The Respite Not Taken

Going down a snowy road

Really it was a blizzard in the mountains

Forging ahead to my destination 

Windshield wiper whipping 

How was I to know I shouldn’t have been there

Pushing ahead

Despite the darkness 

Pushing ahead 

Where are the white lane markers

Pushing ahead

Slow crawl up the mountain

Then the next

Afraid to coast to the next incline

How do you know there is black ice

Trudging along the way

How much time has past

If my car failed me,

Would anyone know in the darkness

Illuminated snow specs from my headlights

And the lights on the dashboard 

Beam enough light to see 10 feet in front of me

After many miles of darkness

A town appears

I finally stop at Starbucks

A grande hot chocolate to keep me awake

Another customer trudges in

“What a blizzard!”

Starbucks barrista, “I heard it is bad up there.”

Through the pass where I just came?

I didn’t know I should be afraid.

I swore and prayed intermittently

But here I was

After a respite not taken

How was I to know I shouldn’t have been up there

Sipping hot chocolate

Whip cream mustache