Oil! : A novel

A young boy rides beside his father on a seemingly endless ribbon of grey concrete that stretches across a sun‑kissed valley. The road is described with a meticulous reverence, each lane a perfect, unblemished strip where speed and discipline become a kind of ceremony. Through the father’s overcoat, gauntlets and unlit cigar, the narrator learns an exacting code of conduct that turns every mile into a lesson in respect, control, and quiet dignity.

As they accelerate, other cars appear like fleeting comets, forcing the boy to gauge the razor‑thin margin between safety and danger. Each overtaking moment tests the unspoken agreement between strangers who share the same precise line, turning a simple drive into a subtle dance of trust and precision. The narrative rides this tension, hinting at the boy’s growing awareness that the road may be a mirror for larger choices yet to come.