The Last Ride of Adolescence

We drove in silence, listening to the radio as the late day sun flooded the car. The highway danced and melted in the distance, something you would see in June or July, not late September. The air was thick and damp, more than it should have been this time of year, yet there was still a hint of Winter in the distance. The dense atmosphere muted and faded colors like an old photograph.

I looked at him singing along to the music just under his breath. He’s on the cusp of not being sure if this is cool or not to do, so he sings quietly, just in case. In a year, this will be gone. He’ll think he’s sure it’s not cool. He’ll be self-aware. He will stay quiet and ruminate, taking it all in. I love that he is blissfully unaware for now. Happy. The kind of happy you can only be at twelve, going to the store to buy a new video game.