The funny thing about the long way was that distance wise it was more direct and fewer miles. The only reason the short way got you to

Westcity

more quickly was because of the high speed limit and the lack of stop signs, traffic lights, and turns.

You didn't get to see much on the fast way though. The fast way sort of teleported you from your small town to the city. Max would leave his no name town, drive across some corn fields, get on the ramp and then it would look pretty much the same until he arrived at his destination.

The slow way though gave him a preview of the towns he was passing. Places that would make Max wonder what life would be like there. He would never live there he thought. But he found it funny how he did in fact live in such a town. The town he lived at now would be one he would think 'i wonder what life is like here, but i would never live here' about. And still he lived there. Had a life there.

Well maybe it was a life. It was his 

life

. Although he never shook off that association from high school where the phrase "having a life" or "having no life" meant someone was unpopular. A loser with no plans come the weekend. His adulthood did fit that description. But it wasn't like he was sad about it. He wanted different things now. Back then he just wanted to fit in and be a little popular. Now. Well now he didn't know what he wanted.

That's why when he headed over to Westcity he took the slow way. Because although he was looking forward to drinking that drip coffee and reading his novel, that wasn't what he really "wanted". He didn't know what he "wanted", so he figured he would just pass the time in decent manner until he knew.