by the side of the road at night and sleep looking out at the stars。 It was going to be soOn the Road。
He？d even brought the audio book to play on the car？s outdated tape player。 He was going to
spend the next week out on the open road； looking for truth and the meaning of life。
This from the guy who couldn？t figure out his own sexual bent。
Vanessa appeared from the Humphreys？ ramshackle apartment building； holding a plastic
container of Folgers crystals。 She looked cool and fortable with her shorn scalp； wearing one
of Dan？s old black Raves T…shirts and a pair of his black boxers。
？Hot enough for you？？ Dan called lightly； even though the sight of her was breaking his heart。
Vanessa grabbed a bag from the sidewalk and stuffed it in the trunk。 She stopped to wipe her face
on the hem of her T…shirt。 ？I hate you；？ she mumbled grumpily。 ？Don？t forget this；？ she added；
handing him a half…empty Folgers container。
？I can？t believe I？m actually leaving；？ Dan said nervously； to no one in particular； mechanically
grabbing the coffee from Vanessa as his mom and dad stepped out of the apartment building and
onto the curb。 Jeanette wore a bright purple satin kimono with a large dragon on the back
embroidered in gold thread； and her mousy brown hair was a mass of snarls。 Despite the heat； she
was also wearing her favorite pair of purple fuzzy slippers。 Rufus was wearing an obscenely tight
pair of electric blue spandex bicycle shorts； and a canary…yellow T…shirt with a colorful picture of a
sunset on the front； that said YOU BETTER BELIZE IT。 Dan was certainly going to miss his
parents； though he wasn？t sure whether he？d miss their bizarre fashion statements。