Halley

When I first saw Halley's Comet I was a truck driver. Driving a lonely dark stretch of interstate in Virginia at night. I noticed what seemed to be a plane's headlights. But it seemed to be stuck in the sky. Which I immediately thought was weird. But then it slowly dawned on me it was Halley's Comet and I was looking at it backwards. 

I picked up my CB and said Hey, any of you guys got your ears on? Do you see what I see? Did you guys know that's the comet? But no one bothered to acknowledge. They were too busy insulting each other. Just another non-event. And I knew what it meant to be alone.

For the next two nights it was just me and Halley. We talked about so many things. We knew we didn't have much time to hang out. He told me about what it's like to drive long haul in the cosmos. He told me about the meteorites that streaked across his path. Solar drivers he calls them. I told him about the Sunday drivers that streaked across mine. I told him how if you look at his rig backwards it looks like he's driving with his high beams on. He laughed, he said he gets that a lot. He told me how he knows the people watch him as he drives through. He always wonders with their lives are like as he passes and looks out the window at the lights. But he knows he'll never be a part of any of that. It's just not something that was meant for him. I tell him that I kind of know how it feels. We know we can't do anything for each other. I'm not even stellar let alone Interstellar.

He was even visible in the early morning sky. My children were in New York with my mother. I called her up and told her to get them outside to see him. But I didn't get much support. I was born the only dreamer that I know of in my family. I often ask myself, when did having wonder in your life become a bad thing?

Halley moved on. He had places to be and was just passing through. I won't be around when his route brings him back through again. But I think I know how he feels. Full of wonder and questions. But alone and no one to ask them to. Driving down the dark and lonely Interstellar highways minus the interstellar. Calling out on a CB that no one has time to answer. Driving with your high beams on. Hey!, you guys got your ears on? Is anybody out there? Can I get a radio check?