Dorka Kovács
Besides the whistling of the wind and the screeching noise of the engine, the only thing that could be heard was the music humming softly from the radio. Through the windscreen you could see the beautiful landscape: the towering mountain peaks, the pine trees heavy with snow, and the sky bright with stars. Fresh air flowed in through the downrolled window, which came straight from the mountains and brought with it the typical chilly weather of December. The heart of the man driving the car became filled with warmth, pride, and childlike joy, as he recognized the characteristics of the state where he had spent most of his childhood. Growing up here, he had got used to the very long winters, extreme temperature swings, deep valleys, green forests and rolling hills. He still remembers all the art classes where they had to draw the bighorn sheep and the state animal, the grizzly bear. Or the jersey he would wear when the Montana Grizzlies basketball team was playing. The taste of the delicious fruitcake and the creamy, luscious eggnog made by his mother could never be replaced by any other. Being a senior at the University of California, he hadn’t exactly had the time to travel home to Montana lately. However, with the arrival of December and the mistletoe hanging in the doorways, the winter break had also begun.
That is how he ended up driving on the highway in Montana, heading to his parents’ house. He has been to many places in the world; however, as the old tag has it, “east west home’s best.” It doesn’t matter how exhilarating the travels are; he is always thrilled to come home.