socal adventure

Friday:
Arrive at Richard's house. Attempt to parallel park next to the curved curb. Encounter his relatives. His sister shows me embarrassing photographs of him that we've all seen. Little boy offers me a lychee jelly drink. Nearly permanently damage another child. Jeopardy. Precautions, goodbyes, and reminders from Richard's parents. Big fat map. Aud is a robot. Nonstop talk one second, sound asleep the next. Music requests. "Do you have Christina Aguilera's Dirrty?" "I DO!" "...I was kidding." The mystery of idle construction workers with cones. Aud goes to the bathroom often but scarily fast. Britney Spears's Toxic. Snack bag. Peanut butter crackers turn out to be cheese crackers. 10 PM traffic. (F)alicia Rice. Why calicos are female. Malcolm's fur pattern. Peachy colored apartment.

Saturday:
Slightly complicated shower. Bagels and cereal. Self-realization becomes self-parody. The Passat. Parking for Mr. Lee only. Sunglasses. Sushi and tempura green tea ice cream. Kristen's work. Aud reads Japanese. Black Eyed Peas. The Getty. So California. Irises. Pictures. Three dollar kid-size T-shirts. Drop Richard off at frat house with messy front lawn (styrofoam cups and beat up couch). "The Row." Winding hills and roads to Topanga Canyon. Topanga Canyon. "I'm going to pee." "Okay. Does anyone have napkins?" Persistent bee. Serendipitous hummingbird. Close toed shoes (flip flops in trunk) and photographs of closed toe shoes. "Did we all take pictures of our feet?" Invisible Man. Third Street Promenade. La Salsa. Crazy crowds. Anthropologie. Santa Monica beach at night. Wet jeans and sandy toes. Kristen on starting a water fight: "I don't know...would you guys get mad?" Chimes on the pier. Wayside stories. Hollywood drive. Dead end. Tattoo shops. Coldplay. Green eyes. Cynthia Street (Victoria: "Let's see where she goes.") Life after college. Drunken phone call. "So what'd you guys do today?...Where'd you go today?...What did you guys do?" No more apologies. Topanga and Cory. Outkast's Roses. Kristen and Aud sleep horizontally.

Sunday:
Sleeping in. Subway sandwiches and Popeye's. Victo's workplace. Venice Beach. Venice Beach Recreation Center. Finally find college roommates and friends. Three-person Frisbee team. Melkis's fingernails. Steph and Jey's sand crabs. Neil/Lance Armstrong. Head back north. Richard sleeps. Aud takes over and promptly gets on the wrong highway. Quality friends. Japanese song. Kaze means wind. Details of Aud's life: gymnastics, remarriage, religion, calling to live on a boat, her mom's life. Parental stories. We know you're not irresponsible or spoiled. Fight Club (Now what should I do? Go to college. Now what? Get married). Life after college, again. I Love the 90's. Bad movies. Super personal question (Answer: No). Shrimp chips ("Geez Kim, this bag was at least half full!"). Aud on night driving: "It wasn't like we were in a different place; it was like we always did this." Spotting five different car accidents. Lending Aud's sister the ND cap, gown and perhaps diploma ("Congratulations...Muto"). Phone calls from Richard's dad ("Hello?" "Rich?" "...No, this is Kim." * "Hello?" "Kim?" "...No, this is Audrey.") Melted chocolate raisins. Richard looks lost. Richard finds the squigee. Simultaenously sudden laughter. Richard demands that we stop laughing. Milk or dark chocolate? House sitting for Joni Mitchell or Joan Baez. First CD's. Making memories mode. Missing the bandwagon. Good, good conversations that flowed into one another in such a way that I can only remember the feelings and none of the words. Home, and sleep.

***
One road trip. Two and a half days. Five friends. Four girls and a guy. Two cars. Two iPods and many songs. Two full size beds and one sleeping bag. Two In-N-Out stops and numerous bathroom stops. Two breakfasts, and three eat-out meals. Two beaches. One high school and five colleges. Two long drives and several short ones.

How to end the counting? Not at all.