For Katie

The boy and girl were always seen driving,
and the girl was always driven.

The boy never felt truly comfortable
without a passenger, and was grateful for her
company.

She was sometimes his muse, and more often,
his mirror.

She afforded him many opportunities to
look back at himself. 

And their road was long.

It stretched from a chance talk in Italy to
the US to Madison and Boston and beyond.

There were potholes,
24 hour cafes at the end of the line,
and impromptu late night early morning
road trips.
There was more to come.

The girl was always so driven. 

She had nerve and steel which propelled her to unknown reaches
of human emotion and tenderness,
which allowed her to experience the world
much more than other people.

She was gifted in that sense.

The boy was witness to these experiences.

The girl made an effort for the boy, and
the boy made an effort for the girl.

The boy had never made an effort for anyone before.

The boy and girl took different roads one day, but it was
clear they were just taking different scenic routes
and would be back on their journey again soon enough.

Until then, all they could do was sit back and enjoy the ride.