The news hit him hard. He told the boy to be careful. Said the roads were slick that night. Ice storm during the day. Highway was black and shiny.

Should’ve made him stay home, the father said. It’s hard to tell a young man what to do. They never listen. Do what they want. When they want. Ain’t no stopping em, took a swig of beer.

Like getting thar girl pregnant in his last year of school, he went on. Dumb mistake. Spend the rest of his life sacking groceries, he took another drink.

Now he’s gone. Just like that, the old man snapped his fingers. You tell em and you tell em to be careful. They think they know everything, he whispered. They never listen.