red light sleeps, 8.27.23

it was a beautiful night driving home. the temperature was 67 degrees. i had the windows down with the heat on. it sounds so crazy, but i love when i can do that. at a red light before merging on to 93-n, i looked to my left. it was an elderly white man in his car. he was hunched close to the steering wheel. his eyes were closing and opening. he was falling asleep at the wheel literally. he was driving a small silver hybrid type car. the back was packed full of belongings. i could only assume he was moving, at least that’s what would be the best-case scenario. i hope he didn’t get kicked out or that he didn’t live out his car. though he was elderly, he looked exhausted. of course, he was tired because he was falling in and out of sleep at the light, but it was more than that. he just looked drained. when the light turned green, i took off and he fell behind with traffic.

i tried to keep an eye on him for as long as i could, but when i lost him, i sent up a prayer not only hoping that he’d get home safely, but that everything would work out for him.

maybe i’m being dramatic, but it never hurts to pray.

-ratha, 9:21pm, 8.27.23