Boys in the Backseat

It’s been years since they sat in the backseat. The last time we took a road trip, just the four of us, they were four and six. I don’t remember how old we were. I remember them in the backseat listening to folk songs on their little yellow tape recorder. Laughing and pressing play until Old Joe Clark had become our fifth passenger. We never believed we could be so merry.

Round and round, old Joe Clarke

Round and round, I say

Round and round, old Joe Clarke

I ain’t got long to stay

We took to the road again today. No old Joe Clarke. Just us in the front and them in the back but now they’re 29 and 31. We sailed down the road from Phoenix to Flagstaff.

Then we stopped just short of the Grand Canyon to take a picture of this building telling us that times have changed.

Then we reached the Grand Canyon where we waited in a long line of cars to enter the park. While we were waiting, the boys in the backseat decided to leave to go to the bathroom. “Don’t worry, we’ll catch up with you.” And they did. But they had to run.

It was good to have them in the backseat after all these years. And to be with them at a place as special as the Grand Canyon.

 I used to think we were lucky to have been so merry once upon a time. But we’re still pretty lucky to have had a day like this one.