My Heaven

When I go to heaven, here's what its going to be like;

I'll walk across to the other side, peering into the dusk. The air is warm and smells like the desert after rain. I'm on a long, cracked asphalt road leading through a desert landscape. Purple, dusky mountains line the horizon. There's a shape running towards me. Its my dog, Nimue, my faithful friend who I've never stopped loving and missing. There's a four wheel drive pickup parked on the side of the road. Nimue wags that dangerous tail of hers in happy circles. Of course the key for the truck is in my pocket. I open it up and we hop in. I roll down all the windows and Nimue hangs her head out, big smile on her face, tongue flapping. It's dusk, it stays dusk. The air is soft and silky, the truck's engine is surprisingly quiet and I am comforted by the soft glow of the dashboard readout.

We drive.

We drive and drive. I let my arm hang out the open window and feel the cooler air rush by as we cross the dry creek beds. The moon is just rising over the mountains in the distance. Its heaven, so even though I'm doing 90 mph all the little animals are safely out of the way when we flash past. The radio plays surreal driving songs; the Theivery Corperation, Delerium, Ulrich Snauss, Moby. I watch the moon rise. Nimue pulls her head in and lays down with her nose resting on my leg. Her tail thumps on the door handle as she wags it.

We drive.

Occasionally we come to structures, buildings along the road. Little places in the middle of nowhere. If we need a stretch, or we're in the mood, we'll pull over and stop. We walk in. Sometimes its a little dive bar or pool hall. There are people inside, all the cool people I've known and loved through my life. We have a cold beer, we sit and talk. I smoke a smoke. Why not? I'm in heaven already. Once my friends and I have gotten caught up, Nimue and I get up and head out. We've got places to go, songs to carry us through the night, and stars to catch.

We drive.