Christ. I think I'm late.
No, noÉas long as I don't
have to scrape the windows, I'm okay. AlrightÉboots on, tiedÉ where's my coat?
Phone, keys, wallet watch.
I'm ready.
WellÉas ready as I'll ever
be.
AlrightÉoutsideÉcrap. I have
to scrape the windows. Start Bella up, get the heat going. Scrape, scrape,
scrape my fingers are numb.
OkayÉ.finally, I can see.
Sort of.
Good enough. Get in, get her
into gear and head down, whipping around the roundabout. HeyÉI didn't leave my
shades like that. Are those goddamned kids getting into my car again?
Moving up the streetÉpast the
second circle on the right, roll to a stop at the four way. CheckÉalways check.
These people can't drive worth shit. Okay, make my leftÉfollow the road across
the bridge, and around the curve. Ignore the spur to the right...Don't these
city planners know how to make a straight road?
And another thing, what's
with the three stop signs within twenty feet of each other?
I fucking hate mornings.
Through the first stop sign,
then the next. Make
my left, another stop sign.
Turn right, up Crooked Road. Road on a hill, curves up and down, trees on the
left, houses on the right on this side...Of course, it is what it says. At
least this one matches its name. Okay, speed limit is 25, I can get away with
30.
Unless the cop is hiding on
the other side of the hill, in the Bluffs somewhere. Bastard.
Johnny Dare is not being
funny right now. Then they go to ten minutes of commercialsÉand it's a seven
minute drive.
NowÉwhat do I need to do?
Have I done all my homework? What do I need to do for David? For Masoom?
Spanish?
AdvertisingÉthat's a great
class. Not much homework, little bit of notes, and I'm golden.
Curl and curl, swing back and
forth through the chicanes on the far side of the hill. Around the last
bendÉgood, no cop. Coming around the first hard curve...hold it at 25. Past the
office strip on my left...Rolling up for the stop sign at the end of Crooked.
All clearÉuntil I get there. Then, fifteen goddamned cars show up from FF when
I come to a stop.
Make my leftÉhead up to Main,
stop at the stop sign next to the Power Plant brewery, make another left. I
hate this town. Make an immediate right, onto 9 Highway.
CrapÉis that fog? Lights
onÉCruise the short
bit up to the light, into the
turning lane. Left into the campus. Wait for the green...wait for the
green...wait for the green...
WaitÉdid I forget something?
Crap, I know I forgot something. What is it?
On campusÉDamn, I like the
way Mackay Hall looks. Old and creepy, but not. Along the left side of the
first triangle. Yet again more winning design. Jesus, people...they're called
grids. Know them, love them use them. Blow through the yield, up to the stop near
the Chapel. Around more curves, past Alumni Hall, and around Copley, back
behind and through the side lot, to the backÉ
I didn't forget anything, did
I?
Curl around, past the faculty
parking, stop at the signÉAnyone coming? Nope. Head up, past the old gym and
the Breckon sports center on my right. There's the roundabout and the parking
for the back entrance to the Underground. Pull into my spaceÉof course, there's
no one here right now.
ParkingÉstill got everything.
Do I need my bag today? NoÉjust my folders for Graphic Design and Typography.
I hate mornings. I'm barely
awake.
I am not a morning person.