thoughts, words, deeds

the absence of soundtrack

The Wildcard Round! This week's winner, from all eligible entries, gets a Music MB!

What tunes are on your "road trip" playlist?

I don’t listen to music on road trips. Never have. It’s not something that we did as a family.

We went on road trips. Mom would drive because she can’t stand it when Dad does (he’s easily distracted—good driver, but Mom knows how distractible he is, so she gets nervous), and Dad would read novels to her. All sorts. They still do it, read novels together in the car and to put Mama to sleep at night. All sorts, but mainly Regency’s and mysteries. They like Georgette Heyer and Dick Francis, Agatha Christie and Elizabeth Peters. They’ve read Harry Potter, Hunger Games, and Divergent, and they’re currently in the middle of Robin Hobb.

I’d listen or read my own book or write or draw or do something with a sibling. Depending on the trip and my age and other random factors like the position of the sun and the length of the day and the proximity to West Texas (which lasts approximately forever when you’re driving through it in a car with all your family).

When it’s just me and Mom or me and Dad, we talk. Or sometimes I read to them, although Dad thinks I read too fast and not clear enough.

But I’m never the driver, so if we listen to music, it’s not mine. I’m much more likely to read or do a crossword puzzle or something on a road trip.