Chapter 29. He Showed Him the Fun of a Road Trip.
Chapter 29. He Showed Him the Fun of a Road Trip.
The Corvette restoration and sale were both over.
In many ways, it had been a dreamlike stretch of time.
So much so that those days felt unbearably short.
But the moment I returned to the warehouse with the lift I had bought from Donnelly, the reality of it all came flooding in.
I set aside the money Donnelly had given me so it would not get mixed in with my living expenses.
Just as he had said, I intended to use it only to buy restoration cars and build experience.
To me, it was precious money regardless of the amount.
For the next two days, I did nothing but sleep like I had collapsed.
It felt like the backlash of the anxiety I had been living under finally breaking all at once, leaving both my body and mind slack with release.
And then, on the morning of the third day—
Tring—
My smartphone alarm rang loudly through the warehouse.
It was not my wake-up alarm.
Looking at the screen, I said,
“Ah, so today’s already the day.”
[Noah’s Birthday – Gift Check]
[Noah’s Birthday – Prepare Gift]
The kid born at the tail end of summer. It was Noah’s sixteenth birthday.
First, I sent Rachel a text to confirm.
We’re still doing Noah’s birthday party today, right? If Rachel’s okay with it, I’ll go with the gift I mentioned before.
Ever since Daniel died, I had never once missed this day.
No matter where in America I was, I always cleared my schedule and flew over the day before.
Yes, that’s fine. I’ll keep it a secret from Noah. Thank you, as always, Jason.
The reply came back in less than a minute.
Just hearing that the gift would stay a secret already made my heart start pounding.
The gift I had been planning for Noah’s sixteenth birthday was none other than taking him to the Grand Canyon.
The Grand Canyon was ranked by Americans as the number one place they wanted to see before they died.
It was in the same state too, in northern Arizona.
But Noah had never been there even once.
I don’t know if he’ll like it, though...
The reason I had picked this gift in particular was because, if Daniel were still alive, I was certain he would have dragged Noah there by force if he had to.
Sometimes, kids needed adults like that.
The kind who showed them worlds they had never even imagined.
Ding-dong—
By the time the promised dinner hour came around,
I made it to Phoenix right on time.
“Who is it?”
“Rachel. It’s me, Jason.”
Bang!
The door flew open without warning, and Rachel sprang out.
I had already experienced this several times, so I had taken a step back in advance.
“Jason! You really came at exactly the right time. Hm? Who’s this lovely little dog?”
Rachel lowered herself and held out a hand toward Dusty.
“Well, somehow I ended up adopting him this time around. Dusty, say hello.”
“Woof!”
“Oh my, how adorable. So Jason finally has a new family member too. Come on in. Dusty, you come in too.”
Rachel said that warmly as she pushed me on the back.
Judging by how much higher than usual her voice was, she seemed quite excited.
“But are you really sure about this gift? Jason, you must be really busy too...”
Rachel whispered that as we stepped inside.
“Yes. If anything, I’m even more excited about it. To be honest, I’ve never been to the Grand Canyon either...”
“Oh? Really? Then that makes it even better. You’ll be shocked when you see it in person. The scale is absolutely unbelievable.”
I thought of the pictures Daniel had shown me of the Grand Canyon. The vast brown canyon, and the photo he had taken there standing beside Rachel.
“Anyway, thank you so much, Jason. This isn’t the kind of thing just anyone can do...”
Rachel said that with a soft smile.
For me, that was enough.
“Mom? Who’s outside?”
Since we kept whispering at the front door, Noah’s worried voice drifted over from inside.
“Yes, Noah! Uncle Jason’s here! Say hello!”
Patter-patter-patter-patter—
I heard him running from deeper inside the living room.
It was obvious that, ever since the Civic incident, the distance that had opened up between us had gotten a little smaller. Just a little, but still...
“Hello, Uncle Jason...”
But the moment he actually saw my face, he stiffened up again and greeted me awkwardly, as though the usual social panic had flared up once more.
“Hey, Noah. Been doing well? Here, this is Dusty.”
Deliberately, I lifted Dusty and placed him into Noah’s arms.
“Uh...? Uh, hi...?”
He awkwardly greeted the dog too.
But Dusty seemed to like him and stuck out his little tongue and licked Noah’s face.
“Ahahaha. Cut it out, Dusty.”
Noah squirmed and laughed.
But Dusty did not stop.
Looking more closely, I could see a little Cheetos dust stuck around Noah’s mouth.
“Noah, happy birthday! I love you, my son!”
“Happy birthday.”
The birthday dinner was modest.
In the middle of the table sat a beautifully roasted chicken, golden-brown and glistening, with mashed potatoes, rolls, and a casserole on the side.
Every single dish was delicious.
You could feel the utmost effort of a single mother who worked nonstop as a supermarket cashier.
And then, finally, it was time for the gift ceremony.
“Here, this is for you. The thing you kept saying you wanted.”
“Mom... this one’s expensive. I said I wanted the mini version.”
Rachel’s gift turned out to be a tablet.
From the sound of their conversation, Noah must have dropped hints more than once that he wanted one.
“Hehe, which is why you’d better not lose it.”
“Don’t worry! I really love it. Thanks, Mom.”
Noah got up from his seat and gave Rachel a quick hug.
“Ahem, Noah. About the birthday present I’m giving you this time...”
At last, it was my turn.
I scratched the back of my head and spoke awkwardly. Now that I was actually saying it, I found myself worrying whether Noah would really like it.
“If you’re okay with it, how about going to see this place?”
I took a crumpled sheet of paper from my back pocket and placed it on the table.
It was a printed A4 photo of the Grand Canyon I had prepared beforehand.
With curious eyes, Noah picked up the paper from the table.
“Isn’t this the Grand Canyon...?”
His eyes widened slightly.
At least it was not a bad reaction.
“Yeah. The truth is, I’ve never been either. So, what do you think?”
“Hmm, well... sounds good. But when are we going?”
At Noah’s question, I glanced over at Rachel’s face.
Without saying anything, she gave a small thumbs-up. It meant permission had already been granted.
“This is your birthday present, isn’t it? We leave tomorrow.”
Exactly at six o’clock the next morning,
I pulled up in front of Noah’s house right on time.
I did not ring the doorbell.
Rachel had worked the night shift yesterday, and she might still be asleep.
The sky over Phoenix was still a deep navy blue, like ink dissolved across it.
But beyond the horizon, the morning sun was already scattering brilliant light across every corner of the desert.
The cooler rattled in the bed of my beloved Chevy C1500.
Inside it, packed in ice, were several bottles of water and the soda Noah liked.
In the back seat, Dusty—banished from the passenger seat—was thumping the seat bottom with his tail.
A little later, Noah appeared with a backpack on his shoulders, the hood of his hoodie pulled down low.
Normally this would have been the hour he was barely awake and getting ready for school, but today his eyes were full of a liveliness he could not hide.
“Are we really going? I have a math quiz today.”
Noah said that as he climbed into the passenger seat, sounding as though he still could not believe the situation.
“Don’t worry. I got permission for everything. For today, just forget all about school.”
That was what I said as I started the truck.
Parent-excused absence.
It was a very common thing in American middle and high schools.
Though Noah had never used it once except for his father’s funeral.
So this time, there was probably no one who had the right to complain if he used it as much as he wanted.
The reason was simple.
Family reason.
If you said just that, there usually was not a teacher who would press any deeper.
“This is my first time ever skipping school to go somewhere.”
Only then did the excitement finally show on his face.
Regardless of the destination, the very fact that he was skipping school seemed to make it even more thrilling.
“You packed everything you needed, right?”
I asked that while looking at Noah’s bag, which seemed almost twice the size of mine.
“Yes. Spare clothes, socks, underwear, toiletries, my tablet, comic books, snacks—I packed everything.”
The list got stranger toward the end, but either way, it was not a bad thing that he was clearly looking forward to it in his own way.
“Good. Then buckle up, and let’s go.”
I slowly pulled out of the driveway and headed toward the interstate.
I intended to get out of downtown Phoenix—with its tall buildings and grid-like roads—as quickly as possible.
Once we got onto I-17 North and entered New River to the north, the wide-open plateau and Arizona’s signature saguaro cacti finally began to appear.
(Translator’s Note: I-17 — Interstate 17 is the main north-south highway linking Phoenix and Flagstaff, and it passes through major elevation and landscape changes in Arizona.)
“You know those cacti? They say it takes seventy-five years for just one arm to grow. So the ones that have both arms like people have to be at least a hundred and fifty years old.”
Noah, who had been quietly staring out the window, suddenly spoke.
It was a completely unexpected topic.
“Really? That’s impressive.”
It was not much of an answer. But Noah did not seem to have said it expecting one, because he showed no particular reaction.
I had first met Noah when he was six. That was the year Daniel had been selected for the Navy SEALs.
We had known each other for nearly ten years now, but the truth was, we did not actually know much about each other.
“Let’s stop for gas for a bit.”
It was still too early for lunch.
But the truck got hungry before we did.
When the truck rolled beneath the gas station canopy, the shade took the edge off the heat.
Sunset Point Gas Station
Regular 87 AKI — $3.19
Mid-Grade 89 AKI — $3.55
Premium 91 AKI — $3.83
Diesel — $3.47
(Translator’s Note: AKI — Anti-Knock Index, the octane rating displayed at U.S. gas stations. Higher AKI fuel is more resistant to engine knock or pre-ignition.)
[Pay inside or at pump]
Most American gas stations let you choose between three octane ratings.
“While I’m fueling up, can you take Dusty over there and give him some water? There’s a tap.”
That was what I said as I swiped my card at the self-serve pump and inserted the nozzle for mid-grade fuel into the tank.
Glug, glug—
In the distance, I could see Noah and Dusty playing around with the water.
I watched them for a moment, then went into the convenience store and bought an extra-large bag of jerky—the essential food of any road trip.
Then I came back and held the freshly bought bag out to Noah, who was already back in the passenger seat.
“It’ll be at least another two hours before we stop for lunch. Just snack on this for now.”
Noah pulled out a dark reddish strip of jerky, looking deeply suspicious.
He had probably eaten the soft, tender kind before, but this sort—thick, rough, almost like an actual slab of meat—must have been new to him.
“Mm, this is way too thick and chewy. It feels like I’m chewing on a tire.”
The moment he boldly bit into it, his brow furrowed.
“Heh. That’s what real jerky is supposed to be like. On a long road trip, you just keep chewing it forever. Before you know it, you end up getting addicted to the taste.”
Noah still looked unconvinced, but he kept working his jaw obediently.
Vroom, rattle-rattle-rattle—
Once we left the gas station and got back on the highway, I shoved a big strip of jerky deep between my molars too.
An astonishing blast of salt, pepper, and smoky flavor hit my mouth and nose all at once. My jaw muscles twitched on their own.
Only after finally swallowing one piece did Noah gulp down a swig of soda.
“Whew, my tongue’s going numb. But... I think it might actually kind of taste good.”
That was what Noah said as he reached right back into the jerky bag again.
“Did my dad like this stuff too?”
At that moment, my eyes went to the rearview mirror.
The color of Noah’s hair reflected there was the exact same color as Daniel’s.
“...No, your dad wasn’t really into jerky. He was more of a demon when it came to beer. I’m serious—he could demolish a whole six-pack in one sitting like it was nothing. Hahaha.”
“Hmm...”
Since there was no way Noah yet understood the appeal of beer, he did not seem particularly moved and simply turned his gaze back to the window.
Lunch went according to plan at a small grill house in Camp Verde, where we had hamburgers and fries.
In the middle of his growth spurt, Noah polished off a bacon cheeseburger and fries and still added onion rings on top of that.
Afterward, we just kept driving, occasionally trading bits of nonsense conversation.
And by late afternoon, after passing Sedona, a place even famous major leaguers supposedly visited to absorb its energy, we finally began the climb toward Flagstaff.
(Translator’s Note: Sedona — An Arizona city famous for its red rock scenery and, in popular culture, for “vortex” beliefs claiming unusual spiritual or healing energy.)
This astonishing road—rising by car from 3,100 feet to 7,000 feet in just a matter of hours—was the real highlight of an Arizona road trip.
I dropped the transmission into Low and eased into the accelerator as if rubbing it down.
Wooooom—
The engine of the 5.3-liter V8 Chevy truck began to spin, pouring out a thick, low rumble.
“Uncle Jason! Look at that—the color of the ground changed.”
Noah shouted, pressed up against the window.
“From here on out, it’s a whole different Arizona. Well, this is my first time here too...”
The yellow-brown land that had stretched up from the south had already given way to red sandstone layers, and in the face of nature on that scale, the highway built by man looked like nothing more than a thin crack scratched between the rocks.
Once we climbed past 5,000 feet, air-conditioning became pointless. Cool natural wind began pushing in through the window gap.
The temperature, which had been over 100 degrees Fahrenheit before, had already dropped to around 80.
“How do those trees grow on rocks like that without falling off?”
Noah’s eyes shone with curiosity as he looked outside.
Unlike the southern part, which was full of wasteland, tumbleweeds, and cacti, northern Arizona had forests of pinyon pine and juniper.
(Translator’s Note: Pinyon pine / Juniper — Tree species common in the high desert Southwest. Juniper berries are the defining botanical flavor in gin.)
“Who knows. Maybe there are cracks you can’t see. When the trees were small, the cracks were small too. But as they grew, they must’ve taken root bit by bit, pushing their way between the rocks.”
Noah gave no particular response, but he still could not take his eyes off the view outside.
And finally, we reached the top of the Flagstaff plateau, seven thousand feet above sea level.
“Wow, it feels like a completely different country here.”
We stopped the truck for a moment and got out to look around.
Noah stood there, completely spellbound, staring in every direction.
Towering stands of ponderosa pine, the largest in the world, packed the landscape densely. The damp smell of pine needles pricked at my nose. Dusty, too, kept twitching his nose from side to side at the strange new scent.
(Translator’s Note: Ponderosa pine — A major western North American pine species. The forests around Flagstaff are part of one of the largest contiguous ponderosa pine forests in the world.)
Just as Noah had said, it was enough to make you feel as though you had stepped out of the Arizona desert and into the deep forests of Canada.
“The real scenery starts from here on. So, shall we keep going?”
“Yes! Let’s go!”
It was a very different reaction from when we had first set out. His voice now carried anticipation and excitement.
But that thrill lasted only a moment.
Rrrr—
Just as we got back into the truck to set off again—
Pffft-thud... clunk.
My beloved truck dropped dead.