Sleep Time

* Christina nudges me.

"How come you are so quiet today," she asks. "Are you meditating?"

I tell her that I've finished my "self-actualization" drills.

"What would you like to talk about," I ask.

"Anything with you," she says.

We start talking about Spanish television shows ranging from El Gran Juego de la Oca to Super Sabado Gigante.

In the middle of the conversation she falls asleep.

* The van is silent.

"You know, I still can't believe people made fortunes selling bottled water," one of the guys up front says.

No one responds.

* We make excellent time on the road today. I compliment Charlie.

"It's not me," he says. "It's Hanukkah and there's no Jews on the road."