Short Australian love story

Clip out; hair tumbles down. Lie back against the patio slats. Warm autumn sun pushes against my black tee, pinning me to the ground. Fold arms over sun-shy face skin.

Turn head sideways. Watch. Ask:

"Do you see our relationship as complicated, or simple?"

He turns a page of the newspaper.

"Both."

Another page over.

"How about you?"

Pause.

"Both."

Pause. Cigarette smoke rolls my way; he bats it grasswards.

"Something else we've got in common, then."

Tips for Happy, Successful Long Distance Driving with your Beloved

Today the dearly beloved and I drove from Melbourne to Adelaide. We arrived safely, in a timely manner – and still in love ©

However, I’ve made a mental list of things to keep in mind for next time:

1.       Compromise is a sign of true love

Our musical tastes have diverged over time. We could (read “should”) have spent some time organizing a mutually agreeable playlist over the last week ... but didn’t. Result: when Pete was driving, we were listening to ABC local radio; when I was driving, SILENCE – or idle chit chat! (The sound of that radio was driving me up the wall after an hour or so.)

2.       The dashboard’s fine the way it is

Sweetheart, I’ve driven literally tens of thousands of kilometres on interstate roads over the years. I know what I’m doing. I can overtake trucks safely. The dashboard has a lovely embossed texture already; your fingerprints will not enhance it. (Thank you for trying to hide your nervous gripping from me.)

3.       Activate your frontal lobe ... and keep it activated

I, the non-smoker, won’t comment when your cigarette fumes waft back into the car during a break. You, the non-napper, won’t comment when I’ve drifted off to sleep for an hour or so. See? Everyone’s happy.

4.       Keep your eye on the big picture

Yes, darling, you’re right. The 50km before Horsham did take forever. But in the context of almost 800km, we can let it go, yes?