Smile At The End Of The Road

It feels like I’ve been traveling down this winding road forever. The darkness of night has long since overtaken the light of day and the light from the full moon is shrouded by the dark gray thunderclouds looming overhead. The rain’s been falling for hours now, soaking through my black hooded sweatshirt and black jeans, making my clothes stick to my skin. The water pooling on the obsidian asphalt is seeping further into my brown leather boots with every aching step I take, and the chilling night air isn’t helping matters any. I’ve lost count of the number of cars that have passed me by, but I’d say it’s the same as the amount of raindrops that have fallen from the clouds above.

Just when I was giving up hope of finding salvation, a pair of bright white beams pierces the darkness and shines some light on my fading hope. I turn my head to the left in time to see the white Ford F-150 King Ranch truck slowing down next to me. The combination of high-pitched screeching of the brake pads bringing the truck to a complete stop and the sound of the doors unlocking is welcoming as I pull the door handle towards me, swinging open the door to my safe haven. I quickly step up into the backseat and slam the driver’s door shut. Thankfully, he has the heat already running and I huddle around the small vents blowing heated air. As I begin to rub my hands together to aid any warmth returning to my body, the driver presses the gas and resumes his path down the mountain road. I lean back against the tan leather seats to soak in the welcome warmth of the cabin of this truck as the driver adjusts his rear view mirror to get a good look at me.

“Man, it’s cold out tonight! How long you been out there?!” says the driver. “A long time,” I respond.

The driver shakes his head. “That really sucks. Personally, I hate the rain. It just ruins nice days and beautiful nights, you know?”

“Not really. I like the rain.”

The driver’s eyes widen out of surprise. “Really? You like being soaked to the bone and near freezing?”

I continue to rub my hands together over the vent, starting to feel the warmth spread throughout my body. “The rain reminds me of smiles.”

“Smiles?”

A smile spreads across my cold face. “Yeah. When it rains, it takes me back to when I was ten years old. I remember the smiles of my friends as we all splashed in mud puddles together. I remember the smiles of my parents when we were caught in a sudden warm shower, dashing for cover and laughing all the way.”

I can see the driver’s lips spread into a smile while my own fades as I continue.

“I remember the reassuring smile my father gave me when we were in a car accident together and he died in front of me. I remember the uneasy and comforting smiles of family and friends on the day of his funeral. I remember the last wavering smile my mother ever gave me before she went into the other room to hang herself because she couldn’t take the pressure of the finances any longer.”

The driver’s smile fades into a look of regret and sorrow. “Man, I’m so sor...” “But out of all the smiles I remember, I remember yours the most, Jake.” Jake’s eyes become narrow. “How do you know my na...”

“I remember your smile of relief on that rainy day in the courtroom. The day that the judge decided that you, nor the alcohol you drank, was responsible for causing my father’s accident. I remember the smile you gave to your high-priced attorney and your parents when the judge decided that my father would receive no justice for what you had clearly done, but your parents had bought your way out of.”

As I reach into my pocket and pull out a pair of black leather gloves, I glance up in the rear-view mirror to see Jake’s horrified expression. I start slowly pulling the gloves onto my hands.

“For 20 years, I’ve remembered that smile.”

After tightening my gloves, I lock my eyes onto Jake’s fearful gaze and the salvation I’d been searching for.

“Why aren’t you smiling now?”