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85 on 85

Tags: #sketches #attention

The black Tesla is speeding and braking and lane changing and routing around the slower cars. It’s leap-frogging through the light traffic to get ahead and go even faster. At times I’m driving nearly 85; it’s after 7 and we’re all flying down the 85. Just going with the flow. The other side is practically empty, at its natural and quiescent state for this time of the evening. There are a couple of lonesome cars heading toward Mountain View, they have a free hand to choose their own speed in the golden hour glow. On our side there has been only one stretch where we all collectively slow to about 60, and that’s for no apparent reason. Soon we’re back into the high 70s, which is evidently not fast enough for this Tesla. I notice a bright blue Lambo, a fun toy color, heading north on the other side of the cement barrier, just cruising north unhurriedly. On our side the Tesla accelerates and lane changes into a slot between two cars, barely big enough, to edge past a slower Honda (only going 73 mph) in the right most lane. As soon as they are clear of it they lane change back and zoom off to the next car and pass it too.

They had come from behind, before the Bascom onramp, and I lose them around Camden. They either exited or got far enough ahead that I can’t see anymore. What I do see is the North-going lanes of 85 have expanded to five, and they’re all empty. There, a vast ocean of bare and grooved pavement; on our side we are still going fast but there is the jostle of us all together rushing.

They’ve gone on, somewhere, and I wonder when the next ‘black Tesla’ will appear and perform again. Will the next be better at it, or worse? I keep going to my own exit, to become lost to these others jostling with me down the highway.

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