It was evening.
The road from San Francisco to Las Vegas stretched endlessly—a ride that felt like it had started in another lifetime. Smooth, uneventful, devoid of the delightful chaos of an Indian highway.
No bulls appearing out of nowhere, no tractors playing chicken—just long, sweeping roads with scenery that tried its best to keep things interesting.
But ahead lay Las Vegas—a city of stories, possibilities, and whispered legends. Excitement pulsed through us, and for a moment, even the car engine seemed to hum in anticipation.
And then, I saw them—the cars leaving Vegas, heading home. Their passengers, wrapped in a quiet emptiness, faces drained of whatever the night had held.
That’s when a line from English, August floated back into my mind:
“The ecstasy of the arrival never compensates for the emptiness of the departure.”
I smiled. Because some truths, like the Vegas skyline, glow even in the dark.
(at Las Vegas, Nevada)