"Golden Texas Tea" (pg 18)

Entering the car, Azalea fired up the engine and took off in a southerly direction. After driving for about ten minutes, it dawned on her that she had no idea on where it was exactly that she wanted to go for a walk. Spending a few minutes turning that question over in her mind, she decided to go to the town were it all began: Newington.

To get there in a timely manner, Azalea hopped on the interstate and was immediately overwhelmed by the amount of traffic for this time of the evening. Wow, this traffic is much heavier than I remembered when I was here last, thought Azalea while changing her normally thuggish driving style faster than a Democrat changing his views to win an election.

Carefully staying in the extreme right lane for the first ten miles of the trip, she gradually became more relaxed as the landscape became more familiar. By the time she hit the capitol area and its confusing interchange, Azalea was back to driving like her old native self again.

Recognizing the exit that she needed to travel on towards a possibly new life as a single woman, Azalea became much less animated and a bit more melancholy. Zipping down the highway, the building where she used to work was dark and abandoned, with construction equipment at the ready for possible use in demolition. A fitting end to a building that housed such a screwed up agency, she thought.

Continuing down the highway, she passed new houses that were being built in an area that was formerly occupied by trees and plants. Rounding the bend and heading through the traffic light, she also saw wholesale changes to the highway landscape. Buildings that formerly housed profitable businesses now sat empty and abandoned, like stripped empty carcasses that the wolves leave behind after having their fill.

Getting more depressed the further she traveled, Azalea soon spotted the exit for Newington. This was like a ray of sunshine for her as the gloomy clouds of negativity she'd driven through completely vanished and her spirits soared to the heavens on silver wings.

Hitting the stop sign, she turned right and zipped towards downtown. Entering the center, Azalea was absolutely floored by what she encountered: people. Smugly satisfied people, bustling businesses, great scenery and most importantly, a rural quietness amongst the busyness of the suburbs.

Taking a right at the local church, she continued to marvel on how busy the downtown area was while driving towards that wonderful oasis in the southern end of town: Cedar Mountain. Two more minutes of driving, coupled with some rights and lefts, she finally arrived at the street where Walter and ex used to live those many years ago. Coming to a stop near the end of the street, Azalea parked the car and rolled down the window, absorbing the sounds and smells of the mountain.