I wish you were here

You shrug – I know it’s in reaction to a thought that’s in your head

The car is quiet

I listen to the sound of wind

Tyres gliding along the bitumen

There is the odd bump now and then

The view is lovely as we wind down through a valley

Your eyes are staring at the road, not seeing the shadows of golden and green painted winter trees flickering over your pupils, like I do

Nor feeling the warmth of late afternoon sun touching my shoulders, smouldering down the length of my arm

It feels beautiful

Your jaw is clenched

My ruby ring sparkles in the sunlight – I twist it slightly, watching the light dance over accompanying diamonds in the setting

You automatically slow on a curve

Some part connecting to a slower speed requirement ahead

The car in front is old, it’s been out west, a trail of red dust rims the back windscreen

“Birdsville” reads the sticker

Your fingers tap

Your lungs sigh

I do not interrupt whatever is bothering

We speed up to pass by

I smile at the old man slump shouldered behind the wheel briefly adjacent

He smiles back sideways slanting eyes

Then we are ahead

And he fades swiftly miles behind

I really wish you could be here

The days are flying past

We leave shreds on everyone we encounter

My skin is growing thinner

Soon it will be transparent,

A cobweb of a memory, strung across the mind of someone who thinks of me for a second

Perhaps fifty years from now

Delicate gossamer threads, and yet we think we are invincible

Up ahead the speed limit changes

You return from wherever you’ve been

“Want a coffee?”

“Yes please”

My watch bounces beams off your face, eyes crumpling into a smile

You’re back at least,

for a little while

20 thoughts on “I wish you were here

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