My Car

One of the few times I feel in absolute control of my life is when I am behind the wheel of my car. There, I said it. It's true. When I am driving I am the lord of all creation. I am the holy decider of my fate and the sacred protector of my destination.

I flick my wrist and electric current tells other drivers around me I wish to turn at the next light. I extend my foot and my car slows at my command. I will this great metal beast to come to a stop and the beast obeys my decree. I bark orders from the bridge and the entire ship snaps to attention and hangs on my every word. "Go!" I yell at the beast and the beast roars to life and carries it's master to his destination. Behind the wheel of my car I am in a fantasy world that begins and ends with the turning of a key. With the music loud and the wind through my hair, I really could be on my way to anywhere. Dubuque, IA, Bangor, ME, Tallahasee, FL, Seattle, WA, Mobile, AL, Needles, CA, or Wichita, KS could all be my destination as far as my car knows. To paraphrase Tony Hoagland:

"With my foot upon the gas,
between the future and the past,
I am here-
here where the desire to vanish
is stronger than the desire to appear."