Our northbound rambling soon took us
beyond the scope of either of our normal
driving habits. We were at a loss
and did not recognize the exit signs.

I wondered out loud that neither of us,
though well-traveled we had been,
had seen the places that were named
on the side of the highway.

He wondered for a moment, in a silent way,
and stroked his chin and tapped
the top of the arm rest in between us,
and he said it was no wonder to him.

What was there this far north, after all?
Why bother going to a place where
we had nothing?
What was the point? He said.

I replied that it must be the same reason
we were heading this way now, and that
we’d better come up with one rather quickly
to explain the money we’d spent on gas.

His continued to be a silent way, and
without further discourse,
as we finally took a pleasant-looking exit,
our quiet forced us
in to a further digression