To Hell And Back
To Hell and Back
Nothing eases restlessness like a good, long drive in the country. I was on Creedmoor Rd, which goes into Creedmoor town then into Oxford. I don’t know why I like driving out that way. Perhaps it’s the view of Falls Lake. Perhaps it’s the notion of getting lost. There is something intensely calming about driving on a two-lane highway. It is also somewhat thrilling to fly down a two-lane road going almost 65mph.
I had gone past Creedmoor town already. I wasn’t ready to stop. Not yet. The sky loomed ahead, dark and ominous. Flashes of lightning erupted beneath the grim clouds. A storm. Yes. I found myself grinning at the sky manically. I was going to drive into the storm with reckless abandon.
I suddenly found myself on Highway 15, which was rightfully dubbed “Jefferson Davis Highway.” Welcome to the South. I passed a sign that read: Oxford - 10M. Well, why the hell not?
It was twilight, but the sky was black. I was getting closer. The maniac grin came back. I yelled “COME ON! LET IT OUT!” Perhaps I was talking to myself as well as the inevitable downpour. I was driving farther and farther into the night, chasing the maelstrom. I wanted the madness of the pounding rain, the lashing wind, the exploding sky to catch me. It was appropriate for my mood.
The closer to Oxford I got, the more sinister the clouds became. Any moment the skies were going to rip open and unleash the torrent of rain and wind they were surely containing. I was getting impatient. “COME ON, DAMMIT!” I yelled again. There had to be a breaking point. The tension needed to ease. When would the storm break?
It never did. I reached Oxford and the thunderstorm was still miles away. I pulled into a Shell station. Either I could keep going on my quest for the seductive storm or I could stop.
I decided to stop.
The spell broke.
My anger and sense of urgency dissipated. Left in their wake was a sense of calm. I turned around with the storm at my back. It beckoned with flashes of lightning and dared me to come closer. The sky taunted and teased with vibrant displays of raw electrical power. I smiled at the rearview mirror. The smile was calm and peaceful, now.
Some day. Some day I will give it all up and chase you. But not today.