The Life and Times of a Transitional Boyfriend
Vol. 1
by
Book Cover & Preview Text
I awake not two hours later to Neil Young in the CD player. Not necessarily what my choice would have been, but it's the perfect music for what plays out immediately following opening my eyes.
We're driving through a heavy snowfall. In my still-drowsy state, I glance at the speedometer, and see that Chicago is driving through this blizzard on a snow-covered (and possibly ice, I have no idea at this point, only two seconds have elapsed since opening my eyes) highway in the middle of nowhere at a nice, safe, comfortable speed of eighty-five to ninety miles an hour.
Unfortunately, I don't have time to register how dangerous this might be, because I see in the third second since my eyes have opened, a car spin out on the other side of the highway with two eighteen-wheelers barreling down on him. His car stops facing the trucks that were previously following him (now coming straight at him) and my brain struggles to form the thought, “OhmyGodI'mabouttowatchthismangetkilled,” as the semi in most danger of crushing this man's car bellow his horn. The semi veers off into the field separating the two sides of the highway, as the second semi flies by the car in the other lane of the highway. I'm in my mid-twenties and about to have a heart attack for the poor guy in the little four-wheel piece of tin.
The whole sequence of events takes maybe five seconds, from the opening of my eyes to near heart attack. I look back to the speedometer, hoping I read it wrong the first time, and find that I did, in fact, not read it wrong.
But Neil Young is on the stereo, and I'm calm. The guy across the highway doesn't die, I don't have a heart attack, we're flying down a snow and ice covered highway in the Middle of Nowhere, New Mexico, I'm freezing my balls off, and I have no idea what Neil Young is singing about. It doesn't matter, though, because he keeps me calm and everything is alright. The man in the eighteen-wheeler is going to be stuck in the field for a little while, but no one dies. And thank God for that.
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About the Book
Part road trip, part mix-tape, The Life and Times of a Transitional Boyfriend, Vol. 1 takes you along on the humorous misadventures of our hapless hero, Ryan Barbe. He explores the open highway of life with a variety of friends, stopping long enough to take in the local scenery and enjoy what the eateries have to offer before moving on to his next journey. Between historical landmarks and out-of-the-way cafes, Ryan details his encounters with the assorted people he meets. From Redondo Beach to Nashville, with all of Texas in between, Ryan faces each potential calamity - and his overwhelming fear of sharks - with a self-deprecating sense of humor and a song on the car stereo. This self-proclaimed “music guy” knows the danger in the mix-tape; using someone else's words to tell a story or communicate a feeling. But these are Ryan's words. His mix-tape. To you.
About the Author
Ryan E. Barbe is a writer, actor, travel enthusiast, and student of life with a degree in Acting from Texas Tech University. He is a pop-culture “junkie,” with an eye toward reading and music. His personal CD collection numbers around 1600, at last count. His book collection is almost as enormous. Born in Hershey, Pennsylvania, Ryan grew up on the East Coast before moving to Texas, where he's lived for the last nineteen years. Ryan lives in Keller, Texas with his Miniature Australian Shepherd, Daisy. This is his first book.