Thankful at Dusk

It's almost Thanksgiving. 
You know what I'm thankful for? 

I'm thankful for evenings like this. 

evenings where i'm driving in the slow lane
on the freeway
my bare feet gently pressing the pedals
my hands guiding the wheel
the rims of my glasses are brimming my vision

my brother is next to me in the passenger seat
he's reading something in the dimming light

and it's quiet.

and we drive under a periwinkle sky
with a few wisps of pink clouds
it's like a sky you'd see in a fairyland
not in southern california
yet here we are.

and there are palm trees 
lining the freeway
they seem to be glowing slightly against the sky.
and bordering my everything
my whole life
growing up
are the mountains
the grey-blue mountains that i see
that i've always seen.
i would never be able to get used to seeing a horizon
without these mountains.


and it's quiet.


my brother is still reading 
something for school. 

"jack," i say, "when karma flows, goodness follows."
"what?"
"i dunno, that's what it says on that truck over there."
"i disagree."
"are you calling that truck a liar?"
"only if that truck doesn't believe in karma." 

it's random snippets of conversation.
he's reading.
i'm driving.
and it's peaceful. 

and it's quiet. 

and i'm thankful for evenings like this.