Little Anecdotes from a Brief Moment in Space and Time (I)

The Toll Road Near Lake Jackson 

One day, I drove my father to the DMV on West Mondale Street near the forgotten Lake Jackson. Surprisingly, I had never been to that side of town before and found myself quite excited. As evening fast approached us, I rushed out of the door into the seat of my used Toyota and shortly found myself on the way there. My father alerted me beforehand that we had to take a toll road. I didn't think much of it, but as I slowly entered it, I noticed the drastic change in landscape. The pine trees and canopies that were well associated with my area of the city slowly dissipated and revealed lengthy grassy hills and ponds that in return allowed the sky to be vast and uninterrupted in viewing. The busy roads eventually became empty, and we soon found ourselves to be alone as we drove along the toll road. 

As the day progressed, the blue skies changed in gradients as it was overtaken by an arrange of colors. The purple and pink hues brought by afternoon gradually floriated the skies like a hydrangea bouquet. The light blue sky served as its corsage and the white clouds spinked around, mimicked a threaded foliage. 

While on the way, my father told stories from when the dirt-covered depression that was now known as Lake Jackson was in its glory days. When it was filled with many different shades of blue that clashed amongst each other with each crashing waves. Joining them in the lake were barbed bluegills, largemouth bass, and redear sunfish, olive in complexion. Upon entrance, commercial businesses had stands set up everywhere and sold just about everything; from hotdogs, hamburgers, and drinks to fishing rods, bait, and paddleboards for renting. Every weekend, one could see a variety of colored cars parked on the side of the road and smell the gasoline that bled into the grass as people all throughout town came to visit the lake. One could hear bare feet eagerly smack against the pavement onto the dirt and eventually the big splash that concluded the journey. Laughter, casual conversations, and playful gossip would ruminate throughout the air, accompanied by the cool misted breeze. And just for a moment... just a moment, you could take everything in and briefly escape from all the world's problems.

But that was then and this is now. These days the lake was completely dried up.  Water stolen in the dead of night like a thief. The culprit, an unforeseen sinkhole. And with the water, went the people. Eventually I reached Lake Jackson and saw what my father was talking about. As I drove by, I saw for just a glimpse, the emptiness of the lake. The dirt was dried and cracked. Outside the edges of the old lake's perimeter, patches of dead grass were scattered around while overgrown vines and weeds reached the heights of tree. After a few seconds it was again out of my sight and slowly faded to nothing in my rearview mirror as I drove away.