It took a moment but I collected myself, remembering the 12+ hour drive yesterday to get here, Phoenix, AZ. Chandler? Do people know the difference if they aren't from here? I didn't know that Sparks, NV existed until I lived in Reno. I looked at my phone, it said 7:59. Well, at least I got a few hours of sleep. Even though I got here at 1am, my buddy that I am staying with works nights and we stayed up until 3am catching up.
Speaking of, I guess I woke him up when I went to the bathroom.
"What time is it? ... Oh, you should probably head out, they do call outs between 9-9:15."
Off and running then.
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I guess I enjoy driving well enough, it can be relaxing. The only time I can really listen to my music the way I like to, loud. I like to roll the windows down and let it blare so I can't hear how off pitch I am. If I'm honest though, it's not my favorite way of driving anymore. I prefer the chatter of my children in the back of the van while my wife and I discuss art and the future with each other up front.
The car was silent as I climbed in and closed the door. I made sure to turn the music up extra loud today so I didn't have to hear the silence.
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Welp, I missed call-outs today. I wasn't really expecting to head to work today, but it would have been nice, not gonna lie. I'll be back Monday though, and every day after that until I go to work. I dramatically looked up towards the sun, using my arm to block the direct light as I wondered what the point of it all was... No, not really, I just wondered how I had forgotten how hot it could be here. I used to joke about how the hot tubs were always cooler than the pool because the temp was regulated in them and the pool just sat in the sun. Guess I was being serious.
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The drive back to my friend's place where I was crashing felt odd. I'd been her in Phoenix/Tempe over 10 years ago for college (it did not go well but that's a different story). The signs looked familiar, the street names and even some of the malls I drove by. That was all in the past though, a child experienced all of that and made the decisions a child would have. I owned all of them, but it isn't who I am now. I can drive on the freeway for one.
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Sometime in the afternoon my wife calls me, letting me know that there was a drunk this morning at the kid's bus stop and some teenagers brawling at it in the afternoon. Perfect, one more thing to work on. "Maybe we should all just live on the street, at least then I would be home." My wife laughs halfheartedly because we both know that's not the answer. We tell each other "I love you" as she goes off to attend to screaming children in the background.
I can't wait for this to be over.
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