Photo by Christopher Raley

Travel Log: Roadside Store

Charles cast critical gazes
at dashboard, muttered dark prophecies
related to transmission

while Dad and I compared landmarks
for Ramirez Road. We settled
on ramshackle store-been-there-forever.

Charles’ blue eyes lit
as bright as pavement heat
swaying to our highway song:
Have you ever eaten there?

Faded pink stucco,
heartless signs for food and beer:
all these years,
all these years and not once

had I stopped,
not even to see
if it was worth fearing.