driving

                     

a man is coming back from a trip with his family.
he is driving the family car down the highway.
he pulls the car over to the side of the highway
and stops. he gets out of the car and tells his
family to go on without him. his family doesn't
understand. the baby is crying. the dog is
barking. his son is yelling at him. his daughter
is screaming at him. his wife is begging him to
get back into the car. the man runs away from
the car. he runs into a field by the side of the
highway. he runs until all he can hear are his
tired footsteps and his ragged breath. he lies
down in the grass. he says oh my god, i am so
alone. he gets up and walks back to the highway.
he looks at the tire tracks on the side of the road
and wonders if he can ever go home.