Ride

I am 26 teaching
History at UT Austin
In a classroom close
To the fountain on the
Southwest side of campus,
I get a ride to San Antonio
With one of my students
For the next morning as
We are both short on cash.
She is driving south on
A road just east of IH35,
A two-lane country road
With ditches on each side
And telephone poles
Stretching out of sight
In both directions.
We are enjoying a
Good conversation when
I gesture to get her attention,
She drives across the empty
Road into and out of the
Shallow ditch just missing
A telephone pole then back
Across the road into and
Out of the other shallow
Ditch then brings the car
To a sudden full stop,
I realize at that point
She is a tad jumpy to
Be sharing the cost of
The ride and I am
Suddenly aware she
Is out of her comfort
Zone as am I.
We drive on to San Antonio
To our separate tasks
But first she shows me the
House where her grandpa
Grew up and she played as
A little girl and we talk
About childhood memories.
At the end of the day we
Head back to Austin
Better friends and have
Remained so for the
Past 46 years though
We seldom communicate.
We are the same old friends
We have been forever and
Likely will be as long as
We each can think back,
A guidepost memory for
Both of us on the frailty
And bravery of youth.
She reads my poems
And from time to
Time makes her
Presence felt
But safer
Than
At
Sixty down a Texas
Country road on
A sunny day,
Now we
Know
Who
We
Are better
Than before
Our adventures.