Aurora Magazine 2019

Ride Of Your Life

Austin Somers

Joey cracks another cold one while the canoe cuts waves into the Wabash like a rusted knife through shimmering glass. Summer sky soothes to dusk and we laugh about that one time in college I came home drunk and hurled a broom through the wall reenacting a fight scene from a martial arts movie. We were stupid. And maybe I still am. Is this how it all adds up? All of a sudden it feels like I’m floating down a Disney ride, watching my memories in slow-motion play out like puppetry – my dog’s dying breath; my ex driving off in the snow. The dim light and cool air calm me until it dawns: this river never splits. It flows rigid, in a circle. The forest’s song repeats. Is this why I long for the final rise and plunge toward splash? I’ve been down this stream a thousand times and I’ll ride it a thousand more. Joey smiles, and I smile back. We laugh into the night.

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