Drivers & Navigators
Avis Hickman-Gibb
I remember so well that last holiday - the one in France just before we split up for the final time. We'd had trial separations; both had other relationships. But we'd got back together to give it another go so many times, it was a reliable, predictable pattern; comfortable. No energy expended any more on compromise and making an effort. It started badly.
“Well if you think you can read this map while you drive – you do it, sunbeam. I am telling you we should have taken the last turn off. Now we need to drive another 20 kilometres before we can turn around.” I hissed at him.
He always did this on a long drive – argued about navigating when he should be concentrating on driving.
“Tell you what – I'll drive, you read the bloody map. See where you get us.” I snapped. I looked out of the window. The rain outside was dismal – it matched my mood.
He pulled over. I sat stonily – and waited for him to get out to change seats. No way was I getting wet. While he got soaked, I hutched over, and adjusted the seat, mirrors, heater; made the car mine.
He settled into the passenger seat and stared at the map for a few minutes, and then turned on his winning smile as he said:
“You were right, we should have taken that last turn. But look! There's a little turning off this trunk road, just 2 Kilometres ahead...lets take that. I'm sure that'll get us back onto the road we should have taken in the first place. Sorry, I was wrong”
Only slightly mollified, I started the engine and drove steadily ahead. I always felt I had to concentrate extra hard when driving on the wrong side of the road. Sure enough the turning appeared shortly, and we took it. After paying the toll we drove down the slip road and came to a small T-junction; in front of us was a dirty, dilapidated sign.
“Which way, then?” I asked my navigator, while tapping my fingers on the steering wheel.
“Right.” He said “Turn right. Look can't you see what it says on that signpost? Rouen - 30 Kilometres. We're on the road to Rouen – get it?” he chortled. “Yes – we're definitely on the right road now.”
And he was accurate in more ways than one.
Avis Hickman-Gibb is a newly established writer, living in rural Suffolk, England with her husband, one son and two cats. She gained a BSc. in Environmental Chemistry more years ago than she cares to admit and worked in the fledgling computer industry whilst still a babe-in-arms.
She's had stories published in Every Day Fiction, Twisted Tongue, and Shine! and has up-coming stories in Bewildering Stories, The PygmyGiant, The Ranfurly Review and The Boston Literary Magazine.
She is currently working on a book of short stories and is addicted to writing flash fiction.
If you want to read more of her writing, you can find links at:
http://www.writewords.org.uk/Hickman-Gibb/