I sit in the front seat of the car, staring out the window as the scenery rolls past like a film strip. There is a long road ahead of us and so much time to sit and think—a rarity in my life. Out of sheer boredom, I grab my assignment planner out of my backpack and look at the neatly written page in which all my homework assignments for the weekend are laid out in an organized fashion. I pick the easiest piece to start with, to force my brain into thinking mode. I pile heavy books onto my lap and start digging for information. The dim, yellow light of dusk makes it hard to make out the words of a book I’m supposed to be having a test for on Monday.
Just as I start to understand what I’m reading, my dad turns the radio on—where poor, insecure parents call in to Dr. Laura and become victims of her scrutiny. I know he’s trying to stay awake because my mom is asleep in the backseat and I can’t talk to him because I’m doing my homework. I have read the same line in my book about twenty times and it still doesn’t make any sense. I lose all concentration and unintentionally start listening to the radio station. I know if I don’t finish my homework, I’m going to have a lot to do when I get back; I’d rather get it done now and get it over with. I feel like letting out all my bottled-up anger and tell my dad that he needs to shut off the radio so I can do my homework, but I knew he wouldn’t do it so I didn’t even try. I closed all the books and put them back in my backpack, knowing that there was no hope for me doing my homework now. So much for being efficient.
I finally tell my dad to shut off the radio—he does so reluctantly, after I tell him I want to try to get some sleep. I put my seat back, grab a pillow from underneath my mom, and try to get into a comfortable position to get some shut-eye. Just as I close my eyes and start relax, I hear rustling in the backseat. My mom is awake, probably because I took her pillow. My dad hears this and perks up; now he has someone to talk to! They start having a lengthy conversation in loud voices, like I’m not even there. Don’t they see that I’m trying to sleep? After a few minutes of this, I decide there is no use. I put my seat into the upright position and go back to staring out the window. Four more hours to go.