He was driving from one bad situation to another, though he didn't know it. For him it was a new opportunity - a chance to start over and do everything right this time. His name was Sun because he was born on the 400th day of sun in Eureka Nevada. His childrens' names were Concrete, Searchlight and Winnemucca. All three of them were destined to follow their father's footsteps along the borders of nowhere, but they still had their dreams.
The day was hot. No a.c. in the car. They had a long way to go.
They stopped at a gas station in a desert town. It was hot dusk. He bought them three for a buck hot dogs and giant containers of ice water and had them wash the windshield.
``We're going to the john,'' Searchlight said.
When they were gone he lit up a cigarette. He didn't like the kids to see him smoke. For a moment he relaxed, looking out at the baking grey desert. Then he was started alert by three shrieks. He tossed the cigarette and jumped out of the car.
``What is it? What happened?'' Visions of child molesters spun in his head.
``Flaming toilets!'' Concrete screamed, ``there's flames in the toilets!''
The wonder of it. A project to use garbage gas to burn waste and save water. A project that didn't go much further than one desert town. Flaming toilets.
The man went to see for himself. Yes. Flaming toilets.
When Searchlight and Concrete and Winnemucca were grown they would remember that day. They would remember the taste of the hot dogs all slathered with mustard and sweet relish. The icy pleasure of the cold water on their throats. Their father's face as he looked at the flaming toilets. His cigarette smoldering out in the grey dust. ``A good day,'' they would say.
``That was a good day.''