On The Road

by Mike Mayak

“Hey, look!” Luke said pointing up past the awning there at the gas station. “A rainbow.”

“Yeah!” Jackson said. “But it’s still raining.”

“Big tough biker guys not afraid of a little rain are we?” Luke said with a grin, brushing water off his leather jacket.

“No,” Jackson said. “Just of getting drenched.”

“Hey, we need the rain!” Luke said. “Farmers do, anyway.”

“Yeah, but let’s wait ‘till it lets up.” Jackson said.

“Yeah,” Luke said. “I don’t blame you. We don’t have to be across town right away.”

“Anyway, you seen how people drive their cars even when the roads aren’t slick, right?” Jackson said.

“Oh, yeah.” Luke said. “Like a Demolition Derby.”

The two of them stood there, Luke idly fiddling with the receipt for the gas they’d just bought.

“You know,” Jackson said. “This could be a metaphor for life. The rain, a safe awning, the rainbow overhead and crazy people on the slick roads!”

“Yeah,” Luke laughed. “And you gotta pay for your gas.”

“I heard that right!” Jackson said.

“Yeah, you know…hey look!” Luke said.

“What?” Jackson asked, looking over where Luke was pointing.

“Another rainbow.”

“Yeah,” Jackson breathed.

The two men stood there for a few minutes just watching.

“I didn’t realize we were over this far,” Luke said. “My Grandparents used to take me into a used book store in that old building right down there. It’s where I got my comic books.”

“Stocking up on Ghost Rider, I’ll bet,” Jackson said.

“Naaaah! Scrooge McDuck.” Luke said grinning. “All his adventures all around the world. Maybe that’s why I wanted to travel. Why I wound up roaming around on a bike.”

“And wound up working in the old hometown!” Jackson said.

“Yeah! You never know what’s gonna happen!” Luke said.

“Nope,” Jackson said. “Hey! Is that lightning?”

“Nahhh! Break in the clouds! The sun!”

“Nice.” Jackson said.

—end—