Writers' Corner: Back Roads

Sometimes, life throws curveballs. You are going along, living life, then — BAM — curveball incoming from left field. This seems to be the norm. Nothing goes as anticipated. If I make the mistake of announcing my projected plan … a curveball appears. I have learned, however, that not all curveballs need to be feared. That said, let me tell you a story about a girl, a truck, and a moped.

This tale starts in early winter. The youngest child of my dear friend had moved north of Big Rapids to start a life adventure with friends. Great idea! Then she decided it would be wonderful to have her moped at hand to scoot about town on. It just so happens that we purchased a big, heavy-duty pick-up truck a few weeks earlier. What a perfect opportunity to try it out!

So my friend and I gathered the tie-downs from her husband’s truck and loaded the bike into the bed of mine. It was awkward and heavy. Quite literally, we had to push the thing uphill. But, it fit and we took the three-hour trip northward to deliver the moped. It was an uneventful journey, not too much to see because we were focused on not getting lost. The whole day was spent driving. We stopped at their local Applebee’s for a late lunch and then hit the return trail. I honestly thought that was the last I would see of the moped. Remember those curveballs?

A while back, I switched jobs, hoping to free up time so that I could be more available to help my mother. She’s getting older and having some problems, so that was a good plan. Things did not work out like the plan. So I took a different job. The problem is the new job has varying hours, which makes my pay vary, too. I learned to live with it and even started to build a life around those freed-up hours. I have plans that include building a business and also building a new garage. You know, easy.

Here comes a curveball. My new business is starting to sprout just as my coworker has to take medical leave. The projected one-month leave morphs into two months. My paychecks are great, but I have no time to pursue my new endeavors. I am working six days a week. Most days I work around nine hours. I am still pushing ahead with my dream, just taking baby steps. One month remains to get through. Hopefully.

Then last week I got a text from the daughter of my friend. Was there any way I could help move their couch and her moped? The other roommate turned out to be too difficult to live with and the two friends were moving back home. I have one day a week in which I can accomplish my chores or my “other work.” They had a deadline, so of course I said yes.

This trip was more exciting. My friend and I did actually get on the road early in the day. That surprised me. We always try, but … you know. Anyway, we made good time to Big Rapids and got the truck loaded fairly quickly. The couch was a large piece of furniture and we decided it was a prudent choice to avoid the highway. My friend had once had a near-fatal experience on the Grand Rapids S curve, so she was strongly in favor of a cross-country trek.

I aimed my truck down Highway 43. The girls followed behind as we took our tour. I have to tell you, taking the back roads is always an adventure. We saw beautiful lakes and rivers, centennial farms and Victorian houses. There were several little towns and villages that time seems to have forgotten. Oh, and I saw a herd of long-horned cattle! My friend and I have made plans to retrace the route to take pictures and to stop at every greenhouse along the way!

Tip: Take the back roads. Find your story.

Bio: Christine Cox lives and works in SW Michigan. She can be contacted at [email protected].

— The Sturgis Writers’ Mill exists to create a community of writers who constructively encourage, support, and challenge each other as they discover their unique voices. Any opinion expressed is solely that of the author.

This article originally appeared on Sturgis Journal: Writers' Corner: Back Roads