The Wide Road to the Exterior¹
Leigh Hill

Leigh Hill, a freshman History major, wrote her paper for Dr. Grice’s Honors World Lit II class, as well. She submitted this paper because she felt that her experience was really funny and wanted to share it with others in this creative way. Leigh is the only student of the class of 2010 from Baton Rouge.

The Sunday before Fall Break, I woke up and was overcome with excitement. I had never been so happy to be going back to Baton Rouge, Louisiana – my home, a place I had actually not visited since my arrival on the campus of Christian Brothers University. This weekend I was staying with my friend, Lauren, in Collierville. I could not wait to get on the road and head home. Lauren’s dad checked my oil and I was on my way.

As I got on the interstate, I realized I had never before driven myself back home to Louisiana. Before college I would have begun to panic, but for some reason I was really mellow and decided to wing it. The signs were in front of me, and all I needed to do was follow them to the next big city – I was going to Jackson. Then, I turned the radio up and began to muse about home and to think about all the things I have learned in the first months in Memphis:

Going home at last
To see best friends and fam’ly –
Do changes surround?

***

An hour passed. Nothing exciting happened. Trees were flying past as I speed down the interstate. They all seemed like one tall, green blob. I ignored them. I sang out loud to my favorite songs. The people who passed me probably thought I was crazy. But I am not – for the most part.

I seem all alone
But this is not true, for I
Have a radio.

Loneliness is a state of mind. I was alone, but I was safe. I carefully avoided the dead dog on the side of the shoulder.

***

Another hour passed. My 1994 Camry started to jolt. The trees began to slow down. Confused, I took it off cruise control and pulled to the side of the road. I took a deep breath. With that one breath, I panicked. I called mama… no answer. I called my sister, Taylor… no answer. I called my brother, Dan… no answer. I called my childhood nanny, Ms. Gay… an answer. I quickly tried to restart my car with her on the other end of the phone. The car started, but will not shift gears. She told me to call Triple A while she got hold of my mother. All I could do was tell the AAA person what had happened and wait. I rolled down the windows. The trees had become individuals. Waiting:
Having called for help,
The wind calmed me down as the
Green trees swayed along.

***

AAA was severely understaffed because it was a Sunday and along the same interstate, I-55 South, four other cars had broken down. I prayed. I had never said so many “Hail Mary’s” before in my life. I got a sudden call from a 612 area code. Cautiously, I answered. It was Allen, the tow-truck driver. The AAA lady had given him my location incorrectly – it was an hour and a half ago that I had talked to AAA. I gave him my correct location. In one hour he found me.

***

Allen introduced himself. We made small talk, but I just really wanted to leave. His diagnosis for my car: failed transmission. Like a dumb school girl, I asked what a transmission is. He explained, but I did not really understand. Later, I would find out that a transmission is just another way to say two thousand dollars in automobile lingo.

Well, what can I say?
Anyway, my car is old
I need mom’s check book.

I climbed into Allen’s truck. He told me that he couldn’t take me to Jackson because it was too far. The Toyota dealership was closed on Sundays anyway. Wanting to cry, I called my mom and told her to pick me up in Durant, Mississippi, and that if she didn’t know where it was she should think of the movie Deliverance. Take exit 156. Allen started the truck, the trees blur again in the corner of my eye. Soon we arrived in Durant.

Durant Shell station
Smelled of old Clorox and smoke –
Laugh was all I did.

***

The day was turning into night. I read the same magazine I had been reading all day. Bored was an understatement. I worried. I worried about my car. I worried about how I smelled. I worried that my mom and my brother were driving too quickly to get me and that they might crash. I met a friend, Quince, who worked at the gas station. I bought some chips and he gave me my change. We talked for a while, but he had other things to do. I had nothing to do – I worried. Then I stopped:

As the sky gets black,
I wait and finally
Saved by mom and Dan.

***

Being in my mom’s minivan, I felt safe at last. Nothing else would go wrong. I explained that Allen would bring my car to Jackson in the morning. We loaded my stuff inside the van. I told them stories of my new friends and the college adventures I had been on. Then I waited. I waited for the “Bienvenue en Louisiane” sign. Soon I would be home. I saw it; it was only a matter of time. It was too dark to see trees, only silhouettes of the moon shinning between branches. Sometimes the street lights revealed leaves and needles.

Closer and closer
Baton Rouge twenty miles –
Liking home weather.

My journey would finally end. Within a matter of minutes, I was in the driveway. I saw the big cypress tree in our backyard. I was home, but within a week, I would be back on the road.

^1. Inspired by Basho, I have decided to title this haibun, The Wide Road to the Exterior. The wideness of the road represents the difficulties I faced along my journey and the exterior refers to my home in Southeast Louisiana on the exterior of the United States of America.

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