Oliver hasn’t ever been to Denver. His sister moved there for work last year and he saved up vacation time to see her. He likes to stay at home and watch football. Going out isn’t for him anymore.
You have eaten lunch and dinner with Oliver in the dining car. He’s swimming in the river, paddling towards the boat through the window when you sit beside him for breakfast. You join him as he climbs the tree and reaches for the birds before you drum your fingers on the table.
You’re going to see the wildflowers in Coyote Valley and pet goats at Top Taco. It’s the last part of your solo trip before you return to an empty house. Oliver says he’s sorry. You tell him you were in denial. You didn’t want to face it. You haven’t really talked much about it at all. Not even to your friends back home.
You and Oliver talk with a 100-year-old lady. She says for us to change our minds as much as possible,, go everywhere and try everything. We wish her well as she says goodbye at her stop in Kansas City. You say you hope to live that long, see the changes to the cities where you grew up, the people you met.. Oliver says he prefers not to know. Fires live on skyscrapers. Bridges tear at the seams. People crumble.
You hadn’t intended to know Oliver.. You were sitting alone with your phone, checking the appointment for your rental car for the fifth time, the menu pushed to the front of the table.
You looked up at the attendant who tapped you on the shoulder. She informed you to join the man in the football jersey at table two. You get your luggage. You look for Oliver in the station. You search for him in the wildflowers.
INSTANT NOODLES 