The Great Escape

I LOVE driving on dark, windy roads late at night all by myself. I love the downshifting and then shifting back up into a curve. I love the grip on my steering wheel as I turn into a curve.

I especially love it when a small flicker of headlights catch my eye in my rear view mirror.

And the game is on.

I press harder onto the accelerator. My eyes scanning for annnnyythiiing that could enter the road ahead of me to cause me to slam on my brakes. I am hyper alert.

I glance back into the mirror. The far-away headlights shine up on trees and hillsides around the curves just far enough away, that they never quite realize that I am in a car just ahead of them.

I drive a bit faster.

I pretend they are searching for me. And I try to lose them. I love it when I drive down the long straight-away and make it into the curve before the headlights catch me. My heart beating fast, I study the road ahead of me. I worry if I can make it into the next curve before they spot me. Their headlights getting larger and more brighter as I press on the gas even harder, making the turn just in time. It is exhilarating.

I'm a safe driver. I would never risk my life driving too fast. But it's a game I've always played since I could drive.

Many times I don't win.

Inevitably, there is a long straight-away and the driver behind me makes the turn and sees my red rearlights ahead of him.

The game is over.

Often times I will slow down and let the car pass. As ironic as it sounds, I don't enjoy driving on dark, curvy mountain roads with bright headlights blinding me, pushing me to drive faster.

Once the car passes by ... I give the driver enough distance so I can no longer see his headlights.

I'm alone once again.

I drive in silence for a while. Watching my rear view mirrow. My heart starts to beat quickly. There is a flicker of headlights shining on some side trees and a hillside.

I grab firmly onto the steering wheel. I press down on the gas.. and the game is back on.

Just me and the road ahead of me and my rear-view mirror.