I raged to gain control of the moment and escape the possible grim destination of my spinning metal death carriage. My rhythmic chant to deny death filled the car’s cabin with an all-out scream. “I’m not gonna die! I’m not gonna die!” …
I pulled the Caprice Classic out of a makeshift garage three blocks away; below Grand Street. I had to call up the building manager two days prior to get her out. He rented the bottom of an ancient building to a couple of car owners like me and filled in the hollow spaces around the cars with restaurant supplies.…
I won’t get out of my car until the song is over. I can see bright lights approaching from the other side of the bank building. The lights are coming up the road adjacent to the bank. Then this happens. The car pulls into the parking lot, but the driver enters the lot through the exit driveway.…
This is my path, Reseda to Long Beach. This is my time, 5:00am. Five days a week and sometimes six. I hit the on-ramp and blow past the sleepy people who refuse to accelerate and hate their jobs. They don’t even know why they’re up at this hour. I’m here to get to work. I love my job. I love my people. I cut my own path through this darkness.…
