The Sierras All Around

A man in a snowy parking lot. The Sierras All around him. Early morning. 8:35AM The car packed. The engine running. Snow underfoot. The Sierras all around him

He turns around and looks at the building. His mother in one of the apartments. Three years of his life Stashed there In a lockdown Taking care of her. Every day the same. Not watching the clock But feeling his life die. Tick tock tick tock.

Guilt for going, yes. Relief for leaving, yes. His mother didn't want him to go But she didn't want him to stay.

"I'll be fine."

She doesn't to come along. She kissed him good-bye.

"Go."

He wipes the snow off the car. Snow from last night. Snow coming tonight. Tomorrow too.

The sun, the clouds, the high altitude, skiing, hiking, his mother. The Sierras all around him. Tomorrow not him

Three years. The room. His room. The four walls. The one window. Day after day after day. His life slipping away by. Tick tock tick tock.

He gets in the car. And drives down the mountain. Away from Mount Rose To Lake Tahoe South Heading to Tucson. Thirteen hours away.

ETA Tonight Tonight Dinner with Francesca. Her hand warm in his.

Life again. Life again. And the snow blew off the car. Heading down from the mountains. The Sierras behind him. Not forever But never more forever