[ WP ] Steve leads an ordinary life , with an office 9 to 5 job . Then on his drive to work one morning he spots a hitchhiker on the road . He stops .

Steve curses the I-95 as he does every morning. Sun burning the side of his face through the window, some prick blaring his horn for a full minute as traffic refuses to budge even an inch. Sirens up ahead. Another accident. Someone probably speeding, lost control, hit the patch of trees off to the side of the highway. Maybe still drunk from the night before. Steve checks his wristwatch—his car radio was stolen months ago—and curses again as he is now officially late. And he forgot the coffee on the kitchen counter. 
 
 Fifteen minutes later an ambulance breaks through the gridlock and rushes off to the hospital. Traffic begins rolling, albeit slowly because every driver feels the need to gape at the gray sedan wrapped around a tree, smoking still pouring from what was formerly the hood. A group of firefighters and police officers wander around the site grimacing. 
 
 Moving at a rate of about 15 miles per hour, Steve pulls out his phone to send his boss an email. He looks up from his phone. There ’ s a man walking in the shoulder a few feet in front of the car. Steve swerves sharply and his Nissan rolls into the dirt. Luckily, he was already past the section with the trees. He takes a deep breath. He reverses the car and carefully rolls up next to the man. 
 
 “ Jeez, I almost hit you. Sorry'bout that.'' The man doesn ’ t respond, he just continues gazes down the highway. `` It was all my fault, you see I ’ m running late and my boss… ” The man finally turns. He looks at Steve through flat blue eyes. 
 
 Steve also notices the streak of gray in his hair. 
 
 “ Didn ’ t mean to scare you like that, ” Steve adds. 
 “ Listen,'' says the man, `` I ’ ve got a train to catch. Can I get a ride to the train station? ” He sounds tired, probably on something. Steve glances at his wristwatch. *Almost just ran him over and I ’ m gon na be late anyway*. Steve reluctantly accepts. The man slowly limps around the car and hops in next to Steve. 
 
 `` You from around here?'' Steve asks. 
 `` Yep, born and raised. I ’ m going to miss it,'' says the man. 
 “ This town? Not much to miss. Where ever you're headed, it's probably more interesting than here. ” 
 “ No not the town, ” says the man, gazing out the window. “ Just... people. The smiles and laughs. The connections. ” 
 
 Steve does n't know how to respond. They travel the rest of the way in awkward silence. 
 
 “ Well here we are. ” 
 “ Thanks. ” The man hops out the car and begins to walk away. Then he comes back and leans on the roof and sticks his head back in through the passenger window. 
 
 “ Just know that this isn ’ t a rehearsal. This is it. This is your life. Right now. And one day its going to suddenly end, so really live it. I wish I had realized that. ” He taps the hood and walks on towards the station. 
 
 *Kind of a weird comment* thinks Steve. *Wonder if I'll ever see him again. * But it was n't long before he did. That evening, the local news showed a picture of the victim of a car accident that occurred on the I-95 that morning. 
 
 

