Cold car morning

or; snapshot #3

Published on November 15, 2006 By SanChonino In Writing

One of my favorite things to write is a snapshot of the moment; exactly what things are like in that exact instant – my emotions, etc. (The first two that I've posted can be found here and here.)

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Stark blue skies hang heavily over the valley. The mountains were salted well last night, rightly covered in the nasty white stuff.

I sit in the driver's seat of my car. It's cold this morning; you can see your breath inside the vehicle. The back windscreen is a solid sheath of ice, the front peppered with small, intricately designed frostkisses. I pull out my key, forcing it slowly into the keyhole, depressing the clutch, turning my hand, bringing the sleeping beast, my Rocinante, to life.

Shivers. I quickly turn the defroster all the way up, frigid air coursing from the dash, assaulting the front windscreen and pouring back into my face. It takes the CD player a moment to cue up the disc, but finally the sonorous sounds of the JC Ronikal disc I burned the other day begin to fill the frozen car with waves of sound.

I slam my hand down on the rear defrost button, flooring the gas just a moment, again, wait, again, wait, again, to warm the catatonic engine up. Finally the sub-zero air begins to flow with life, as the stereo blasts forth the refrain, “Everything happens for a reason . . .” I wonder whose voice that is.

The back windscreen is quickly thawing out, rivulets of icy water running down in thin lines between the remaining straits of ice. The frostkisses covering the front begin to sublime, skipping liquid entirely, escaping into the atmosphere, waiting for the chance to encounter Rocinante again.

I look out the windscreen, searching for the trees in the distance. Each is wreathed with a thick circle of leaves. Finally having shaken free their last, dying leaves, they stand tall, naked, obstinate in the face of the impending storm. The oak remains stately, even minus his powerful, imposing covering, stripped down to the barest of bones.

Comments

crimson

on Nov 15, 2006

Sah-weeeet!

(I like.)

SanChonino

on Nov 15, 2006

Sah-weeeet!

(I like.)

Thankya. Thankyaverymuch.

SanChonino

on Nov 15, 2006

For those of you who haven't heard that wonderful song, "Everything Happens", from great aussie band J C Ronikal, check them out right here.

dynamaso

on Nov 15, 2006

San Chonino,

Mate, I really liked this piece of writing, not only because you mention my band, but also because of the following:

Finally having shaken free their last, dying leaves, they stand tall, naked, obstinate in the face of the impending storm. The oak remains stately, even minus his powerful, imposing covering, stripped down to the barest of bones.

This is a really nice passage, mate.

heard that wonderful song, "Everything Happens

You do us a great service, mate. Thanks so much. How about emailing me your address so I can send you a 'real' copy of the disc?

Shovelheat

on Nov 15, 2006

Everything happens for a reason.
Like me clicking on this. Outstanding!

And...

One of my favorite things to write is a snapshot of the moment; exactly what things are like in that exact instant – my emotions, etc.

What a brilliant thing! Hmmm...

SanChonino

on Nov 15, 2006

How about emailing me your address so I can send you a 'real' copy of the disc?

I most certainly will!

Everything happens for a reason.Like me clicking on this. Outstanding!

Thanks Joe! Glad you liked it!

ParaTed2k

on Nov 15, 2006

A picture may paint a thousand words, but it doesn't take a thousand words to paint a picture.

Great imagery, San Chonino!

BlueDev

on Nov 17, 2006

An excellent snapshot.

I see his strength, in the face of terrible odds.

This was the only part that, for me at least, didn't fit. Where are the terrible odds in the moment? I guess it just seemed to come out of left field, made the end felt a little inconsistent. But what do I know.

SanChonino

on Nov 17, 2006

Where are the terrible odds in the moment? I guess it just seemed to come out of left field, made the end felt a little inconsistent. But what do I know.

Enough to make me want to re-write it . . .

I've been re-thinking that line for the last two days, and I think I'm going to remove it and re-write. Your mentioning it made me want to even more.

Thanks for the feedsback.

island_gurl

on Nov 23, 2006

Nice! Sounds like the beginning of a novel (DUH!) makes me want to read more, lol! Hope you're doing good, oh and you've got mail

SanChonino

on Nov 23, 2006

makes me want to read more, lol! Hope you're doing good, oh and you've got mail

Glad you liked it! And I'm pumped for the mail! I'm heading there now . . .

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