Moving Forward

From just after dawn, to well after dusk, on into the twilight, we traveled onward. From the traffic dense urbanity, to ribbon-like stretches of endless, empty highway. We coasted through miles and miles of farmland, vast tracts of forest land, majestic mountains, breath-taking vistas, dusty trails, roaring rivers, glistening streams, rural townships, and concrete laden cities. the journey seemed endless.

There's only so much use in books, puzzles, crayons and car games; to a six year old boy, at any rate. I was constantly restless, and at times, I'm sure, exceedingly obnoxious. aggravating and tedious for my family. I don't have a clue, how many times my father threatened to kick me to a curb, or my Mother was dearly tempted to pass me off to a passerby. My sister and I antagonized each other, ceaselessly, at the best of times.
Combine that with the confines of a rumbling, droning, automobile and sheer, tedious, mind-numbing, boredom, for hours on end, and you'll have some idea of what my poor Mother and Father were forced to endure.

Looking back now, after all these years, Had I been in their shoes, I cannot in, all honesty, say I would not have, been quick to put me up for adoption. Well, that or go insane. They did neither, if my memory serves me correctly.

All good things, and a great many, not so, fantastic things, must, of necessity, reach their final conclusion though, even this.

Glad, for a great many reasons,I'm quite sure, that the long drive was finally at an end, my father silenced the engine and pulled firmly on the hand brake.
"careeetch"
The familiar sound, roused my Mother and sister, from their somnolence. Dad shrugged, slumped his broad, shoulders, shook his head and rubbed at his bleary, bloodshot, eyes.

"We're here", he mumbled, and stifled a yawn.

I craned my, six-year-old neck, to peer out through my, rain streaked, window.
Where exactly was "here", I wondered?

As if reading my mind, Dad followed my gaze. I beheld the vaguest hint, or perhaps it was the shadowy, outline of a slate grey roof

"This, he said, in what he called, his radio-announcer voice, is your new home, kids."

My 10 year old sister let out an exasperated sigh, and mumbled something under her breath. well, not a happy sound at any rate.
Mary had been forced to abandon the best school in the whole world, her words, not mine, tons of friends, and her whole life.

I, on the other hand, had no real ties to the past, and was excited to explore our new situation.

All of my Parents' careful planning, logistical calculation and long weeks of packing, second guessing, and hand wringing, was at an end.

Also at end was a very long and as previously alluded to, arduous car trip, I noticed, perhaps for the first time, the litter strewn, back seat, and the few treasures I had spared from the ravages of that big impersonal, moving van. Buttons the Teddy Bear, my faithful travel companion, My beautiful marbles, safely enshrouded in their leatherette pouch, my plastic dinosaur collection, and of course my trusty old Gi Joe action figure.

Then my eyes were drawn once more, beyond the steamed up glass of my Father's car, toward the future.