~~CODDIWOMPLE~~ (NN2021)

I'm kicking tires. And I'm laughing out loud because of it.
Never thought of myself as a tire kicker. Was it good luck or bad luck to kick the tires of a new vehicle? It felt good though. I kicked the front tire again. Then again. I walked over to the back tire and kicked it too. Call it OCD but I felt compelled. I stared at it. I felt so much adrenaline in that moment, born out of pure frustration that I just started kicking the back tire repeatedly as hard as I could and a scream of the remaining frustrated energy broke the silence in my early morning neighborhood as it escaped my lips.
A dog barked two houses down. I sighed...loudly.
If anyone was watching me, I'm sure in that moment they quickly retreated from their voyeuristic perspective, lest we make eye contact and trade embarrassments.

My feet shuffled slowly up the driveway to the front door of the house. The morning air outside is a bit chilly but inside the house there is still a bit of warmth left from the furnace overnight.
Inside gave me warmth. But nothing more. The weight of the world was more heavy in every empty corner of this house. All of the memories that happily lit up the walls in golden frames now hidden in boxes while empty nails hold their place. Who was to blame when you do everything right and it still goes wrong? My dream had become my nightmare.

I closed the front door...lingering for just a moment with my hand on the doorknob. Then I took the keys from my jacket pocket and placed them in the mailbox beside the door.
I surveyed my street from top to bottom. It was early but I knew people would be waking up soon...if I had not woken them up already.
I trudged over to my waiting van...Coddiwomple I called her...and climbed into the driver's seat.
She fired up straight away,more keen on the adventure than I was in my inexperience.
With a jolt we started moving...she and I alone. The wood cabinets behind my seat creaked with the movement. The dishes rattled in their secure boxes. All things that were loose and haphazardly placed, settled in for the journey.
I watched my house, my neighbors, and my street disappear in my rearview mirror .

I turned a corner and my stack of maps slid across the dashboard and onto my lap. Not a good start. I sighed again, grabbing the maps and tossing them onto the passenger seat atop a cooler bag of sandwiches and snacks. These would last me the first couple of days at least.
I passed my favorite cafe, and for a second contemplated stopping for one last cup.
But that was the routine of my old life.
Luxuries and expenditures like that would not serve me now.
Discipline would be key to my survival.
I drove straight out of town.The place I had called home for 20 years. It was everything. Now it was nothing.
Everything I needed...was with me.
As I merged onto the highway,the compass on the dashboard spun to south-west.
Coddiwomple and I were beginning a new life together. And I sincerely hoped both of us were up to the challenge.
The rising sun behind me seemed to set fire to what I'd left behind and I couldn't think of anything more symbolic.

The End...or the beginning of something wonderful.

Very clear writing style S&F

a reply to: AccessDenied

Oh I REALLY liked this one.

As 727Sky pointed out, you have a very minimalistic and clean writing style... I also enjoyed the flow of your story. The combination of both made reading it effortless and enjoyable.

That is is but a snapshot in time of something that happened that we readers don't know about and a destination that is unknown by anyone is just icing on the cake for me.

Well done.

a reply to: AccessDenied

I came in here to see what a Woddicomple, sorry, Coddiwomple is. What I got for an explanation was a great snapshot of a story. Very clear, left me wanting more.

I’m writing my first novel so it’s about time I played in this forum a little.
Good luck all, normal or not so normal.

a reply to: Lumenari
Thank you for reading and reviewing.
This is a story that's been rattling around in my brain for months and this was the perfect opportunity to share.

a reply to: firesnake

The definition of coddiwomple is “to travel in a purposeful manner towards a vague destination"
It is one of my favorite and completely underused and forgotten words.
Thank you for reading.

a reply to: AccessDenied

Very inspiring .

There has been so many times I've wanted to hop in my Car and hit the Highway with my go bag leaving my old life behind to go and make a new one.

Your writing style is what I call re-readable

originally posted by: asabuvsobelow
a reply to: AccessDenied

Very inspiring .

There has been so many times I've wanted to hop in my Car and hit the Highway with my go bag leaving my old life behind to go and make a new one.

Your writing style is what I call re-readable

Thank you for reading my story. I think many of us have felt the call of the road from one time or another. Some by choice...some not so much.

Fantastic imagery...I could see it, almost like a film!

Most important, I could feel it...

originally posted by: olaru12
Fantastic imagery...I could see it, almost like a film!

Most important, I could feel it...

Thank you . If it made you feel like film worthy imagery that is a high compliment.

Great story!
In the spirit of "Easy Rider", I suppose it's the journey we take in our "Coddiwomple" that counts, rather than the destination.

a reply to: AccessDenied

Good show! Jolly good show

originally posted by: halfoldman
Great story!
In the spirit of "Easy Rider", I suppose it's the journey we take in our "Coddiwomple" that counts, rather than the destination.

That's exactly it! Thank you for reading.

originally posted by: CrazyBlueCat
a reply to: AccessDenied

Good show! Jolly good show

Thank you!

a reply to: AccessDenied

I really enjoyed this! It spoke to my wanderlust.

originally posted by: TNMockingbird
a reply to: AccessDenied

I really enjoyed this! It spoke to my wanderlust.

It is definitely an expression of my own wanderlust. Thank you for reading.