From West To North And Then Some

She! Who was a teenager back in 72 recalls the filthy specks of dust soiling her skin, discharged from Smelting works grime so grim, carbon hanging over head cloud was bad, disillusioned environment girl became more and more sad.

 

Life she'd known up until eighteen was defined by acceptance, never questioning her existence or considering the bigger picture. Waiting silently wouldn't change anything, but how could she trust what's felt but not seen? It had never been significant, there had been no dream, but now, realization that something's not right as memories cling like molasses so tight.

 

Try to drop lightly on an unforgotten life, float down gently from what cuts like a knife, search darkest corners of an attic brain, not really knowing how to burn harsh realities – become sane. It was always hard bitten with nose to the grind, but life was empty stuck in factory confined, those timely distressing recollections that haunt her memory, to pack it all in would be the best remedy.

 

Softly – softly tracing steps back, faint lines becoming blurred with time, breaking free isn't easy or straight forward never kind, it takes courage to find her own fate, waiting and waiting, then...one day she finds her soul mate.

 

Now a boy and girl are together finding their way, thumbing it with no job or money, just a need to escape polluted skies grey, hooked on adventure...notions of unlimited dreams, they drained normality from their lives, created their own schemes, discovered wisdom in haste, realized those chains now broken were like free flowing water leading to an embracing ocean they chased.

 

Hitched from Avonmouth to North Wales with an endless thirst, a cuppa seemed miles off, longing for hiss of his mum's kettle with lips pursed. Waiting ages it was getting colder with hippy bags slung across their shoulder, only lift available was to Severn bridge which they accepted with thanks, driving under bright street lamps.

 

Thought they'd catch traffic coming from Newport...well we all know what happened to thought! Life's never straight forward as they go along with unflappable courage waited five hours long, but lift never came, well of course they only had themselves to blame,

 

So pushing on across bridge, feeling like salmon swimming up stream with darkness upon them, only comfort car light moon beams. Lingered one hour for lift to M50 at Ross On Wye, to take them back onto M5 at Tewkesbury this girl and guy, but still no vehicle stopped for them, they felt marooned these two loved ones, so trekked on through Newport onto bypass, then up to Ross On Wye where they finally got a lift but going the wrong way, sadly ending up in Abergavenny of all places, another fifteen miles off bypass.

 

Managed to catch a lift back to Ross On Wye, had their names taken for being out at 2am walking so late under dark sky. Ten minutes later got a ride to Birmingham, by now it was 4am, not quite a view of the rising sun, but morning light would soon come.

 

As they soldiered on tired with aching feet not a word did they speak. Around 8.30am empty coach stopped, driver said he'd give them a lift, two hitchers were speechless, never expecting a coach to stop. Well! You've heard of five star hotels, this was a five star coach, with air conditioning, carpets all around, seats like armchairs and smiles abound.

 

Driver gave them a lift from Birmingham, stopping off at services bought them a coffee each before carrying on. Then, he dropped them off at Knutsford, two teenagers that day felt the world would be okay, a better place if there were more people like the driver of that luxury coach.

 

From Knutsford two tired souls walked about fifteen miles, a trip with no smiles they wouldn't want to repeat. She with blisters did nothing but complain – but with all due respect she was well within her rights with no energy to sustain. Two miles to go and so they pushed on, hearing roar of traffic ringing in her ears, a body that was aching crying tears...well some.

 

Twenty hours later since they'd left Avonmouth, walked in front door and dropped onto the couch. His mum made them coffee and sandwiches which they wolfed down in a hurry. Now nourished they slipped into warm beds where they swore they'd hitchhike no more and slept until Monday, this was a lesson for sure.

 

 

All mileages and times are open to speculation because my geography is terrible. Thank you.

 

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