Knox
“Freedom,” I say. “For starters. That’s a pretty solid example.”
“That’s something you’ve experienced? Too much freedom?”
“Haven’t you?”
“I don’t know. I don’t think most people have experienced that specific good thing in such great quantities that it becomes a problem. You don’t consider freedom a good thing?”
“I do. But I’ve just seen how things can go awry with no rules.”
“Does this go back to the unschooling thing you were talking about earlier?”
“Yeah, kinda.” I’m starting to realize this conversation is heading down a Sylvie-finding-out-I-used-to-ride-with-Dawn path I’d rather avoid in our waning minutes together.
Fortunately, Sylvie changes the subject. “Well, you still obviously learned a lot about steering columns, so.”
“I’m just an expert on columns in general.”
“Oh? Do tell.”
“Yeah. Steering. Doric. Ionian. Corinthian. Advice.”
“Advice? Okay, give me some good advice.”
“You won’t want to hear it.”
“Lay it on me.”
“Don’t let your key ring get too heavy or it’ll mess up your steering column.”
“I’m pulling this van over right now. Ready yourself to be imminently roundhouse-kicked. Prepare your head specifically.” Sylvie turns on her blinker.
“Please no! Spare my head! I use it . . . occasionally.”
Sylvie turns off her blinker. “You still owe me a demonstration of good advice-giving.”
I glance at Sylvie’s phone screen. We’re twenty-three minutes from the Greyhound depot.
The sides of the road have begun to thicken with buildings and homes as we get farther into the outskirts of Grand Rapids.
I’m suddenly very sad and not ready to say goodbye to Sylvie and Winslow.
I feel a pull to leave her with something serious and meaningful.
“I’ll give you two for the price of one.
First, maybe you’ll have kids someday. If you do, and you find yourself needing to figure yourself out and find your way to joy, try to do it without upending their lives and hurting the people you love too much. ”
Sylvie glances over at me. “Wow. Okay. That does sound like good advice.”
“Second: you’re really awesome and you take good care of people. So always make sure people treat you like you’re awesome and take good care of you.”