If a penny drops in a deep pool of water, it tilts and sways along the rhythmic patters that nobody can see. If you drop a car into a deep pool of water, let's say the Atlantic, it doesn't tilt or sway, it doesn't dance to the rhythmic patters of the loud base Neal had blaring as he fell asleep at the wheel. A car simply sinks to the bottom of the ocean and nestles in the sand while its inhabitants eyes flutter open and the seawater stings.

Neal, a young lad at the age of 23, had been driving for 13 hours when he fell asleep to the loud base in his car. He was headed from Rochester to Georgia to visit his sweet mother who had heard about the breakup. The breakup between Neal and Leah that was identifiable from 13 hours away. The breakup that was seen from 13 months prior when Leah packed her bags to go to school in Rochester. The breakup that could have been avoided 13 years ago when they first met.

Neal jumped into the front seat of his grey colbalt, the piece of shit car his Dad has purchased before he packed up his bags and headed west. Before he stopped calling. The trip north had been planned for weeks. Once the semester was over, Neal was to drive to Rochester to stay a week as Leah went through finals.

What didn't tilt through Leah's mind is when exactly Neal planned to visit. So when Neal stepped over the threshold of Leah's apartment to find a bra and boxer briefs on the stairs, he knew he should have just re-winded 13 seconds before opening the door. The image of Leah and some guy fornicating in ways that did not resemble love made Neal sick. What also made Neal sick was Leah's one line.

"Neal, I think you should go."

So that's what Neal did. He just turned around, walked down the 13 steps, trampling on the bra and boxer briefs still seductively caressing the steps, and out to door to that piece of shit grey colbalt.

Thirteen minutes after Neal started the car he turned on the radio. Thirteen miles after he turned on the radio he began to sob. Thirteen hours after he turned on the radio and sobbed, he felt the cool rush of the Atlantic kiss his toes.

One has a lot of time when drifting to the bottom of the sea floor, even if it's only a few feet down. Will insurance cover diving in a car? How will I get home? How could Leah do this?

Leah and Neal dated for 13 months times two before he drove 13 hours to visit her. Thirteen was always their number, even after she moved for school, because that was the day they began dating. March 13th, the day Neal got the girl he had been after for 13 years.

One time Neal sent her thirteen roses for her birthday, since her birthday landed on October 13th. One time Leah sent Neal 13 letters in one week after moving, which all came on September 13th. One time Noah set an alarm for every thirteenth minute of every hour to tell Leah he was thinking about her. One time Leah cheated on Neal with 13 upperclassman at college, which Neal didn't find out until 13 hours after his car sunk to the bottom of the ocean.

So Neal patiently sunk down to lay on the ocean floor in his piece of shit grey colbalt thinking about how Leah could possibly do such a thing as cheat on him. Once the tires silently squealed on the shells that smother the sea-drunk floor, Neil floated himself through the window and peaked his head out on the top of the Atlantic.

It only took 13 cars to pass before one stopped to help Neal out.

It only took an hour and three minutes for a lift to arrive to take Neal to a bus station.

It only took three hours and one minute to get back to Neal's home.

It only took 13 years after the car sunk, after the breakup, after the cheating, for Neal to find the girl of his dreams. Her birthday is May 14th, the day after the car sunk.