Claire huffed into the phone. “Stewart, one of these days you are going to give me an ulcer.” “That’s why I didn’t tell you about it,” he said, rolling down his car window and closing his eyes, smelling the salt air.. He was in California again, sitting in his car in the parking lot of his best friend’s apartment building. His Aunt Claire continued to tell him how stupid he had been until Stewart finally interrupted her. “Claire, listen, I’m fine. I’m here, everything is good. Can I talk to you later?” “Oh, we will talk later. I have more to say to you. What if you had broken down in the middle of the country? What if you couldn’t get help? Giving a little bit of latitude to your weaknesses is not a bad thing, it’s a safe thing.” “I’m twenty-six years old, Aunt Claire, I can make my own choices.” “You just think about how your choices are going to affect everyone else if you die out on the road, unable to get help.”
