He hadn’t felt this alive in years. It was probably from the sun that warmed him as he leaned back on the little wooden bench at a rest stop on the road to somewhere. The fact that he still wasn’t sure of his destination did not cause him as much stress as it normally would have.

Sitting here at all, eating his last granola bar, was far different from his normal behavior. He had watched as cars pulled into the rest area, people letting dogs out, or moving quickly toward the bathrooms, and then driving off. Yet here he sat.

He could have just eaten while he drove. The thought had occurred to him, but he realized that there was no reason to rush when he still was figuring out where he was going. He leaned back again, stretching over the back of the bench, feeling his back crack along his lower vertebrae. His body was still adjusting to his more mobile lifestyle.

One driver leaned against his car in the parking lot, taking a long pull on a cigarette, clearly waiting for his partner to return from the restrooms. Calvin made eye contact with him, and saw a flash of judgement in the man’s eyes. Why wasn’t I in more of a rush? Was that what the man’s look had asked of him, or just Calvin’s own thoughts draped over an innocuous look.

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These thoughts running on a loop in his head was hardly new. The real mystery was why Calvin wasn’t bothered by the man’s questioning stare. The man’s partner emerged from the restroom, and he hurriedly dropped the cigarette and ground it into the asphalt. The two of them didn’t say a word to each other before they got back in, and drove off.

Calvin popped the rest of the bar into his mouth, and brushed the crumbs from his lap. As he stood, stretching his back again, he felt the sun warm his face, and for a moment, he felt as if he were finally free. Then he got back to his car and started to drive, still not sure where he was going. Although as the miles had increased on his odometer, a destination had begun to emerge in his mind, albeit a fuzzy one. He thought back to his time at home, his long walk with Clara. That feeling he had when he was walking side by side with her began to feel more and more like his final destination.