Watson 1

Mackenzie Watson

Jill Strnad

Composition 101

September 8th, 2016

Highway Thirty-five: A Bumpy Road

After a long weekend with Stephen, we finally had our bags in the car and had hit the road.

The trip followed the same pattern as the drive down to Galveston. We laughed, made fake

noises to recreate the sound of the guitars on our self-made 'Surf's Up' CD, and stopped at as

many seedy adult stores that we found along the long and undisturbed highway. Most of the trip

focused on those three things, along with a stream-of-consciousness discussion that

was approaching hour number four. The conversation bounced back between old stories from

our years on the debate team, and new information I had received at work.

"Megan finally told me what that joke meant." I announced. For almost three years, I had

been shut out on a one-liner, that nobody on the debate team would ever tell me the punchline

to. "'Rocking out to poison' was just an innuendo for when I slept with Clay sophomore year."

The news hit Stephen as if it were a punch in the stomach, and he didn't respond for several

minutes. I had asked if he was going to be okay, and told him that the past was the past. These

mantras I usually repeat to myself in times of crisis did not help alleviate the pain Stephen felt.

"It's not okay, Kenzie." He said with resolve. "For three years, people who were supposed to

be your friends made fun of a decision you made as a dumb kid. That's not what a friend does."

An undiscovered wave of shame and anger crashed into my body. I shouldnt have forgiven

them blindly, but it has nothing to do with Stephen. He wasnt the one ridiculed. Im not sure
 Watson 2

what else I can do except forgive them. I cant change the past. The heat of Texas glared back

at us through our windshield, making us hot and uncomfortable. I felt like a worm writhing on a

blistering sidewalk; an angry worm.

Stephen didnt respond for a long while, we drove without speaking as the sun beat down on

our face. The unfaltering silence kept building upon itself and receding, pulling back layers of

strength we had found on our trip. Stephen pulled off the highway into the familiar parking lot of

D.W.s Adult Videos.

I dont want to fight with you. We had a really good weekend. Stephen voice rippled out,

breaking the tense silence. I always hate the assumption that I want to argue. Its not a funny

joke. Its mean. They made fun of you, in front of you, about a dumb decision I know both you

and Clay regret. I dont understand how youre okay with that.

Despite meeting Stephen in our high school debate class, I always balk during fights. The

lines on my hands had an amazing intricacy that I hadnt noticed until now. My face felt hot and

wet. It reminded me of our time on the beach the morning before we left. We had collected

shells, searching as quickly as we could among the tides for ridged, magenta shards.

Hey, please dont cry, I dont want to do this if it makes you this upset. It doesnt matter that

much.

I pouted and curled my body towards him, trying to become as small as possible. Stephens

shirt caught most of the salty rivulets that ran down my cheeks. I felt gross and sticky from the

ocean air and sweat that clung to me. Slowly but surely I calmed down. We sat together in our

hot car, exhausted and sweaty. I looked over at him with relief, Im ready to go home, its still a

long drive.
 Watson 3

Stephen pulled out of the gravel lot beside D.W.s Adult Video and back onto the highway. A

tense silence rested over the car. The sky, originally baby blue with a smattering of clouds, had

deepened and rested on a dark, cloudy indigo. Lighting crashed and lit the sky.

You know; well never make progress if you dont speak up more, Stephen said. I glanced

over at him briefly before keeping laser focus on the mass of clouds ahead. The pit of my

stomach squeezed and I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I could feel myself being

backed against a wall. Sometimes I worry about why we do some of the things we do.

Ive told you before, I dont know.

You cant say that every time, Kenzie. We dont get anywhere like that. I have questions that

I have to give up on getting answers for because you cry every time and I just cant bring myself

to get over it.

We lobbed this question back and forth, each of us adding more force behind it before it

eventually reached its climax.

I dont know exactly why. I never will know exactly why. I cry because it eats me up inside

that I cant give you answers.

Im sorry, He apologized, I wish I knew how to change the way I think about these things. I

know theyre not important.

Its okay, I still love you.

We drove now with an uncomfortable, apologetic air. I wrapped myself in the large knit

blanket we had brought and gazed out the window at the falling rain. It had become almost

unmanageable. We braved through the harsh rain and reached Oklahoma City.

We need to get off here soon, Its going to flood. Would you help me get off this highway? I

cant see the exits.

 Watson 4

I hunched forward close to the windshield and searched for the thick, white line symbolizing

the edge of the road. We crawled along slowly, occasionally correcting the wheel to ensure we

were going straight.

Turn here, theres a gas station directly off this exit.

We sat together, protected by the florescent lighting of a closed Phillip 66. The rain poured

around us, and flooded all the small off-streets.

Oklahoma City is dangerous when it floods. Stephen started, Im going to call my dad.

Would you look up a radar?

I agreed and watched as the small LCD screen of my phone flared up with bright yellows and

reds. It was going to flood more, worse than it already was.

We need to get out of here. I pressured.

My dad says we should try and stay on the highway as much as possible, Stephen

snapped shut his ancient flip phone and started the car, these small roads will be completely

flooded soon.

We both returned to our familiar positions. Stephen, squinting out the windshield trying to

make out any significant shapes, and I, hunched over searching for lines and dashes. We made

our way back onto the highway and drove carefully. Soon, small shining lights appeared ahead

of us. We started following behind a group of three men on motorcycles, each with their hazard

lights blinking rapidly. We stayed behind them, in the opposite lane, and started flashing our

hazards as well. These three men worked together, driving closely by one another and ensuring

they were safe. It was inspiring to watch as they braved through the storm.
 Watson 5

Stephen and I glanced at each other and grinned. Memories of our lazy days on the beach

and date-nights on the boardwalk came back. There was a reason we hadnt given up after so

much time. Taking note from the three men, we braved through the storm and made it home.
 Watson 6

Highway Thirty-five: A Bumpy Road (Rough Draft)

After a long weekend with Stephen, we finally had our bags in the car and had hit the

road. The trip followed the same pattern as the drive down to Galveston. We laughed, made

fake noises to recreate the sound of guitars on our self-made 'Surf's Up' CD, and stopped at as

many seedy adult stores that we found along the long and undisturbed highway. Most of the trip

focused on those three things, along with a stream-of-consciousness discussion that

was approaching hour number four. The conversation bounced back between old stories from

our years on the debate team, and new information I had received at work.

"Megan finally told me what that joke meant." I announced. For almost three years, I had

been shut out on a one-liner, that nobody on the debate team would ever tell me the punchline

to. "'Rocking out to poison' was just an innuendo for when I slept with Clay sophomore year."

The news hit Stephen as if it were a punch in the stomach, and he didn't respond for several

minutes. I had asked if he was going to be okay, and told him that the past was the past. These

mantras I usually repeat to myself in times of crisis did not help alleviate the pain Stephen felt.

"It's not okay, Kenzie." He said with resolve. "For three years, people who were supposed to

be your friends made fun of a decision you made as a dumb kid. That's not what a friend does."

An undiscovered wave of shame and anger crashed into by body. I shouldnt have forgiven

them blindly, but it has nothing to do with Stephen. He wasnt the one ridiculed. Im not sure

what else I can do except forgive them. I cant change the past. The heat of Texas glared back

at us through our windshield, making us hot and uncomfortable. I felt like a worm writhing on a

blistering sidewalk; an angry worm.

Stephen didnt respond for a long while, we drove without speaking as the sun beat down on

our face. The unfaltering silence kept building upon itself and receding, pulling back layers of
 Watson 7

strength we had found on our trip. Stephen pulled off the highway into the familiar parking lot of

D.W.s Adult Videos.

I dont want to fight with you. We had a really good weekend. Stephen voice rippled out,

breaking the tense silence. I always hate the assumption that I want to argue. Its not a funny

joke. Its mean. They made fun of you, in front of you, about a dumb decision I know both you

and Clay regret. I dont understand how youre okay with that.

Despite meeting Stephen in our high-school debate class, I always balk during fights. The

lines on my hands had an amazing intricacy that I hadnt noticed until now. My face felt hot and

wet. It reminded me of our time on the beach the morning before we left. We had collected

shells, searching as quickly as we could among the tides for ridged, magenta shards.

Hey, please dont cry, I dont want to do this if it makes you this upset. It doesnt matter that

much.

I pouted and curled my body towards him, trying to become as small as possible. Stephens

shirt caught most of the salty rivulets that ran down my cheeks. I felt gross and sticky from the

ocean air and sweat that clung to me. Slowly but surely I calmed down. We sat together in our

hot car, exhausted and sweaty. I looked over at him with relief, Im ready to go home, its still a

long drive.

Stephen pulled out of the gravel lot beside D.W.s Adult Video and back onto the highway. A

tense silence rested over the car. The sky, originally baby blue with a smattering of clouds, had

deepened and rested on a dark, cloudy indigo. Lighting crashed and lit the sky.

You know; well never make progress if you dont speak up more, Stephen said. I glanced

over at him briefly before keeping laser focus on the mass of clouds ahead. The pit of my

stomach squeezed and I swallowed the lump forming in my throat. I could feel myself being

backed against a wall. Sometimes I worry about why we do some of the things we do.
 Watson 8

Ive told you before, I dont know.

You cant say that every time, Kenzie. We dont get anywhere like that. I have questions that

I have to give up on getting answers for because you cry every time and I just cant bring myself

to get over it.

We lobbed this question back and forth, each of us adding more force behind it before it

eventually reached its climax.

I dont know exactly why. I never will know exactly why. I cry because it eats me up inside

that I cant give you answers.

Im sorry, He apologized, I wish I knew how to change the way I think about these things. I

know theyre not important.

Its okay, I still love you.

We drove now with an uncomfortable, apologetic air. I wrapped myself in the large knit

blanket we had brought and gazed out the window at the falling rain. It had become almost

unmanageable. We braved through the harsh rain and reached Oklahoma City.

We need to get off here soon, Its going to flood. Would you help me get off this highway? I

cant see the exits.

I hunched forward close to the windshield and searched for the thick, white line symbolizing

the edge of the road. We crawled along slowly, occasionally correcting the wheel to ensure we

were going straight.

Turn here, theres a gas station directly off this exit.

We sat together, protected by the florescent lighting of a closed Phillip 66. The rain poured

around us, and flooded all the small off-streets.

 Watson 9

Oklahoma City is dangerous when it floods. Stephen started, Im going to call my dad.

Would you look up a radar?

I agreed and watched as the small LCD screen of my phone flared up with bright yellows and

reds. It was going to flood more, worse than it already was.

We need to get out of here. I pressured.

My dad says we should try and stay on the highway as much as possible, Stephen

snapped shut his ancient flip phone and started the car, these small roads will be completely

flooded soon.

We both returned to our familiar positions. Stephen, squinting out the windshield trying to

make out any significant shapes, and I, hunched over searching for lines and dashes. We made

our way back onto the highway and drove carefully. Soon, small shining lights appeared ahead

of us. We started following behind a group of three men on motorcycles, each with their hazard

lights blinking rapidly. We stayed behind them, in the opposite lane, and started flashing our

hazards as well. These three men worked together, driving closely by one another and ensuring

they were safe. It was inspiring to watch as they braved through the storm.

Stephen and I glanced at each other and grinned. Memories of our lazy days on the beach

and date-nights on the boardwalk came back. There was a reason we hadnt given up after so

much time. Taking note from the three men, we braved through the storm and made it home.