After a long day of driving, Cosmo and Silvia stop in Gallup, New Mexico for dinner. Founded in 1881 as a railhead for the Atlantic and Pacific Railroad, Gallup is now the largest city between Albuquerque and Flagstaff, with roughly one-third of its population identifying as Native American. Surrounded by rugged terrain, the city’s quaint downtown features trading posts, art galleries, hotels, and restaurants, offering travelers a taste of Southwest culture.
The siblings choose a Mexican restaurant known for its giant-sized margaritas. They impulsively order a couple, but Silvia quickly questions the decision, reminding Cosmo that alcoholism can be inherited and that their father, Frank, struggled with addiction. Cosmo reassures her, noting that even if the theory holds true, neither of them has shown signs of alcoholism so far. Their conversation briefly turns to the roots of Frank’s struggles, and they agree that sadness underlies his condition. Cosmo reflects, “Maybe all drunks were just sad beneath their loud and rage-filled selves.” Despite the heaviness of the topic, the siblings enjoy their dinner, and later step outside to witness a breathtaking Southwest sunset, a perfect end to the day.
Enjoy the following excerpt from this chapter of Discovery of an Eagle.
They stayed in a small motel at the edge of the Texas border. They both wanted to make it to New Mexico but neither could drive any further, and Silvia told Cosmo he should see the New Mexico welcome sign in the daylight. And she was right. It was bright yellow and went perfectly with the brilliant, shining light in the sky. The light here was nothing like he had ever seen before. It was something beyond bright, and it made him feel new and clean inside. Thoughts about the text he got from Dario and about going back early had all been erased, as if the desert sun had burnt them clean from his mind. Going forward felt like the only way to go for now.
Unfamiliar trees lined the sides of the road. Some had branches that were all twisted up inside themselves, shooting off in different directions. Others were stout, plant-like trees with skinny branches reaching up as if to grab onto the sun. Big, black, mystery birds swooped down into the trees and flew away to make huge circles in the sky. Flat-top mountains made of copper-red rock glistened. The morning light passed through every object in his sight, giving them all perfectly defined shadows. Even the highway embankments added to the magical beauty—painted a pale shade of brownish pink with Native American designs carved into them.
This post is from my blog series on the places visited in the road trip story, “Discovery of an Eagle.”
Grace Mattioli is the author of the Greco Family Trilogy books, including Olive Branches Don’t Grow on Trees, Discovery of an Eagle, and The Bird that Sang in Color. These books are available from all major online book sellers, including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Apple Books.
