing us. Love the give and take of this piece, Holly.
Gosh darn, what a nice man! Thank you for sharing bits of your life, meeting such lovely people. I was especially struck by the line: "Maybe just because we’ve only learned to see time one way doesn’t mean that’s the only way it works." How true. I think, depending on our life experiences, we really do see time differently. I feel a lot of the times in a standstill although I am aging.
Right?! I was so fortunate he came along.
And thank you. That was probably my favorite line in this piece. I really love the concept of every age we’ve ever been or will be living inside us at once. It’s comforting to me.
Oh, interesting. Is the standstill a good thing? Neutral? Not so great?
That is a cool way of seeing that! We have the child in us still in us and the wisdom of our adult self too. Somedays it is a good thing, in other ways not. It depends how you see it! Sometimes it is like life passing you by, but other times, life is still beginning and full of possibilities.
Yes, I hear that the give and pull of time and bodies in motion, or not. 🥰
"I'm not sure how many miles I’ve come since waking this morning in the driver’s seat to a signpost—Prison. Do not pull over—that was just out of sight last night." Hooked from the get go. Loved this glimpse into a string of moments, chance meetings, and a happy ending!
Thank you, Tiffany! I love that you describe it as a string of moments--it’s the feel I was going for. :)
I loved all the vivid details in this story…and it was really heartwarming to read about a stranger’s kindness, especially amid all the violence that is happening in our world right now. Thank you for sharing 🌻
Thank you so much for saying so, Kelsey. That's why I do these monthly first Saturday posts on strangers and acquaintances having each other's back. I think it's important to foster kindness by seeing it and boosting it. I appreciate the kindness of you reading and commenting. :)
I love the run up to the time sentence "Would that seventeen-year-old eyeballing indecipherable hunks of metal be inspired by the knowledge of a red Ford and a woman with three decades more lines etched into her face who could pop the hood and trace wires past the firewall to troubleshoot a jury-rigged fan switch? Is it possible that van called Ruby, that woman already existed, like a seed? "
It makes me want yell, Teach Me!! But that's probably because I also own a temperamental van.
I recently read a novel that plays with time in a fun way: Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel.
Thanks, Heather! Lest I paint myself as more capable with auto stuff than I am, please be aware I still know very little--only vastly more than the girl on the side of the freeway back in the, what would it have been, early '90s? Sheesh. Time moves along. But that's not saying much. I can diagnose at best, and I'm only guessing. ;)
Oh, I'll check it out. i do love the idea of playing with time.
I loved this story, Holly. I love the looking forward and backward in time. The longer you live, the more time tends to collapse and you feel like all those earlier versions of yourself.
Thank you, Ben! I had fun with that aspect. I truly am comforted by that collapse--and the idea that's growing firmer in me that the later versions are in there too. It's like you said in your interview with Kimberly. Writing allows you to dig into concepts that intrigue you and compel you. I enjoy being able to do that even in "little" pieces like this one. And I much appreciate you reading and commenting.
Had to read this one twice to get all the little gems inside. Very nice!
Thank you for saying, Linda. What a lovely note. I so appreciate you seeing little gems inside this piece. 🥰
Great story, Holly.
I loved the way it ended. The man just giving her the money without her even having to say anything. Lovely.
Also, I really enjoyed this line:
“Maybe just because we’ve only learned to see time one way doesn’t mean that’s the only way it works.” — such a good point. :)
Thanks you, Michael!! I really liked that line too. And I thought you might. ;)
Oh my gosh, the younger me was so fortunate this man came along when he did.
There is something very beguiling about a person who incudes you in their "we" from the get-go. The cynical will say it's a device, but I think we can usually tell the difference between someone who means it, and someone who's playing us. Love the give and take of this piece, Holly.
Aw, thank you, MTF! Beguiling is a wonderful word.