Passenger Seat

I don't drive. I can't drive. You put me anywhere near a steering wheel and I get antsy and nervous. Because of this, I don't have many good driving adventure stories to speak of.

That's why its so curious that I have so many fond memories involving car rides. The kind of memories that make you kind of smile to yourself as you try to remember the feeling of cool summer wind coming through the rolled-down window.

I link driving with summer a lot—with my friends who had cars or access to cars, summer was the time where there were few other responsibilities to worry about. No rehearsals to speed off too or shifts to do. There was plenty of time to whisk past darkened New England streets, singing along to whatever came on the radio, and admire that distinct purple color of dusk.

Living in a big city, I don't find myself in a car that often but last night was an exception. While helping  friends move into a new apartment, I ended up in the passenger seat of a van borrowed from a flower shop with a dated, floral patterned couch was crammed in the back, crammed with other friends singing along to music I could only sort of mouth along to. I could feel that summer breeze again and even though it chilled me thoroughly and even though it is only the start of May, I got so excited over the prospect of summer in a new city with people that I love.


As an added bonus, I associate this passenger seat phenomenon with this song for obvious reasons. Listen and (hopefully) enjoy: