In the rain

That pesky maroon Corolla, it was the fourth time he’d sped around Marvin on 595. Passing on right, too, just to beat the traffic. But somehow, three times he’d made the wrong lane choice and landed way behind Marvin’s black C250. The prize of Google stock options, Marvin thought that afternoon, on his way to his monthly massage.

He chose a new guy this month, someone he found in the back pages of the SFGN, the South Florida Gay News. Some young Czech man, handsome with tons of glowing reviews, promising a transcendant experience. His address seemed odd, though – an area Marvin had never known.

Marvin got off at State Road 7 and headed north – and just before reaching Broward, where he’d turn right, the skies opened up. Not again, Marvin thought – every day for the past two weeks, right at four o’clock. These torrential downpours flooding out the streets, palm trees blowing with the wind, windshield wipers going super fast. Somehow, Marvin was always driving at this time of day.

So, Marvin thought, driving past 38th Avenue, 37th Avenue, 36th, 35th … where was 3690? Must’ve missed it in this rain. U-turn to the next stoplight, wait three minutes, look across four lanes to the opposite side, no, doesn’t exist. Cross the major intersection, maybe on the other side. Call the massage therapist – no, Marvin, it’s 3960, not 3690 – drive across the highway another time, found 38th Avenue, woops – went too far, another U-turn and across the major intersection, ten minutes have passed now, why’s Marvin’s heart racing? Ah – there it is, opposite side of the road.

I’ll park in this lot and walk across the intersection, Marvin said to himself, too late to be battling the red lights yet again, it’ll take another ten minutes and the time for massage will be half over by then. So he pushed his umbrella out of the C250, stepped out into a puddle of water, began crossing the intersection … and then the maroon Corolla made a sweeping right turn and flattened Marvin dead.