As Mr. Shiftlet walked out to his car, a sudden clasp of thunder startled him. And without giving the thunder or Lucynell another thought, he started the engine of his car and quickly drove off, leaving the tiny town behind.
             Mr. Shiftlet was almost to Mobile when suddenly he was overcome with the intense feeling of tiredness. Not wanting to stop, he continued on the flat road. Ahead of him in the distance, he could faintly see a figure. As he approached, he was able to make the figure out to be a young woman holding a sign that said, "Drive Carefully. The life you save may be your own."
             Seeing this, Mr. Shiftlet stopped and asked the girl if she was looking for a ride. The girl did not answer, just blankly stared at Mr. Shiftlet with glazed over eyes. He wondered if she had heard his question. A little bit louder, Mr. Shiftlet asked the question again. Once again, the young girl did not answer. Puzzled, Mr. Shiftlet nodded and continued on his way.
             He was beginning to feel depressed and lonely driving down what seemed to an endless road. He thought about his mother more then anything in times like these. He thought about how she had always been there for him, not matter what. And how she taught him everything he knew today. He pictured his mother in his head now, and tears began to fall from his eyes like petals of rain. Mr. Shiftlet hadn't cried in years, and now his eyes were overflowing with all the pain that he had kept inside of him for so long. He slowed down and turned off the road.
             After what seemed like hours of crying, Mr. Shiftlet turned the car engine back on. He pulled onto the road, but this time he headed in the opposite direction. He was going home, where his mother had been waiting for her only son to return.
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