Re-tread

     The Albuquerque sun illuminated the azure skies as Diego and Audra walked out of the Frontier Restaurant. They climbed into the red pickup truck they had rented. Diego drove west on Central and then headed north on Interstate 25. “I want to take you down the old highway, along the river and railroad tracks,” he said.

     “Oh! That’s a good idea, Audra said as she shook her reddish auburn hair off her back. “We’re in no hurry anyway.” Audra unbuckled her seat-belt and slid over on the truck’s bench seat to sit next to Diego. She searched around the seat looking for the middle seat-belt. Once securely fastened, she snuggled up next to Diego and looked out the windshield to her right. 

     “Watch out!! Watch out!!” she yelled and threw up her arms as Diego swerved the truck to avoid tire parts. A piece of tire smacked the windshield with a hard thud.

     “Holy shit!” Diego shouted. His knuckles were white and tight on the steering wheel. “Thank God that didn’t crash through the windshield. I’m going pull off at the next exit and check for damage.”

     “That trucker didn’t even slow down,” Audra said with her back toward Diego. She had turned her torso all the way around to see what was happening behind them. “They’re all swerving around the tread,” she said. She turned back to face Diego. “How can he not know that his tire blew up and is making a mess all over the freeway?”

     Diego looked in his rear-view mirror and then to his right before he moved to the far right lane. He let out a long sigh and eased his grip on the steering wheel. “There’s not much he can do, if you think about it. That tire is probably 40 feet behind him. And once it blows its re-read, the damage is done.”

     Diego burst out laughing as he left the Interstate.

     “What’s so funny?’ Audra asked.

     “You! If you hadn’t been buckled in, I’m sure you would’ve jumped into my lap. You." He squinted, laughed and hit the steering wheel with his left hand. "You slapped me in the face with your hand. Did you know that?”

     Laughter erupted in the cab. 

     “I did?" Aurdra's blue eyes were giggling. "I’m sorry. You’re right. Especially when that rubber hit the windshield. Holy cow!”

     “I’m going to pull into the first parking lot and check for damage,” Diego said. “And then I’m going to find a bar where you and I can have a beer.”