Crazy Water: Six Fictions

The Drive

The Drive • • • Dhere wer e the y whe n i t started ? Nobod y knows anymore , nobod y cares . Elspet h and Sabin a wer e fighting i n th e bac k seat , Pearl' s shoulders i n the paisley blous e wer e stif f an d straigh t in th e fron t seat , Dadd y behin d th e steerin g whee l seemed unimportan t t o al l o f them , excep t tha t th e smoke fro m hi s cigarette wa s giving Pearl a headach e she though t sh e woul d neve r forgiv e hi m for . Lot s o f stuff wa s passin g b y outsid e th e windows : crowde d trees with blood-re d top s an d sli m blac k trunks , clea r crooning stream s distille d throug h granite-pebble d banks, soft mountain s wit h thei r top s buried moodil y in cloud . Bu t Elspet h an d Sabin a wer e fighting ove r a pink-backe d mirror , an d Pear l wit h th e blosso m o f pain behin d he r ea r stare d withou t seein g anything . Maybe Dadd y wa s listenin g t o th e we t tickin g o f th e tires on th e dam p pavement . They had alread y passe d s o many roadsid e stand s [ 3 7 ] C R A Z Y W A T E R with handwritte n sign s tha t sai d Apples , Cider , Ma ple Syrup , tha t Dadd y ha d stoppe d pointin g the m out. Certain thing s ar e wort h knowing : th e twins , i n the bac k seat , wer e desperat e t o tak e possessio n o f the mirror , i n spit e o f th e fac t tha t eac h on e sa w he r reflection i n the face o f the other. Pearl, who wore th e paisley blouse, was not thei r mother. Sh e wished the y had no t come . When Dadd y ha d stoppe d t o pick the m up a t th e hom e o f hi s forme r wife , the y ha d bee n sitting o n th e floor , drawing . Ho w cute , ho w sweet , Daddy migh t hav e thought . Thi s i s wha t the y ha d been drawing : picture s o f Pearl, with tal l gree n curli cue hai r an d a fa t orang e bod y mad e o f ovoid s tha t reminded Dadd y o f turds . Daddy drov e silentl y wit h th e cigarett e hangin g from hi s mouth . Hi s cheek s wer e covere d wit h gre y stubble. Pearl's hai r wa s no t reall y green , bu t i t wa s ver y tall. I t di d ris e i n blon d curlicue s towar d th e roo f o f the car . Sabina an d Elspet h wore their fine blon d hair tie d back fro m thei r face s i n littl e pin k bows , jus t lik e one worn b y thei r mothe r tha t morning , when Dadd y came t o pick the m up . The ca r window s wer e dirty . All th e stuf f passin g by outsid e looke d dulle r becaus e o f that . An d i n fac t [ 3 8 ] The Drive the sk y was grey . The clouds wer e ver y low ; tha t wa s why n o one i n th e car coul d have see n th e mountains , if they had care d t o look . But the y could , i f they ha d care d t o roll dow n th e windows, hav e breathe d i n wit h dar k forebodin g th e scent o f dee p forest , rottin g leaves , col d wate r ove r stone. Instead the y breathe d th e smok e fro m Daddy' s cigarette. The...