romeo + juliet

I don't know if it was youth or college-life or just old times gone by. But one of the things I really really miss is driving around on long, scenic routes singing at the top of my lungs with someone.

Nowadays it's different. Now, I still have long drives, but it's through rush-hour traffic and i'm dying to be anywhere but the car. I still sing at the top of my lungs, but it just bounces off the walls and windows and I'm the only one appreciating the fun of it. There's no one there with me, giggling at my silliness or me at theirs (unless the person in the traffic jam next to me finds me amusing).

Before, it was late-night drives with the windows all the way down (even if it was cold) and there was someone sitting in the seat next to me - sometimes even in the back seat - and we'd crank up the volume and just sing wildy, crying over what we thought were our greatest loves. We'd take all the long ways and the backroads. Hines Park, Ford Road (past the suburbs), Gotfredson Rd., Prospect Rd. and all the little side roads in between ... We'd pull over and sit on the gravel and stare at the stars, not worrying about who might be peeking out of the house just down the road. We'd remember that we had to get up early the next morning, but we'd still stop off for a slurpee on the way home and sing just a little bit more.

I miss the wind whipping through my hair, carefree and passionate, just like we were while we sang.