The hitchhiker Relax.
Finally the work week is over already ... I seem to be leaving the office on vacation, even though in reality Monday my desk waiting for me again for another week.
This week was short, I took the Friday holiday, to go join my wife and my daughter to the sea, where they are staying for a week.
Unfortunately I can not do more than that: thanks to the grace given me on Friday, so you can run them at least for the weekend.
This morning I went out with the bag already in the car. I do not need luggage for two days. I have more stock of the things I asked my wife that's my personal effects.
not even back at home is not worth to take a shower and then get more than two hours by car. Recovery so good half hour, because I have the entrance on the motorway close to work. As soon as I arrived at the hotel shower.
Esco building, and a dark and threatening sky greets me. It appears asking if you really are convinced to go to sea, but the sea is my last thought. The important and revise my women, I feel that only by telephone Monday and see what he has learned once again my little princess. He is learning to speak, and every day can be understood a bit 'better.
This morning I did not find parking nearby, hurried to get the car before the outbreak of the storm, the wind makes the trees dance a dance in whirlpools and raises possessed all the dirt of the road.
soon got into the car breathed a sigh of relief as I could not bathe.
But the sky does not seem willing to put into practice his threat after a quarter of an hour that I'm riding has not yet dropped a drop of water, while the wind continues, and play with my small car.
I almost reached the entrance of the sky is always darkest. Suddenly, a splash of color that sticks out like a neon: a hitchhiker with an orange jacket is leaning against the sign indicating the start of the motorway, just below a sign that intimate NO hitchhiking. But he is a few inches before the sign, then still in good standing, right?
From the license I've never picked up a hitchhiker. The last that I remember are two Alpine in uniform who had made up my father in the car when I was little, when you could still trust the next.
But this is different: she looks innocent (even serial killers have it, my rational side tells me) and seems to really need help. His thumbs-up betrays a certain embarrassment, as if he had never done such a thing and only some emergency forced him to seek help someone. Judging from how you tighten the jacket cold seems to be already there for a while 'time.
Eventually I stop, contrary to all my principles, in front of this jacket makes a fight with the gray sky behind him, and wonder where it is directed. He also goes to Liguria, to find his daughter who has just got his first grandchild. His faithful car but decided not to start today, and he is looking forward to see the heir, so he decided to try hitchhiking.
has time to close the door and the first drops begin to fall, which quickly increases in diameter and intensity until it becomes a wall of water that limits significant visibility. Before leaving, I wonder again if I made the right move. I look sideways at my passenger. Shows fifty years, still brown hair, with a few splashes of gray. The face has a strange resignedly, as if he expected nothing more from life. Fortunately, he took off his jacket thrown in the back seat and broke it, or its reflection on the windshield I would certainly have helped in this weather. Although only 18.30
seems already night, and the work week anything but quiet beginning to be felt. Eyelids feel heavy, and I'm happy to have a companion with whom to exchange small talk. He tells me
his daughter, who moved to Genoa for work and then settled there permanently after finding love. Shortly after lunch the call: "Congratulations! You became the grandfather of Aurora. " I confess to having shed a tear. Then run to the garage, where his Volkswagen have decided to go on strike today, after years of service without a problem. The car showed no signs of life, probably the battery, but in July to find an electrician can begin to become a problem. The only one who was unable to contact by phone was presented to him after a couple of hours, the operating room with his laptop to do the complete check of the electrical system. It was not the battery, but a card, which of course had an electrical repair at home.
"manage to get to Monday," he ruled, with the air of one who is doing you a favor.
At this point my passenger has made a decision Stoic: mindful of the adventures of his youth he decided to try to travel "with his finger," hoping to find some pious soul. A
found it, and brought it to the beginning of the motorway, and the other is me.
I then tell my child of two years of steady progress in speaking. Forget walking: now feels so confident that if it hurts more than before! After completing their stories
silence falls, he sits on the seat relaxing, and I devote myself entirely to the guide.
The car runs, not as I would, but with this lack of visibility is better not to overdo it. The water makes me faint stripes that are quick meeting and then disappeared behind me, with a rate constant almost hypnotic.
I turn on the radio, to cover the monotonous sound of the wipers, but my mind continues to follow its motion.
brush ... brush ... strip ... strip ... strip ... strip ... brush ... all seen through a cascade of water on the glass.
My partner calls me back to reality calling me by name (but when I have daughters say? I do not think that I just made ... I had not crossed my mind), and suddenly I realize that I have unconsciously increased the speed: the needle marks 150. Among the splash you see reflections of light blue and orange, his foot on the brake pedal triggered lightning, and ABS does his duty to perfection, stopping the car a few meters from the four flashing arrows of a van. Active
also my flashing immediately, throwing an eye on the rearview mirror to make sure I have avoided the damage. Even the driver behind me stop, with a margin greater than mine. It was probably smarter than me.
Luckily my passenger, despite apparently you were asleep, was far more alert than me and managed to avoid the worst.
What happened? I wonder as the rain pounding the roof of a sea of \u200b\u200bcars and vans, all still without knowing the reason of arrest.
"An accident, and bad, judging by how many flashing lights you see over there," I inform my passenger.
After about twenty minutes, the rain diminishes suddenly as it had started, and many motorists out of their holes like so many animals of the forest. Among all the puddles stretching his neck to try to understand what happened, but at this distance you see only the flashing lights. Some blue are pretty high, probably brigade and ambulance fire.
My partner has the air more resigned than before, and I try to take a little 'conversation thanking him for giving me shaken from my slumber.
"Had I been alone I would not have noticed the cars waiting ... at that speed would have gone to great!"
"At least you can see his little girl!" He says.
"Well, now do not despair ... sooner or later we will leave!"
"I was happy to be of help, but I regret not being able to see my grandson ..."
said this is the seat leaned back against the glass, leaving falling again to the conversation.
course it's a strange guy ... all this tragedy for a delay. I am also looking forward to seeing my wife and my daughter, but I do not do so tragic!
As the conversation languished off the car, and I join the flock of motorists who walks the street. The air is cooled a lot. The wet track reflects the few lights still on ... someone has forgotten them, let someone else with the motor turned on, to enjoy the air conditioning.
I walk away with the car the illusion of being able to understand what happened, but the flashing lights are far away, you see just because it's dark now, and the sea of \u200b\u200bcars covering the view.
Suddenly a miracle: I see in the distance the cars back to life, the lights come on again and slowly begin to move in a slow transhumance.
I run to my car, as if I were to leave immediately, even if it takes another few minutes before moving up to me.
On my return to the car surprise: a passenger seat is empty, and the orange jacket is missing. To be honest there is no known prior to the jacket, with that color absurd.
I wonder if he went for a walk to stretch his legs too, I go down again and I look around, but my traveling companion no trace. I may have prompted the move to someone else?
Now the car in front of me are beginning to move, and I can not wait any longer, otherwise many beeps and curses different from other motorists.
Meshes and the first delivery, hoping he has found someone, maybe a friend, and has changed the means of transport.
slowly, at a walking pace, I approach the scene of the accident. Cars are channeled into the opposite lane, because ours is still littered with debris. A truck rolled over on its side, blocking the entire lane. The cargo strewn everywhere. Behind the heavy articulated some cars were completely destroyed. On the ground one victim ... his orange jacket stands out like a beacon in the darkness ...
