Getting the Window Seat

Summary

Gary, a young boy with a vivid imagination, cherishes the window seat during car rides and at a diner, where he fantasizes about being a bird, a tree, and driving a flying boat, becoming immersed in his own world to the point of ignoring his surroundings.

Abstract

The narrative describes Gary's deep fascination with the window seat, a place where his imagination takes flight. As he gazes out of the car window, he envisions himself as a bird soaring through the sky, free and unconstrained. This sense of freedom is so compelling that even when the car stops at a diner, Gary's mind continues to wander. He imagines being a solitary tree with an unobstructed view of the world and later, a boat captain navigating the skies. His daydreams are so captivating that he fails to notice his mother's attempts to engage him in conversation, highlighting the power of a child's imagination to create a rich, internal world that rivals reality.

Opinions

Gary places a high value on the window seat, as it allows him to indulge in his daydreams.
The author suggests that the window seat holds a special allure for children, offering them a gateway to imaginary adventures.
Gary's preference for cold ketchup and his skepticism about the authenticity of his Dr. Pepper indicate personal tastes and a discerning palate, despite his immersion in fantasy.
The narrative implies that Gary's parents are accustomed to his daydreaming, as his mother does not press him when he misses her question but instead rolls her eyes and continues her conversation.
The story ends with a subtle hint of humor, as Gary's single-minded focus on securing the window seat is both endearing and indicative of his priority for imaginative experiences over more mundane aspects of life.

To some it is very important

Sitting in the back seat watching the landscape whiz by, little Gary pretended he was a bird flying above and beside the car. Occasionally he would veer away from the highway and fly over some landscape feature in the distance.

He felt as though he could keep flying forever. Surely there were enough new lands to see to keep flying for the rest of his life. He wanted to experience the entire planet.

Then the car began slowing down and so did the speed at which the bird that he was flew. Soon the bird disappeared back into Gary’s mind. Looking forward, he saw that his father was pulling off the highway onto the gravel parking lot of a diner.

Before Gary and his two siblings would get into the back seat of the car Gary would always yell out, “I call window seat!” He did the same thing as the family walked towards the front door of the diner. As the family approached the booth his parents had chosen Gary pushed his sister aside as he raced to secure a window seat.

As Gary ate he stared out the large window which faced the highway and a large grassy field on the other side of the highway. In the very middle of that field was a lone tree. He imagined being that tree. As the tree he could look in all directions without his view being blocked by other trees. How wonderful that must be to have unobstructed 360 degree views.

He was suddenly distracted by a large 18-wheeler zooming past on the highway. Following behind was a pickup truck pulling a trailer with a speed boat on it. He quickly projected his mind onto that boat. At the steering wheel of the boat he pushed a button and the boat lifted up into the air. He then drove that boat at high speed throughout the sky…

“Gary! Gary!”

Gary turned back inside to look at his mother, “What?”

“I was asking you how your food is. Didn’t you hear me?”

“Oh, sorry. I didn’t hear you. I was looking out the window. The hamburger is pretty good and so are the fries. But the ketchup is warm. Yuck. Ketchup is supposed to be cold. And the soda tastes funny. I don’t think it’s real Dr. Pepper.”

His mother rolled her eyes then resumed talking with her husband across the table. Gary took a bite of hamburger then immediately turned his head to look out the window.

A jeep sped by on the highway and Gary was quickly driving his own jeep off-road over the undulating hills beyond the field on the other side of the highway.

After the meal the family left the diner. Gary ran to the family car as fast as he could as he yelled, “I call window seat!

Speaking of french fries…

Getting the Window Seat

To some it is very important

The Correct Way to Eat French Fries

And there is only ONE correct way!