Excerpt



As usual, John didnt say much on our way to Galveston. We took Interstate 45, which goes through Houston, and connect to the causeway, a bridge two miles from the mainland of Texas City. The causeway extends into the Gulf onto Galveston Island. The weather cleared up a bit on the way there. We didnt run into rain. John visited several people on the island. For some reason, on each of these visits he left me in the car while he went inside.

I sat there thinking and waiting. Many things crossed my mind. Mostly I thought about school and how things would be on the campus. Id always wanted to get off the farm and couldnt wait until the appropriate time. I thought about how Id be leaving my parents to make it on their own, but they never said anything about my wanting to leave and go to college. I guess they figured it was time for me to make a life of my own. I knew there was no way they could support my efforts in college, it was a struggle enough for them to make it for themselves. As a matter of fact, I couldnt count on support from anyone, if I was to make it I had to do it on my own. I thought about how difficult it would be, but it was the only way I could see getting off the farm.

I got nervous because the wind began to howl, and I drifted back to reality. It started to rain more heavily and the wind increased to at least twenty-five miles an hour. I didnt think much about the rain and the windshield wipers; I simply refocused on school.

About the time I began to refocus on school, my brother finally came out. He was ducking trying to avoid the rain and the wind, as if he had some special quality that would allow him to run between the raindrops, and float on the wind, but had nothing to protect himself from the elements. It was 10 p.m. and the wind was steadily picking up. By this time the wind mustve reached 40 m.p.h. The trees were dancing ferociously in the wind. The wind was practically tossing the car about. The car rocked like a hyperactive child on a rocking horse, partially because the shocks were worn, and needed springs.

OK, Lil Bro, Im thru with my business. We can leave now.

Are ya sure you dont want to wait out this weather. Looks like its gon git rough in a while.

Itll be OK. This rain and wind aint gon last long.

I still hadnt connected the rain, 40 m.p.h. winds, no windshield wipers and that two-mile bridge. We left.

On the way off the island the radio said the wind on the island had picked up to 75 m.p.h., and it began to rain even harder, if that was possible.

You sure ya dont wanna take cover till the storm dies down?

Itll be OK.

If you say so, Big Brother.

I tried the windshield wipers but they didnt work. I could still see where I was going. As we approached the bridge the wind seem to get even stronger. The moon was not out that night so it was pitch dark. The radio said Galveston Island was in the middle of a low-grade hurricane. But John said it was too late to stop now. The rain was presently coming down hard enough so that we badly needed windshield wipers. I tried again to turn them on but they didnt work. I drove slower so I could see better, but that wasnt much help.

Visibility was almost zero, and there was a lot of traffic on the causeway. Cars were speeding trying to get off the Island. The cars behind me were blowing their horns to the tune of a symphony. I was driving along on a hope and a prayer. The wind was rocking the car like a nervous grandmother in her rocking chair. I leaned my head out the window so I could see where I was going.