It was a hot day in June; he was born in November. Parents marveled at the child whose smile was a mile long. Teeth pearly white. Ten fingers and ten toes. Hair was sandy blonde. The perfect child. A sight to behold.

Days at the car wash during the summer were miserable for the young man. His whole life had come to this, he thought. Scrubbing on Chevys, brand new Ford trucks, Lincolns longer than a football field, and Korean cars owned by daughters of middle-class families. Given to them as graduation gifts. They’d tip him a dollar.

He had dreams of leaving town. Going off to Chicago or New York. Just pack his book bag and go on a bus. A one-way ticket would suffice.  He never wanted to come back; wanted dreams to become real.

In the midnight hour, he purchased a ticket for New York. Said goodbye to no one. His parents didn’t realize he was gone till a week or two later. They wondered what had happened to their golden child. The one God smiled down upon. No clues left behind. Just an empty underwear drawer and a missing copy of Catcher in the Rye were all they had to go on.

Dad said, maybe he went camping. I’ll check down by the river this afternoon. You know how he loves adventure,  the father laughed. Yes sir.  He loves adventure.

The bus trip took him on 80 across Ohio onto 76, passing along Pennsylvania. He saw America on and off the bus. Poor people. Blacks, whites, Mexicans traveling the promise land. Some got off in Cleveland and Youngstown.  Others took root in Pittsburgh or Philadelphia. Only a few were left for the journey into the epicenter of American culture. A true pie made up of every color, race, and religion there was. He looked out in awe.

Our boy has left us, dad said. He’s gone. I guess he’s at that age. Time for him to start his life, he told his wife.

Should we go get him? she asked.

I wouldn’t know where to start. Truth is. I barely know him.

He walked all over Manhattan. Looked up into the sky at all the tall buildings. Sought peace in the churches. Had lustful needs taken care of on 8th Avenue. Took up shelter behind a dumpster in an alley. Which is where they found his body in the month of June with a notebook beside him. The first page read, Always Be Prepared For Your Journey.