Driving(part 1)

You: ‘only 2 hours more… and then I’ll be there.’

You: You’ve been driving to your folks place for over 4 hours. Which, as daunting as you thought, you decided to leave only after the small hand landed at 12. However, the plan was derailed as soon as you checked your phone.

You: The first of your many notifications was a youtube reminder you set for a live of your favorite food vlogger.

You: They had a similar palate to yours so you greatly enjoyed the recommendations and food they ate during their videos. This live was similar to their usual content, a simple honest review of a restaurant they scouted days before… but it wasn’t, no… not this time.

You: You were late by a few tenths of an hour, so while you waited for it to load, you guessed what restaurant they were at since coincidentally they were reviewing foods from your area.

You: But then you were met with the vlogger’s left profile pressed to the leds, wide eyes following their screen’s reflection of several cast members of “love on the board” fighting in the booths behind them.

You: You were floored as you realized your favorite couple were throwing everything in their vicinity at each other, dishes, silverware, cups, chairs, the table between them, the table beside them. Lord help you get yourself out from your bed and in the car since you had no plans on leaving this stream.

You: The next 10 minutes bleed into an extra 5 and until an additional hour, leaving you in the car and stuck on the freeway at 5. Did you regret it? Not at all, actually.

You: You were thoroughly entertained and had plenty to say to your folks at home or your friends on the groupchat, you know they roll with you on that. After all, you were on the road there, traffic cleared up and you knew the way there like the back of your hand.

You: As long as you didn’t have to stop for more gas or any flat tires, you knew you'd be there by 7:30.

You: “Hm? What are they saying?”

You: Slowing down your speed, checking your rearview mirror, and finally taking a peek at your phone. You can already feel a groan and crunch of your eyebrows form, you’ll be lucky to get there before 10 pm.

You: Being already in the countryside and miles from and to any known hardware store, you wondered what exit to take. It’s been a while so you turn on your signal and drift over to a clear shoulder.

You: Leaning over to lift your phone from the cup holder. Your heart dropped down to the car mat seeing the life your phone had left.

You: “Dang” ‘You didn’t plug your phone in when you watched the stream.’

You: Lifting your leg over the console, you grasp at the handle of your glove compartment, slipping out your good old DIY map between your middle and index finger. The ridges on your palms were more than enough to prove your cartography skill.

You: And why don’t you look at that. Good news! Looks like it'll only be a 10 mile drive for a hardware store.

You: ‘But the one we usually go to is just another 25 miles right? Wouldn’t that be better since I already know they supply that section?’