Wonder

"It was a dark & stormy night"

So read the line in the Peanuts book as Gary sat beside his father, wheeling & tooling down the highway. Gary usually gets car-sick when trying to read anything on the move, especially with his dad. But this is a cartoon book. He doesn't feel as sick this time. The flashlight is still strong, and Snoopy is still guiding Gary along. From up front, a stirring.

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" shouts his father, at something Gary has no interest in. The truck slows to a down-shifting rumble. Air brakes hiss. Gary feels his weight shift. The Peterbilt has slowed and swung easily into the weigh station. Slowing. Stopped. Lucy van Pelt yells at Linus. The voices reach Gary from outside. Urgent. Black & yellow voices, he thinks. He cannot understand a word, only the mood.

The CB squawks repeatedly with updates for seems an eternity. Gary feels himself falling further into his bunk.

"Get up, kid."

It's 5am.

The sleeper cab of any high-end truck affords one many amenities, not the least of which is air conditioning. Gary's dad had a preemo Peterbilt 389. Everything. Gary took it all in stride. It was normal. But the AC at 5am has Gary feeling peckish. Gary wonders aloud if there's time for breakfast.

"Tell you what," says his dad, "get rid of that fucking nonsense comic book.. I'll buy you a Goddamned I-Hop. Fuck's sake, Gary... what is wrong with you?"

I don't know, says Gary.

"You're a goddamned wonder."

I know, says Gary. Maybe next time, says Gary. I'm sorry, says Gary.

Gary's dad snorts in approval.

Gary hunkers down in the sleeper for another jaunt. Charlie Brown just balked.

The truck lumbers on.

------------ to be continued