{"id":6670,"date":"2023-12-29T21:48:44","date_gmt":"2023-12-30T05:48:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/12-days-of-xmas-eleanor\/"},"modified":"2023-12-30T06:04:41","modified_gmt":"2023-12-30T14:04:41","slug":"12-days-of-xmas-eleanor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/harperkingsley.net\/blog\/12-days-of-xmas-eleanor\/","title":{"rendered":"12 Days of Xmas: Eleanor"},"content":{"rendered":"

ELEANOR<\/strong><\/p>\n

“\ud83c\udfb6 Driving. Driving all night ’til the mornin’ come. Wanna see my bed, but first I’mma see the sun. Wishin’ you were here to whisper sweet things. Gonna close my eyes and visit you in my dreams.\ud83c\udfb6”<\/p>\n

He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel as he sang to fill the silence. The radio had been broken since before he bought the car.<\/p>\n

He’d been driving since he left work. Had barely taken the time to change his clothes and wash the makeup off his face.<\/p>\n

His eyes felt gritty and dry. He would stop for something to eat and drink but he barely had money for gas. There would be food when he got there, hopefully.<\/p>\n

He’d gotten the call late and hadn’t hesitated to tell his boss he had to go. She’d been angry but understanding. He was grateful. It would have been hard finding a new job.<\/p>\n

Things were hard all around. People were struggling. It made it hard to be kind even when kindness was the most necessary thing.<\/p>\n

The car went over a bumpy spot in the road and he blinked hard to make sure his vision was clear.<\/p>\n

It was a long dark stretch of road out there. An endless expanse of highway that seemed to go on forever, his headlights the only illumination.<\/p>\n

There were tiny shiny eyes on the side of the road. Small animals darted here and there. Occasionally one would attempt to pass in front of the car.<\/p>\n

He hoped he didn’t run any over. But there wasn’t time to stop. And there wasn’t anything he could do for them anyway. He was passing through their lives at close to 80 miles an hour.<\/p>\n

“\ud83c\udfb6I promise I’ll be there before you close the door. Hold on for me, my sweet Eleanor. Ohhh. Elea-nor. Ohhh oh oh-h ohhhh. Sweet Eleanor.<\/p>\n

“\ud83c\udfb6I’m drivin’ all night until the morning comes. All to see your face and hold you in my arms. My dreams are so sweet since I fell in love. With Elea-nor. Sweet, sweet, Eleanor.\ud83c\udfb6”<\/p>\n

eleanor.m4a<\/a><\/p>\n

=END=<\/p>\n

<\/a><\/p>\n