The Accidental Tourist

The Accidental Tourist Summary | Chapter 1 Summary

Macon and Sarah are driving back from the beach after they have cut short their week's vacation. Macon is wearing a formal summer suit, which he prefers over jeans when he drives. Sarah is in a strapless terry beach dress. Sarah has a tan but Macon is pale; he has the thin skin that burns easily. The two people look as if they have been on entirely different trips.

It starts to rain heavily, yet Macon refuses to alter his driving style, let alone pull off for a while. Sarah would prefer to sit under an overpass to wait out the storm but Macon is fixed on the road and is oblivious to her discomfort even though she is now gripping the dashboard.

Sarah tells him that he is not a comfort and that all his little routines and depressing little habits are wearisome for her. However, they are comforting to him and right now, they are both in need of whatever comfort they can find. Macon and Sarah have lost a child and have struggled through the past year. Sarah tells him that she wants a divorce and she can no longer live with him. Finally, that gets his attention and he pulls into a Texaco station and cuts the engine. The couple does not talk or touch and the only noise is the rain beating on the overhang above them.