This art featured in my memoir, Incandescence: Rising Above Darkness is included as a moment of serenity between chapters and does not necessarily have any literal connection to the story.
Incandescence: Rising Above Darkness Excerpt Chapter #27 Aurora Borealis And Working Girls
The only way for me to get the 1,284 miles from Libby Montana to Minneapolis, Minnesota, in time for Kay’s baby’s birth was to hitch rides on long-haul semi-trucks. So I stood at the top of a long slow-climbing hill where the vehicles were going slow enough for me to see who was in them. Most I let pass without putting my thumb out.
The policies I learned hitchhiking have proven helpful in all areas of life. Do not get in if the driver is in a hurry or gets annoyed while asking as many questions as you need to feel comfortable. Safe people understand you need to determine whether or not they are safe. Bad people often try to rush things. Always stand where others can see you. Wait until someone is passing and wave-like you know them before getting in the vehicle, letting the driver see a witness. Do not make critical decisions when tired, upset, or hungry. Remember, bad actors can have a good act. Treat everybody respectfully, but don’t forget that trust needs to be earned. Stay alert and be kind and cautious. Keep in mind you are the one keeping yourself safe.
Clare Cooley
To purchase the book click here to go to Amazon
For more information about the book or to purchase it from Kobo click here to go to IncandescenceBook.com
To purchase prints of the painting click here to go to ClareCooley.com/Shop