Shame, And A Roadtrip.

[ruby]

Last Friday I decided that this week, I’d head to Mammoth to spend some time writing at the cabin. Progress on my book has been sporadic, so I thought I’d isolate myself to really crack into a couple of the chapters that I’ve blissfully ignored to date, as well as try to formulate a coherent and convincing overview of what Spark! will be.

I was all excited to set off this morning: last night, I packed my beautiful car, Ruby, checked her oil and coolant levels, and mentally prepared for a hot drive across the desert.

My husband was less enthusiastic, with good reason. Last time I attempted this drive in Ruby, a full two years ago, she conked out at the crest of a mountain pass near Adelanto and had to be towed back home.

Ruby’s health wasn’t great due to intermittent use. She’s fine again now — she purrs like the proverbial kitten and takes me from surf beach to canyon hike without a hitch. But to Chris, crossing the Mojave on a hot summer’s day seemed not without risk.

“It would be ok if you had heaps in the bank to cover whatever it costs to get her fixed. But — well, you don’t. And I don’t want you get stuck without a car.”

I nodded silently. I could see his point — with COVID impacting what was already a very gentle workflow, my bank balance has seen better days. Still, I felt frustrated. My…