The Ride by Jacky E Jones

“Remember Miss Harmon in the third grade, everybody loved her. She had been teaching maybe four years and was quite young. Remember the day she took us down to play ball at the park behind the school? The girls all sat around and talked about boys except for Margareta Scheme. She always had her head in a book, always made straight A’s. Thomas Rodgers was up to bat, Floyd Tindal pitching, he had a fast pitch. Out in the outfield was two clowns wrestling and throwing each other on the ground. Miss Harmon was yelling and motioning for them to stop. She stepped forward and Thomas Rodgers was swinging the ball, and the bat caught Miss Harmon’s stomach. She grabbed her stomach while falling over like a bowling pin. Thomas Rodgers took off running up the hill to the school to tell what happened and let it be known it wasn’t his fault. Just as the two got in from the outfield Miss Harmon could just get her breath, she pointed her finger at them. About that time up walked Miss Chastain, the principal, the wicked witch from hell she was called-mostly by Nate. All the other kids were trying to brush all the dirt from Miss Harmon dress when the witch from hell motions for the two to come over to her. Jack was a little reluctant, he brought up the rear, and Nate walked up to her as if he was going sell her a set of encyclopedia. She looked down her nose through her glasses as if she was the witch from hell.

   “What did you two do?”

    Jack wasn’t going to say anything; he was going to let Nate explain.

    So the first thing that comes out of his mouth, “What do you mean?”

    Jack knew that was the end because Nate had to screw around with her.

   “Why did Miss Harmon point her finger at you?”

    Jack knew he was dead, he did see the finger.

   “Miss Chastain, I’m sorry, I didn’t see any finger, why would Miss Harmon want to give us the finger anyway.” It went right over her head. “You two wait for me in my office, you do know where my office is?”

Jack was going to say yes ma’am. Before he could get it out of his mouth Nate said no ma’am.

“You go in the front door and turn to your right and it’s the second door down.”

Nate was holding out his arms and asked.” Is this my right arm or is it this one?”

Miss Chastain was getting so flustered she was about to scream.

Neither said a word as Jack and Nate walked up the hill. There on the steps of the school Nate burst out laughing, “Did you see that old bitch? I had her going.” They had known each other from the nursery at church; Jack never paid much attention to Nate in the first and second grade. They just knew each other from school. He

remembered everyone just thought Nate was crazy. Jack found out he wasn’t crazy at all, he was smarter than most. After he figured someone out he knew what buttons to push, most people never knew what was going on.

At that moment, on those steps, began a friendship that lasted a life time.

I’m called Walter. Don’t know why, I didn’t pick it.

So what do I do? I have three jobs; observer, story-teller, greeter... We’ll get into all this later. Don’t let

me forget, it’s very important.       

Now in this story there is no rape, mayhem, cursing, disrespect, violence, or sex. O.K., I stretch the truth a little, Ok, I lied. There is no rape or mayhem, cursing, well if you’re not offended by a few words, Ok, a lot of words. There is very small amount of disrespect. Violence, not much. Sex, just one explicit act, act is not the right word, detailed accounting of the act sounds better.

Now, of one explicit sex act, what word do I use here? Ok, if close relationship offends you, I’ll raise my hand to let you know it’s coming up. You put your fingers in your ears and hum and when I’m over that part, I’ll take my hand down so you can take your fingers out of your ears.

Telling a story without bringing in the people around you is imposable. Look at you, count the names. The point is, the people around you make your life what it is - people’s lives are going on at the same time that your life is going on. So the story moves from one character to another unexpectedly. This story contains quite a lot of characters, so keep up. If you get lost there is a character index in the back.

Well here are the rules, there is always’s rules.

   #1 I cannot change any words or sentence to be what I think it should be, it’s my place to tell the story just as it happened.

   #2 No giving or taking to make the story go in the direction I would like for it to go, for the good or bad of the character ( makes the boss real mad when you do that.)

I always follow the rules; always follow the rules, always.

 Jack had taken her to the hospital for treatment. He knew she wasn’t doing very well. He had to carry her to the wheel chair. The doctor wanted her to come in for treatment. Once he saw her he didn’t think she should go home. He told Jack he could keep her alive for about another month. The doctor said without treatment she might not make two weeks.       

Jacks mind was racing; he didn’t know what to do. He tried to think of what she would want him to do. He knew she wouldn’t want to be under drugs for a month because she wouldn’t be aware of anything going on. Even though she wanted to go home Jack knew it would be too much of a strain on her... Jack told the doctor he would keep her in the hospital but no treatment. The doctor knew there was no hope but he wanted to give Jack all the options. Jack didn’t feel there were any options, he just knew she was going and he didn’t know how he would be able to survive without her. Jack and the boys took turns sitting with her, most of the time Jack wasn’t very far away. He would go down to the waiting room and saw faces like his, totally empty, hoping a miracle would happen but knowing that it wouldn’t, just a matter of time.

She had been there for about a week, the drugs making her come in and out. When she was on drugs it was like she was only about half there. Some time you could understand her, most of the time you couldn’t. It sadden Jack to see her this way, it made a mockery of her dignity.

One of the times she could talk a bit, she ask the doctor to not give her drugs for twenty four hours. She wanted to talk to her boys. She wanted to have a clear head as much as possible. She knew the boys were waiting in the hall, she asked Jack to have them come in. Jack stayed in the hall because he couldn’t listen to her talk to them.

After a few minutes they came out and told Jack she wanted him. Jack could tell she was in a lot of pain. He wanted to help her; he had never felt so helpless in his life. He wanted to hold her but thought it might be too much. She gave him a smile which took a lot of her energy. Jack went over and sat on the side of the bed and held her hand.                  

He could just hear her whisper, he held on to her hand as he bent over her face to hear her.  “Jack, don’t spend the rest of your life mourning for me, you don’t want to be alone.  Find someone to spend the rest of your life with.”       

 “You know I could never be with anyone but you. You know you’re the only woman I could love.”

“Love may find you.”

“You know that will never happen. I could never stop thinking about you.”          

“You deserve somebody Jack, don’t be alone.”

“I’m not alone when I think of you.”

“I’m so tired.”

“I’ll leave so you can get some sleep.”

“No, don’t leave; hold my hand so I’ll know you are here.”

He held her hand in between two of his; it was very soft but limp. He would put a little pressure on her hand then released so she would know he was there. Jack talked softly in her ear, telling her how much he loved her and how lucky he was to have spent his life with her. Her breathing was getting very shallow; Jack was about to call a nurse or somebody. After talking to their mother the boys were there to support Jack, but it was hard for them to support themselves.  He turned to face them. As he turned back, she took a deep breath, as if she was going to be all right. As the breath was released from her lungs, they did not take in another to replace it. He knew what had just happened, but he refused to stop rubbing her hand. The boys realized what happened as tears rolled down their cheeks. Jack kept rubbing her hand as if it would bring her back to life. He didn’t want to let go. Finally, he took the pressure from her hand and watched it as it slid onto the bed. He had known this was going to happen for quite a while. But, he had no idea the real pain was so much bigger than just thinking about it. He turned slowly as he stood up to look at the boys and saw tears rolling down their faces, Jack put out his arms and all three held on to each other and cried.

       The funeral was a lot harder to take than Jack thought it would be. He never expected so many people would show up, the church was full. He could tell that his two boys were sitting beside him, one on each side. Other than that, he had no idea who else was there. His brain was churning, too many thoughts at one time, his body numb as if he was in the air above his seat. On the other hand everything had come to a screeching halt, he didn’t feel anything. An hour before the funeral he had come in by himself and set on the front row and just looked at Martha. , he felt her floating around above him. Their minds could talk to each other without saying a word. She was his heart, soul, his being the fiber of his total existence. How was he going to survive without her? He remembered she told him he would, but that didn’t change the way he felt at that moment. He was glad they had three years to prepare for this day but all the planning did not prepare him for the day he would have to sit on the front row and look at her coffin. Knowing he loved her so much and that he would feel her gone for as long as he lived, made him feel worse.                                                       

 

 It had been a little over a year since the funeral and things hadn’t got much better. Jack hid out from people as much as possible. He didn’t want anyone to know he was home or where he was. Many times, he parked his car in the club parking lot and walked across the golf course to the house. It was almost dusk. JR was laying with his legs out in front so he could lay his chin on them.                                                        

Jack or JR didn’t hear the back door open but they heard the voice. “Grandfather” Jack hated to be called grandfather. Then, with a little bit louder tone, “Jack.” That’s what he liked to be called. Martha didn’t like being called Grandmother; she wanted to be called Nana. When the girls were around their mother it was “Grandfather” and “Grandmother”. Their mother had to have everything politically correct. She was quite a snob and showed off their money every chance she got. JR jumps up to greet her with his tail in full motion, she squats down to give him a hug, rub and scratch. JR really liked Sissy, short for Celia. Her mother didn’t like Celia being called Sissy. So we all called her Sissy when her mother wasn’t around. 

“What are you doing sitting here in the dark?” Sissy was a little like Martha’s grandfather, a little rough around the edges. She didn’t like being called little rich girl in school. She thinks she had heard the story about what Martha did and she wanted to do the same, discover the world for herself. “It’s not dark yet.” Jack replied. “Well where is that big round orange thing gone?” She flops down in to a chair. Jack was waiting for the big question or statement or just plain command. It appeared Jack got the command.             

“Jack’ you have got to change clothes because Lizzie and I are taking you out to eat.” Lizzie is Sissy’s older sister. Lizzie is short for Elisabeth, named after Martha’s mother. She is a sophomore at UNC Chapel Hill; Sissy is a senior at Academy Private School.

“Lizzie wanted to bring her boyfriend to meet you but I told her if she brought that scum sucking pig over here you and I was not going.”

“Undoubtedly you don’t like this guy.”

“He is so ugly his own mother wouldn’t clam him. He looks like he needs a bath and I know he smokes pot because I smelled it on him. Lizzie brought one of her so call friends home one week end, they go back to school and it didn’t take long before everyone knows Elisabeth comes from money. The boys come out of the woodwork and she picks this ass kissing freak. If she brings him I’m out of here. Come on and change your clothes.”

“Oh, I can’t go.”

As she was pulling Jack out of his chair they heard someone at the front door. It was Lizzie. Sissy came in through the kitchen and Lizzie comes in the front door. One comes in through the front door because it’s “proper”, the other comes in the back door proper or not, she just wants to come in.

Sissy whispered in Jacks ear as she pulled him up out of the chair; “She didn’t bring scar face.”

Lizzie came over and gave Jack a kiss on the cheek, “You’re not dressed yet?”

“I’m going.” Jack wanted to put up an excuse but felt there was no use.

He left his door open to his room as he changed his clothes. He could hear the girls talking.

“Did you make reservations at the club?”

 You could hear the strain in Sissy voice “We are not going to the club, Jack hates that place and so do I.”

“Well are we going where we have to be decently dressed?”

Sissy had this small smile she was keeping Lizzie from seeing “What about McDonalds?”

“I’ve been to a McDonalds before. Someone in the dorm said the Carmel Mocha was good so Allison and I wanted to try it out. We went around and ordered from the big board, I guess a menu. Didn’t understand a word he said. Went to the first window and paid, didn’t understand a word he said. Went to the last window to get our coffee but there was a delay. This guy was trying to tell us why our coffee was being held up, but it would be out in just a minute. We got that from hand signals and the expression on his face.”                       

“Well scratch McDonalds; I guess you and Allison know all about it.”

“Where are we going?”             

“We will go over to the Mall; there are lots of restaurants over there.”

Sissy looked at Lizzie “We can’t go in that peewee car you have.”

“We can’t go in that filthy piece of a truck you have.”

“We could all fit in my truck.”

Lizzie looking real serious “Not me.”

“Well I guess we will have to take Jack’s car.” They both looked at Jack.

Jack’s car was a company black, four doors, Ford Galaxy. He felt that it made him not look so out of place.

Jack had felt he was out of place for a long, long time, but with Martha’s help he had handled it pretty well.

        “OK, but we’ll have to take a little hike; it’s in the parking lot at the club.”

        With a puzzled look on Lizzie face, she said “What’s it doing there?”

        Sissy smiled a little, “He wanted to be incognito for JR when he came home.”

        “That’s not funny. We have to walk across the golf course?”

        Jack picked up his keys off the counter, Sissy held up her hand so Jack threw her the keys.

        “Jack, you are not letting her drive?”

       “I’m a good driver.”

        “You have enough tickets to wallpaper your room.”

        “I do not.”

        “How many have you had?”

        Jack was ready to go if they were going. They were starting to sound like two sisters. “Let’s go girls, let’s go.” He said he walked toward the door.
               Sissy came into the parking lot looking for a place to park. Not looking ahead, she sees this young couple about fifteen feet in front of the car. She slams on brakes; Jack sticks his hand out and catches himself from hitting the dash. Lizzie almost went onto the floor. The young couple giggled and walked on.

“Sorry about that.” replied Sissy.  Neither Jack nor Lizzie said anything.                     

        Sissy gets out of the car and walks across the parking lot like a farmer stepping over his corn rows. She heads for the door of the restaurant. Jack gets out of the back seat and steps in front of Lizzie’s door to open it for her.

“Thank you, Jack.” Sissy is standing at the door with the handle in her hand waiting. When Jack and Lizzie get almost to her, she opens the door and walks in. Letting the door go, as it starts closing, Jack grabs it and holds it open for Lizzie. The cute receptionist is standing there with her arms full of menus.

“Is a booth ok?”

“Sure.” Said Sissy and starts to lead when she realized she did know where they were going. She let the receptionist by and when they got to the booth, Sissy slides in and goes up against the wall so Jack could sit next to her. Lizzie sat on the opposite side and Sissy patted the seat for Jack to sit next to her. The receptionist laid down three menus and with a big smile said “Susan will be your waitress.” She turned and walked away. It seemed like out of nowhere out popped Susan. She seemed like she had known them all their life and had sleep overs together. Her smile looked like she had just said yes to her boyfriend’s proposal after she found out that he was not kidding. She asks what everyone wanted to drink. Jack and Lizzie wanted ice tea and Sissy wanted a diet coke. As Susan turned to walk away Sissy said “Suzie, add a Miller Lite in a cold frosty mug for the gentleman here.” Susan said “I got it.” Before Jack could protest Susan was gone. He was going to ask Sissy why she did that when Lizzie started back talking about her boyfriend and college. Sissy was thinking that the timing was perfect. Lizzie was mumbling something about how many things on the menu would kill you before you could reach seventy five.” “They have a real good salad here, I know you will like.” She said with a broad smile. Jack couldn’t figure out if she was being helpful or trying to antagonize her. Jack was looking over the menu not seeing anything that he desired, he hadn’t been a big eater this past year or so.

Sissy leaned over to Jack “I’ll get something for you. They have great barbequed ribs here. I think I’ll have that three inch high hamburger with fries”. Lizzie looked at her like she had said a very crude curse word.

The drinks came and Sue was still smiling, working for that tip. Sissy had slid over closer to Jack and was moving drinks around like she was playing the game which cup was the bean under. “Which was yours, you got un-sweet tea, that’s my coke, oh, Jack you got sweet tea.”

Lizzie just shook her head and went back talking to Jack. Lizzie could really talk, when it was about her. Sissy was sliding toward the wall away from Jack dragging her coke with her right hand and pulling the beer with her left hand behind the coke. She slid the beer against the wall and close to the table edge so that when she leaned forward the beer was out of site. She turned her head toward the wall and took a swallow. No one noticed. The food came and Sissy drank about a fourth of her coke so when she brought the coke up to her mouth she was drinking the beer behind the coke. She had finished before anybody and pushed her plate, coke glass to the center of the table putting the glass in to the mug. It wouldn’t look so obvious sitting there. Jack and Lizzie kept on eating and talking, mostly about Lizzie. When they had finished they pushed their plates to the center of the table. Lizzie started looking around as if she had lost something. “Where is Jacks beer?” Then she saw the empty mug “Did you drink Jacks beer?”        

“Well he didn’t want it, it was just sitting there.”

“Did he say you could have it?”

“Now sure Jack is going to say well just sit down and let’s have a beer?” in a low mocking voice.

“Jack, do you see what I have to put up with? She will be in prison by the time she gets twenty five.”

 Jack thought, her mother wouldn’t know where she was anyway and probably wouldn’t care. Jack got up and Sissy followed. Lizzie was trying to get her self together, opened her pocket book, pulled out her wallet pulled out three dollars. Sissy said: “Come on.” She reached in Lizzie’s wallet and pulled out a twenty and threw it on the table. Lizzie responded “What are you doing?”

“Come on, it’s only money.”

“Jack, she is not driving after drinking that beer.”

“Jack, tell her you don’t get drunk on one beer.”

“I don’t care, I’m driving?”

“I have drank . . .” she almost said I have drank enough beer to float this building, she said “I’ve drank a beer before. Ok, give her the keys we might get home next week.” Sissy replied.

When they got home Sissy jumps out and goes in the den and flops down on a big wing back chair throwing her leg over the chair arm. Lizzie came in and sat down on the sofa sitting like she was there to interview for a job. Jack had no idea what’s going on as he sat down in the other big wing back chair, he didn’t throw his leg over the arm rest.

“Jack, Celia and I want to talk to you.” Jack knew it was serious when Lizzie referred to Sissy by her given name. “We know you loved Nana very much, we know you have grieved for a long time and we know you are lost without her. Celia heard, sneaking, around the corner as usual, father and Uncle Bernard, (named after Martha’s great-great grandfather) and father was talking about you having a tumor in your head. She also heard that if you don’t take better care of yourself, this depression and anguish will make the tumor worse to the point you will die. Jack, that’s not what Nana asked you to do. It’s not fair to Celia and me, let alone father and Uncle Bernard.  If you want to kill yourself and show no respect to Nana, go someplace else and do it quickly. Don’t make Celia and me watch you shrivel up. I know that’s cruel, but you have to listen to us. You know we love you very much and this is not showing much respect to us.” She stopped and the room got quiet. Jack was looking down just taking in every word Lizzie was saying. Sissy let Lizzie do all the talking up till now. “Jack you need to get a life. We give you one week to get something going or a few of my friends and I are moving in with you.”

Jack looked up, looking at Sissy, “What?”

“Elle will love this. Carla will just whine about where she is going to sleep. She whines about everything, but she’s sweet. Jumper will think this is cool.”

“Isn’t she the girl mother said would never come into our house again? Jack she has the funniest hair, combs it up like a Mohawk, she wears this leather jacket with something written on the back that no one could understand.”

“I understand what it says.” Sissy kicked in trying to protect her friend.

“Do you understand that ring in her nose, those tight jeans, and those horrible boots?”

“Well she is not going to be living with you and your snooty friends in Chapel Hill. She is going to be here with me and Jack.”

 Jack started thinking about Martha’s R.V. Maybe he could stay in it. J.R. would not like that. Jack had to ask “Where did Jumper get her name and what is her real name?”

“You’re not going to believe this, it’s so cool. We were sitting around watching this concert in London, London England. Well, Jumper had to go to the bathroom and while she was gone in the middle of the crowd there was a girl that looked like Jumper. From the Mohawk hair, ring in her nose, black jacket. We all cracked up. Jumper came out of the bathroom and wanted to know what we were laughing at. We were kidding her about getting back so fast from London and jukebox Judy, that’s what we call her, said “She’s a Jumper.” You know, from the movie Jumper. This guy could go anywhere he wanted to go, forward or back in time. He could do it in a second. Bam he is in another place. Judy said Jumper came from London to our bathroom in a second.”

“What’s her real name?” Jack asked.

“Well we think her parents really hated her, they named her Jolene after Dolly Parton’s song. Hadn’t you rather be called Jumper?”

Jack was not going to ask about juke box Judy.

Jack was thinking that he wished Martha was here. She would have loved her story. It would have made her smile and she couldn’t get to Sissy fast enough to give her a big hug. These girls have no idea what they meant to their Nana.

Sissy jumped up, “I got to go. Jack, we’ll see you next Saturday.” 

Jack was thinking how could he take care of ever thing in one week?

After Sissy had left, Lizzie looked at Jack with a serious look on her face. “Jack, I worry about her, sometime I think she’s not paying any attention to what’s going on around her. She seems so care free and don’t think about what could happen to her. She never reads a newspaper or watches the news, she has no idea what’s out there.”

“Lizzie, she’s just seventeen, she’ll grow out of it. Maybe she’ll find a boyfriend and settle down a little.

“That’s what I’m afraid of, a boyfriend. She’s kind of cute when she’s cleaned up a little,”

“I don’t think she is going to fall in love. And if a boy gets too frisky, I think he will be taking his life into his own hands.”

“Wanting to do what Nana did is crazy. She could never do that.” Lizzie replied.

“Nana wasn’t quite as open when I met her. Things were different in the 60’s. She was a free spirit I guess, she saw things and felt things most other people didn’t. Sissy doesn’t know the whole story. She will find out when she is older.”

“I hope so, I got to go. You know she is serious about next Saturday.”

“I know, maybe I should make a plan.”

“You better. You wouldn’t last three days with Juke Box Judy and Jumper.”

They laughed and Lizzie was gone.

Jack had slept off and on all night which was no different than other nights before. Because he had running through his mind what Celia and Elisabeth had said, but it sounded different coming from them. They made his thoughts come real. It got to him knowing how his actions had affected them. It didn’t change how he hurt for Martha; she was the center of his world. He never thought Martha might be a big part of the center of their world, but they gotten on with their lives. He knew if anyone of them had let the passing of Martha affect them the way he had let it affect him, they couldn’t have gone on with their lives. He knew he couldn’t let Martha go, but he had to get on with his life the best he could. He knew what they were telling him was true so he had to do something for them. He didn’t want to die with them looking on. He made up his mind to do the best he could do to save them from his pain. They were caring enough with their own pain. Jack knew he had to make a plan but he didn’t know where to start.

      In the morning Jack fixed him a cup coffee if you to call it coffee, premixed with imitation milk chocolate, and imitation sugar. He popped a piece of bread in the toaster. He sat down at the table and was trying to come up with a plan. It was a warm morning and the sun was shining. He thought he would go out to Martha’s RV with his coffee. He knew he could feel Martha in the RV. He had been in her RV only one other time since the funeral. It’s been called hers because she went and bought it, she picked it out and they helped her pick out the truck she needed. She took lessons and she did it all on her own. She said it was like pulling around your own little house. It was like sitting on the beach and digging a hole while sitting in your chair with one foot. Put your foot in the hole and cover it up with the other foot. She would ask, “Doesn’t that fill good, Jack?”

Jack had no idea what she was talking about, it did feel good. He was wondering what she was trying to tell him. He knew it was something that he just didn’t see. The sand represented something but she saw lots of things Jack didn’t see. Maybe it was the ocean, the landscape, the trees, her RV where she felt so comfortable. She always told Jack about the people she met, where they were from, how many children they had, where they were headed, where they have been.. Or at the Mall, she would look at the architecture and say how different Malls were, and how different each architect saw things. Jack thought a Mall is a Mall. If it was slow in the morning after opening she would go into a store to look at some merchandise but she really went in to talk to the salesman or saleswoman. She would start a conversation by asking them something about themselves and as soon as she had one that would answer her questions. She would ask other questions until they were talking about their life without a question.  

Jack was watching and thinking, “Oh no, if that girl gets to talking we will never get away.”

Jack would look at Martha’s face and tell she was engrossed in what was being told to her, like someone reading a novel to her. Some of the stories were of hope and plans and others were sad and depressing. Martha would start asking questions at those sad moments and try to change the subject, most of the time she would.

There were lots of things Jack couldn’t see that he saw now that she was gone.

He was thinking maybe he should hook up this trailer to the truck and just take off, he and JR. As he sat there he saw Martha in the kitchen fixing breakfast while dancing around barefooted. That girl liked to go barefooted more than anyone Jack knew. Her day was just beginning and she had plans or not it still a day of adventure, Jack wanted to go back to bed.

He couldn’t hook up this trailer to the truck and take off, there was too much of her here.

He had to have a plan, he wanted to do what Lizzie and Sissy wanted him to do. He wanted to do what Martha would want him to do but he could never think of another woman but her. Jack felt that was not possible and how did she think that was a possible. There could never be another woman for him but her. He knew he couldn’t hook up this RV and hit the road. He really had no place to go,

Maybe he would go to Macon to see Nate and Molly or maybe to see Martha’s only living relative Connie. The only thing wrong with that plan was that Connie lives almost out to Key West, which would be a long way for just him and JR. to go. The plans he thought he had was quickly falling apart. He liked the RV idea but he couldn’t take Martha’s RV because there was too much of her there. Martha love her RV because she felt like it connected her to the world, she didn’t get a lot of that when she was young. Too bad he wasn’t more apart of Martha’s RV and her filling free to the point that every day was an experience. She had taught him a lot about her RV but half the time he wasn’t paying attention.

He remembered when he came home and there it sat. He went into the house and asks “Martha what is that in the driveway?”

“My RV” She was up stairs yelling down to him

“What is a RV?”

“You will find out.”

“Whose is it?”

“It’s mine, I bought it.”

“Why would you buy something like that?”

“You will see.”

“Whose big truck is that out there?”

“It’s mine.”

“Isn’t that a little big for you?”

“Not if it’s going to pull the RV.”

Having the RV enabled Martha to go to places and see things, met people she wouldn’t see or normally met Martha would say “Everything has a story, everything. A tree or blade of grass, anything made by man has a story.  The best story is man himself.” Now that she is gone Jack wish he had seen more things through her eyes, and it’s his fault he didn’t.

Jack had his head on a pillow leaning against the glass in the passage door. He wasn’t dead a sleep but felling the movement of the truck made him kind of snooze. He didn’t hear Martha say “Kingston, twenty miles, that sounds like an interesting place.”

When she turned off at the exit Jack didn’t even move, and then he felt the truck stop. He jumps up, “What’s wrong, Where are we?” He looked around and they were parked in front of this filling station that looked like it had been closed down for thirty years or more.  “Where are we?”

“Kingston. Exit 28 SC Road 262.”

“Martha, what are we doing here?”

All Jack couldn’t see was a row of buildings on each side of the highway. They were old, very old, it was creepy. It was like in the movies where the whole town was evacuated because of a great catastrophic big disease is coming. (How is that for being dramatic?)

Martha got out of the truck, Jack was not sure he should let her do that, walked up the side walk like she lived here. On the side of the building in very faded letters it read “Hawkins Hardware.” Just waking up Jack was a little disoriented but seeing Martha walk up the sidewalk he had better follow her, it’s probably not safe for a woman to be walking around here. The way it looked it’s probably not safe for men. He followed her into the hardware store; boy was it out date by at least sixty years. There was a big potbelly stove in the middle of the floor with two old men playing checkers, just like in the movies, you have seen it. Jack was glad the stove wasn’t lit; it was a bit warm outside. The store itself went way back with bens of bolts, nuts, nails, any size you could want. Any size, no matter what, bolt and nut you could want. There were shovels, rake, axes, and any tool you would need for farming or landscaping. Ways in the back were stacks of seed and fertilizer. The old wood floor was worn down so the knots were sticking up. (When old floors would wear the knots was the hardest part of the board so it didn’t wear as fast. I thought I would throw that in because I didn’t understand either.) The floors squeaked so bad there was no way you could sneak around in that store. There were three big rocking chairs sitting around the two playing checkers. Jack sat in one and it squeaked as bad as the floor, the two old men didn’t acknowledge he was there.

Martha was walking around the store just looking when she notices a boy sitting on the stage for the front window which was empty except for only a bag of seed, I guess to show ever who comes by that he had some to sale. The boy had a coke and what looked like peanuts floating around inside the coke.

“Where are your cokes?” Martha asks, we assume the store owner was the man behind the counter.

“Down at the end of that aisle.”

On the way back she picked up a bag of Toms toasted peanuts and walked over to the boy and asks “Is it ok if I sit down here?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“I’m Martha.”

“I’m Joseph.”

“Please to meet you Joseph.”

She sat down and sat the coke down beside her while trying to open the peanuts, it was a little bit of a struggle but she managed. The boy wasn’t staring but was watching out of the corner of his eye. Martha was trying to pour her peanuts into the bottle but about half was falling to the floor.

The boy turned to look at Martha, “May I help you ma’am.”

“Sure, there must be an art to this.”

The boy put his drink between his legs and squeezed so it wouldn’t fall over. He cupped his hand around the top of the bottle the shape of a half of a funnel, leaned the bottle away from himself just little. He held his hand up as if he was pouring. Martha did as Joseph showed her, the peanuts shot right into the bottle. Joseph’s peanuts were about gone. Martha took a swallow like you would normally drink a coke and brought the bottle down almost chocking .Joseph had a slight smile on his face.

“You have to hold your tongue a certain way, cover the hole of the bottle with your tongue. When you hold it up the peanuts will fall toward your tongue. When there is some peanuts on your tongue lower your tongue real slow, only about half way. When the coke starts flowing into your mouth the peanuts will come with the coke. Only let a couple come through before your mouth fills up with coke. Hold the peanuts with your tongue and swallow the coke and then chew the peanuts.”

“That’s a whole lot better than drinking a coke and every once in a while just throw a couple of peanuts in your mouth.” Martha was grinning. Joseph looked down and blushed; he didn’t mean to get so cared away with his description.

Martha turned up the bottle and gave it a try “Hey, I got three.”

Joseph had about a half of a coke and almost all his peanuts were gone. Martha reached into her pocket and pulled out a five, handed it to Joseph and asks “You want to get some more peanuts, yours is about all gone and I dropped about half of mine on the floor?”

Joseph got two packs of peanuts and laid the five on the counter. Mr. Hawkins gave Joseph the change, as Joseph walked off Mr. Hawkins had a big grin on his face. Joseph was a little shy and he had never heard him say so many words at one time. He handed Martha the change, she told him to keep it he might need to buy some more peanuts. She had a big smile on her face; Joseph caught the smile and knew she was kidding him. He smiled and with to putting the peanuts in his bottle. Martha watched Joseph expertly put the peanuts in his coke. She did ever thing Joseph did. Put the coke in between her legs and squeezed. Shaped her hand around the top like a funnel, she had already opened the bag of peanuts, leaning the bottle away from her body just a little and poured slowly.

“Hey, I didn’t drop a one.”

They sat there eating the peanuts out of the coke bottle. Martha turned about half way around and looked at the big rusting tin building across the street. You could barely tell what the letters on the old tin said.

“Does that say Kings Cotton Gen?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Can you show it to me?”

“Yes ma’am.”

As they were walking out Martha looked for Jack. One of the elderly gentlemen had left and the other one had talked Jack into playing checkers. Jack’s forehead was all wrinkled and his concentration was if the world was going to blow up and he had to save it with his next move. He didn’t see Martha and Joseph go out the door.

        “Are you called anything other than Joseph?”

        “Yes ma’am, Joe Stockton.”

As they stepped out of the hardware story onto the sidewalk an old Buick comes up the hill threw town, if you want to call it a town, doing about twenty miles an hour over the speed limit.

        “That’s Miss Ida, it seems like she has been here forever. She’s got to be close to ninety. Her and her husband came here after he retired from the Air Force, They bought one of those old plantation houses out in the middle of nowhere, nobody could see them fixing it up but they did. They must have had a lot of money. She has a maid that takes care of her but Ms. Ida says she is not her maid; she is her live in companion. Her husband died about fifteen years ago. Everybody thought she would move but she didn’t.”

        As they walked across the road Martha was looking at the old rusting cotton gen thinking she bet this place had a story.

        “Who was King on the side of the gin?

        “That’s Reuben King, who the town was named after.”

        “Is it safe to go inside?”

       “Yes ma’am. This place was built to last longer than either one of us. All the machinery is gone, all the steel, and anything of value was taken out a long time ago.”

        “How long has it been closed?”

        “My granddaddy worked here before it was closed. He is eighty seven now. Probably in the sixty’s or before. Granddaddy said when Americans started buying anything made of cotton from overseas that was the end. The cotton mill slowed down because they couldn’t sell their cloth, the cotton growers slowed because the mill slowed down and here it stands. Granddaddy said the old cotton gin is a symbol of our times, I told him I didn’t understand. He said I would someday. Mr. King was quite a big man here in the forties Granddaddy says, he owned a lot of land and he grew cotton on. It was pretty profitable to gin your own cotton but he had to have the other farmer’s cotton to make it go. Granddaddy told me at one time there were fifteen or more wagons and trucks lined up the street loaded down with cotton to get into the cotton gin. He said all the stores were open and on Saturday, some people came into town in the afternoon and stay until nine or ten at night. Mostly come to visit, it gets mighty lonely out on a farm.”

        Joe climbed down and stood by Martha and looked at the empty building for a few seconds and turned to Martha “That was a long time ago and Granddaddy said we haven’t learned a thing from it.”

       Martha was following Joe out to the sidewalk; he turned to make sure she was coming. She had turned to take some pictures of the inside of what was left of the gin. The pigeons had taken it over and now it was there sanctuary. They made enough noise to let everyone know it was theirs. When they got to the middle of the highway Martha stopped long enough to look up the highway at all the old empty buildings. She was thinking there was a lot of stories had been here but there was no one to listen, they were all gone.

        She took a picture of each side of the street with all the old closed buildings. Joe was standing in the door way of the hardware waiting for Martha. She turned to face the hardware and she saw something.

“Joe leans against the door frame and bends your knee and hold the toe of your boot sticking down like a cowboy.”  Joe smiled at the thought of being a cowboy. Martha took two pictures of Joe from two different angles.

        When she got back into the hardware store she was looking around the hardware store and asks “Mr. Hawkins is it ok if I take some pictures of your hardware store?”

    “You’re more than welcome to young lady.”

She lined her camera lenses up to the left corner and marked where the right side of the lenses stopped, took the picture and moved the left side of the lends where the right side was. She did this all the way around the room until she got to the right hand corner the building. Joe was watching with a little bit of a confused look on his face.

“When I put then all in a row it will be a panoramic view of the store.”

Joe held his mouth into a upside U, moved his head up and down to signify he approved.

“Joe, it was such a pleasure to meet you. You made my trip to Kingston very interesting and you have a very interesting story here. One day I’ll pick up a book and the tidal will be Kinston by Joe Stockton.” Joe’s smiled and it lit up his whole face.

“Mr. Hawkins, It has been an experience. Thank you for sharing your store with us.”

“It’s been a pleasure Martha, hope you stop by again when you come this way.”

“That would be nice, thank you again.”

Martha walked to the door and looked at Jack, it like radar from each one of them to the other. She didn’t say a word but Jack new where she was going; even so she would have waited all night if Jack was having so much fun he didn’t want to leave. She would have slept in the truck rather than say anything but she had here bed in the little house behind her truck... The same for Jack, if the little house wasn’t there he would have slept in the truck if there’s something Martha wanted to do all night that interested her he would waited for her and never said a word, maybe  “Did you enjoy yourself.?” Or “Did you have fun.” The older they got the more they realized there world was each other. Each wanted to give the other the latitude to experience something that maybe have forgotten or missed along the way. Martha would say there is so much to see and feel and taste after she drug Jack out of the office for good. He would sneak back to the office every once in a while to see what was going on as if Martha didn’t know it.

She went to the truck, pulled out her note book and started writing about her trip to Kinston. She liked details and information about her pictures so there was details about every pictures. She would put little stores and details about the picture so you would know what you was looking at. She would dedicate one to two pages maybe some time more, to each place she had been. Some people will want to show you where they went on their vacation or family reunion. They would pull out a stack of pictures of places and people that you have no idea where they have been or who are these people. You open Martha’s scrapbook and it will take to worlds that you never knew was there or it was there and you didn’t see it. When you see the page of Kingston, it’s like you were there, the old buildings, the old cotton gin. Especially Mr. Hawkins hardware store and Joe, that wouldn’t be the last time she ate peanuts out of a long neck glass coke bottle.

Martha was just finishing with her notes Jack was jumping in the truck. “I all most had him; I had two kings and two men. I had him cornered when all of a sudden he jumps my king and one of my men. I thought he had put his king out in the open so I went after him, I don’t know what happened but all of a sudden I had no king. After that I told him I had to go. Do you think he was a professional and didn’t want anyone to know?”

Martha burst out laughing; Jack liked to make her laugh’ “How many games did you win?”

“None”

 Martha laughed more.

“I almost got him a couple of times.”

      Martha laughed more “Sure”

She pulled out her planed note book to see where the nearest camp ground was. She always had everything planed out but sometime things wouldn’t go just as she planned. She knew how to adjust. It was quite an experience Jack thought, especially for Martha. Another page in her scrape book, Kingston, and take my word she had many pages filled. Who would have thought there were so many stories in Kingston, South Carolina exit 28 sc262?

Jack was thinking it was a lot more than he wanted to get involved in. So from that day on it was Martha’s RV. Today he realizes he should have been paying more attention. Maybe Martha thought that someday it would come to this, that’s why she was always trying to get him to take interest and learn as much as he could. He couldn’t take Martha’s RV so maybe there’s a Jack’s RV out there, maybe he should go investigate, and do some research like Martha did. Martha did not do anything unless she researched it first, that’s what he would do. Jack started with the computer, he was surprised at all of the information he could get. Went and got magazines that he could find at Champing World, Martha had liked Camping World, when on the road she would want to stop. Martha had them all mapped out as to where they all were on their route and RV parks the same. She always came out of the Camping World with something. She was not in the dark very often, she always had a plan.

Jack found the close’s Camping World and found some books, magazines, and a lot of stuff for RVing that he had not looked at. Martha loved looking at all the camping stuff that was available and Jack just walked around wanting to go. Jack noticed a guy going back and forth from the office by the shop door to the shop and back again. Jack thought maybe he was shop manager. Jack stuck his head into the office door and asks “Can I ask you a question,            

I’m going to buy a RV for the first time; do you have any surjection’s?”

“Well, are you going to live in it full time or is it just for going on vacation, to the beach, going to visit relatives?”

Jack hadn’t thought about that, the guy noticed the blank look on Jack’s face. Jack replied “I don’t know.”

“Well if you’re going to live in it full time there is  are more things to look for.”

“Thank you.” Jack didn’t want to tie him up while he was working but he did give Jack another area to research. 

Things were starting to fall into place; he was starting to feel real good about it and a lot more confident. Now he realized why Martha liked to do her research on everything. He felt like he about had his research together and he was ready to take on the dealer.

        Jack parked behind the Burger King next door not wanting to go driving up to the office like he couldn’t wait to buy. The lot was all fenced in but facing the street was a double gate for bringing in and out RVs. Jack saw it was not locked and one of the gates was ajar enough for him to slide though. There were rows and rows of RVs and Jack was thinking how could anyone pick from so many. The closer he got to the office some of the doors were open on a few so he thought he would check them out. A couple of them looked like Martha’s which is OK, she never was interested in being flashy. A couple he liked and might be interested in. He was getting closer to the office looking in all that was open. He looked around the last one in the row to see if the door was open. As he turned the corner BAM, there it was. Sitting between the office and shop in the back, three shades of brown and all four slid outs was extended. The owning was rolled out and it was hocked up to the electricity, he could hear the two air conditioner running. He was going to sneak around to the door not wanting to be seen. When he got inside he was fascinated that a RV could look better than most houses. On the counter was a list of all the amenities and the price they were dreaming they could get. On the list were things like Rustic Cherry cabinetry, a pair of glider/recliners, an entertainer center including a40-inch Samsung LCD HDTV, one piece radius shower with sliding glass door. The 23,000 pounds was a little concern to Jack. He didn’t know what Martha’s weighed but it didn’t seem to bother her.

        Jack was leaning on the counter looking at the list when the door opened and there was a face brighter than sunshine.

        “I thought I saw someone go in. I’m Bill Graves ” extending his hand.”

        “Jack.” As he shuck his hand.

        ‘Isn’t it a beauty?”

        “Is that a real wood or that clip together plastic floor that looks like wood?”

        Jack knew he had him, that’s why he didn’t want to come driving up like he needed help looking around. Now he was going to but that research to work.

        “How many squire ft.is in the refrigerator? Central vac, coring countertops, 26 inch TV up stairs, what type of mattress on the bed?”  The more questions Jack ask the more he got flustered. Then the question that got him.

        “How does the hydraulic leveling system work?”

        “Let me go get you information on that for you.”

        In a short while a more serious face came in, Jack knew they were bringing up the big guns. Jack was sitting in one of the recliners and didn’t bother to get up.  He put out and hand and walked over to Jack sitting in the recliner. “Hi I’m Rick Damien”

        “Jack.” He had to make them sweat a little and negotiate, Nate would never forgive him.

        Before Rick could open his mouth Jack ask “The price on the paper on counter, do you think this will bring that much?”

        It kind of caught Rick off guard, he was supposed to be asking questions “Well there is a little leeway.”

        “If a fellow was going to pay cash do think that leeway would get a little bigger?”

        “How about $220,000, how does that sound, that’s $25000 leeway?”

        Boy Jack wished Nate was here, he would take this man apart. He would have the man paying him just to get out of here. “How about $185000 cash, I have a RV I want you to sell, it came from here. Get market price, you get 10%. The remainder goes to Martha Herrington Carter charities. I need three days lessons on everything about this RV.

        “Where’s your truck?”

        “You don’t buy a truck until you know what you’re pulling.”    

        “Is $185,000 the best you can do?”

        Jack laughed, “That’s a hell of a way to make a sale, and I’ll be by in the morning with a traveler’s check. I’ll go get a truck and bring it by so yours boys can put a hitch in the back. I’ll bring the other trailer over day after tomorrow; I’ll give you the name of the attorney you will be working with on the sale of the trailer.” Jack could see a bit of a stir finding out he was working with an attorney on the sale of Martha’s trailer.

        After three days of training and practice Jack felt much better about be a RVer. He backed it all the way up the driveway in to the back yard and it’s not a short driveway. He started putting his cloths into the RV when he heard this sound coming up the driveway, it sounded like it was going right through the house. He had been so busy he hadn’t notist it was Saturday so after the sound stopped around the corner came Sissy and two other girls. Jack knew who one of the other girls was with her hair strait up, make up, and boots, Jumper. Sissy had a little look of disappointment on her face; she didn’t think Jack would make it. She was bringing the girlfriends over to see where they were going to move to.

        “Jack, I like your RV, when are you leaving?”

        “I don’t know but pretty soon.”

        “Is it OK if I show the house to Jumper and jukebox Judy?”

        “Sure.” Jack looked up to see jukebox Judy. At least she didn’t have boots on. He smiled to himself because seeing the disappointment on their faces he knew he totally had surprised Sissy. Jack thought he would ask them if they wanted to spend the night, second thought, Sissy with Jumper and jukebox Judy, maybe not. He hadn’t thought about when he was leaving, maybe he wasn’t in any hurry. Just he and JR and his memories, he thought it could be a lonely trip especially when he had now where he wanted to go.

Martha’s scrap book, he thought about giving it to Sissy but he didn’t want to feed her fire to go and do what Martha did. Jack felt she would enjoy seeing all the places Martha had been and the stories that went with them. When they came out of the house Sissy still had this disappointing look on her face.

“Come here I have something for you.” Jack went to the RV and came out handing her the scrap book and her face lite up.

“Nana’s scrape book, thank you Jack. Nana showed it to me one time but we only saw not even half. Thank you Jack, this is great.” The other two girls seemed not to have any idea what was going on.

Once they were gone Jack thought about it and was glad he had given it to her.

       

       

Jack wanted to get out of town before the traffic started its morning flow. He thought his biggest problem was getting out of the driveway without letting the wheels on the RV hit the curb. Martha could get out with her eyes closed, but he wasn’t Martha. It was still dark and he hated to drive in the dark outside the city lights. The oncoming lights blinded him. He missed the curb at the end of the drive way and made it to Interstate 85 South. Traffic wasn’t very bad on his side going south but going north toward town was getting pretty thick.                                                                                                                                 

        It was still dark when he made it to Gastonia where the traffic picked up considerably. After making it through Gastonia and on to the open road, the trucks came around as if he was doing half the speed limit. In reality he was going a little over the speed limit.        

        Twilight was starting to appear which made the trees on the side of road look black. They looked like a villain with his cloak pulled up to his face and hat down covering his eyes leaving enough to look at you. As it got lighter Jack could relax a little because he could see a little better.

        He knew he shouldn’t have had that cup of coffee before he left the house. But he needed the caffeine to help him get moving. He was thinking he could make it to the Flying J on the other side of Kings Mountain, and then he thought he wouldn’t want to see how fast he could get from the truck to the bathroom. So he decided the rest stop won the debate. It was the closest.

        It was quite in the truck to the point you would think he was alone. He started thinking about her again. For over a year, she possessed his total being. That was the only place his mind would go. His doctor told him that the anguish and grief would lead to depression which would kill him. With all the other problems he had maybe death might not be so bad. He couldn’t concentrate on anything but her, his mind stayed with her all day, every hour, and every minute. It’s the joy and fun they had; she was ninety percent always happy. That’s what he thought about all the time, they did have their emotional times. She would make it painless as possible, even for the boys. She taught them there was always a different way of looking at something, she would always tell Jack the same...                   

     

        One time Jack came home from work just beat. It was probably one of the worst days since he had taken this job, all he wanted was a hot shower, sit down, have a beer, and figure out what went wrong. He couldn’t wait to get in that hot shower. His mind kept going over and over what happened hoping the answer would pop in his head. Even in the shower he couldn’t get it out of his mind. He leaned his head against the tile wall let the hot water run over him.

        All of a sudden a gallon bucket, that’s a good size bucket, full of cold water with ice cubes, was dumped over the shower door. You could hear Jack scream for two blocks. It was so cold Jack couldn’t catch his breath. He turned the hot water on as hot as it would go to counter act the cold, all the cold went to the floor. He couldn’t get to the valve to turn off the hot, he was still screaming. He finely got the hot water turned off, opened the door just enough to stick his head out. All you could see was her head sticking around the corner of the bathroom door with a mischievous grin on her face.

         Jack took off chasing her down the hall; she wasn’t going to get caught. She ran down the hall and ducked in a guest room, Jack thought for sure he had her cornered. He went in and saw her on the other side of the room. He ran around the room and about had her until she ran across the bed. She ran down the hall to the master bedroom; Jack knew he could get her cornered there. As he got just inside the door she jumped on his back. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her legs around his body. She had been standing on a chair just inside the door. He spun around trying to make her let go. She let go and fell on the bed dragging Jack down with her. They lay there looking at each other all most nose to nose.

“I’ll get you back.”

She was running her hands around the back of his neck, up the back of his head which was still wet from his shower. She rubbed the sides of his face and had a look on her face that if she loved him every day, it wouldn’t be enough.

“I might let you.”

She started kissing all over his face, little pecking kissing.

“I don’t have any clothes on.”

“Yes you do the water from the shower, that’s all you need.”

Then she rolled him over so she was on top. He pulled her down so they were nose to nose again. She grabbed his head and pulled it up so she could kiss him lightly on the lips. Then she gave him one of those X-rated kisses that make any man come alive.

Jack was thinking “It doesn’t get any better than this."

        In his mind he wanted to live the good times, the happy times that make you feel that life was wonderful. Sure there were times you didn’t feel things were so wonderful, but most of the time she could get things to be bright and simpler .You would find the world wasn’t crashing down on you after all. Jack didn’t ever want to stop thinking about her. From their middle twenties to their middle sixties she was his whole life, Jack never thought that at some time it will come to an end. It never accrued to Jack that at some time he would never ever see her again.

     

       Over his shoulder he said “We’ll stop at the rest stop, when I come back I’ll take you for a walk.” No movement from the back seat.

        Walking up the sidewalk Jack made a pact with himself not to drink coffee that early in the morning. He knew better but he thought he could beat the system. At a certain age, there is no beating the system. At some point, and Jack knows this, he should wear a sign around his neck that says “I CAN NOT BEAT THE SYSTEM!” There is, in life at a certain age there is a certain predetermined limit that a body can endure; anybody that does not agree is kidding themselves. It wouldn’t take long before that person would be wearing a sign. Early morning coffee is one of Jacks predetermined limits.                         

        As Jack came down the hill he saw no movement, as he walked around the truck to the driver’s door, no movement. He opened the door and picked up the leash off the floor. Something hit the floor, knowing the leash would be put on. A sign that he was getting out was all he needed to start moving. It was already established that JR tries to smell where every other dog had put down his mark and moved on. It was J.R.’s responsibility to find those places and mark again. You would wonder how one dog could hold so much pee. The grass was about two hundred or so feet from the truck. J.R. started to mark every spot he could find, and then he suddenly stopped and looked at the truck. He was standing in that stiff attention position with his ears up like antennas, looking very hard at the truck. Jack turn toward the truck just in time to see what he thought was something in black crawling under the tarp in the back of the truck. The tarp was covering up a lawnmower he was taking to Nate to give away to someone in need. That might have been a mistake; Nate sure didn’t need the money, but if there was money involved it was all fun and games.

        J.R. had gone on about his business marking everything. Jack thought maybe he didn’t see anything, but he did see it, even if it wasn’t quite daylight. Maybe J.R.’s smeller was out of whack because normally he would have gone crazy. You could have heard him for blocks. But it couldn’t be his smeller because everything from light poles, curbs and bushes had a wet spot on them. Jack knew he was not going to depend on J.R. to keep him safe. He knew he saw something and that’s all there was to it.

        Now the big question is what was he going to do? Maybe J.R. will catch a scent when he’s closer to the truck, start barking and whoever is under the tarp will jump out and run.

        Jack gave a little pull which J.R. knew was the signal to head back to the truck.

        “O.K., I’m counting on you to bust loose when we get close to the truck, you got it J.R.?”  J.R. heard his name, gave a little head turn and kept on walking. When they were about thirty feet from the truck Jack was whispering “O.K.J.R.” nothing. Twenty feet “J.R.” a little louder whisper. J.R. was bouncing along as if he was in a parade right up to the driver’s door and stopped. He looked at Jack for him to open the door and take the leash off. Jack was still whispering and J.R. could care less, he wanted the door opened. Jack was whispering something about J.R. being a terrible watch dog, and he should tie him to a light pole and leave him. Whoever it was under the tarp could hear every word Jack was saying. After the leash came off J.R. jumped up into the back seat and laid down on his side. Jack could not believe he could be so unconcerned.

        So much for a watch dog? Jack would hate to have to depend on him if an unlawful, crooked, villainous, depraved, culprit, gangster, desperado; tough bad guy was under that tarp as J.R. slept. Jack thought about pulling up the tarp and telling ever who was under there to get the hell out of his truck, and then it occurred to him that he wasn’t stupid. It might be the last time he asks anyone to do anything. Maybe if he stood more in front of the truck and yelled “I know you’re under there.” they would get out. They may get out and he wished they hadn’t. He couldn’t just stand there trying to figure out what to do, maybe he should take J.R.s attitude, do nothing.

        It was a chilly morning and under the tarp with the dead grass and gasoline smell from the lawnmower, it wouldn’t be a very pleasant ride.

     He pulled out of the rest stop on to the interstate he kept looking in the mirror to see if he could see anything. If they put their face against the back window he might jump out of his skin and scream as he wrecked. After a few miles he saw the billboard, Flying-J, two miles, maybe he could make it. As he pulled into an RV parking space at the Flying-J it was getting daylight, not quite as spooky. After he stopped he had to take a few deep breaths. You know who was still a sleep. Jack decided to get out - real slow.  Who knows this day and time someone might jump out with a gun? The only thing they could shoot at was his ass because he would be in that door of the Flying J faster than they could pull the trigger. Then he thought how silly, if someone was going to shoot they would have by now. Who would have road under the tarp smelling gas and dead grass for twenty five miles? Someone as hard up as that for a ride sure didn’t have a gun. He thought he would be really casual by stepping out of the truck slowly, and closing the door real slow. He couldn’t resist. Martha would never have forgiven him, always be polite. He lifted the corner of the tarp just a little.                                                        

“Going for breakfast, you’re welcome to come.” He was taking his time when he heard what sounded like two pieces of wood hit the pavement. That got his attention - speaking of guns. . . He wanted to turn around but he was trying to be cool. (Can old men in their sixties be cool?) It took all he could do not to turn around. Jack thought maybe if he turned around and gave a little motion for them to follow him in to a free breakfast, maybe if he turned real slow and gave a smile and motioned at the same time...                 

        “What the hell.” He hoped he didn’t say it loud enough for “It” to hear what he said, sorry Martha. In the back side window of the truck was a little round head with two alert ears. Not a bark and no getting excited. (Maybe he felt the same way Jack did “What the hell?”)

        Jack was walking backward so it was quite obvious he wanted to see what was following him. Jack hadn’t ever seen anything quite like it. Was this a new teenage rebellion?

        It had on a pair of black boots with three inch heels about the size of two 2x4’s nailed together. That’s what made the wood sound when it jumped off the truck. The pants were stuffed into the boots. The pants looked like they had been painted on, but Jack did see a seam running up the leg, so he assumed that if they were painted on no one would go to the trouble of painting a seam up the leg. Maybe two people held the pants while” It” jumped in. He didn’t know how they were ever zipped up. As black as the pants were so was the t-shirt under the jacket. The jacket was the only thing that was a little loose. The hair hung down its back about half way flowing down its shoulder like, who can describe this? Jack had seen a lot of hair in his day but this one came by itself. It matched the black finger nail polish and black lipstick. Jack didn’t know they even made black nail polish and lipstick. He didn’t even know anyone who would wear black nail polish and lipstick. The face had a, what looked like, white makeup. Maybe it wasn’t white makeup after all; maybe It stuck its head into a bag of self-rising flour, (don’t forget the black eye shadow), made It look like a raccoon.                                                                                                                                                     

Jack picked a booth with one side facing the door; he had to see this straight on.   

He motioned for It to sit. It came strutting across the floor like a rock star hoping someone would ask for his autograph. It flopped down into the seat. The waitress walked up with a pot of coffee; the cups were already on the table.

  “Would you like some coffee?” The waitress asked.

  “Sure would, need the pick-up, want some coffee.”

 Looking at the Thing, “No, I don’t drink coffee!”              

     “What would you like to drink?” asked the waitress laying two menus on the table.                                                                                                                                                          “The biggest diet coke you have, half ice, half coke, put the ice in first.” Jack was intrigued watching It acting like It was so bad and tough. “I think I’ll go to the breakfast bar, I had it before, not bad.”  

        Jack noticed It sat watching to see what he did. Then It got up, got a plate and went down the opposite side of the bar. It was piling as much breakfast on the plate as It could get.                                                                                                                    “You’re going to get sick, especially if you haven’t eaten for a while.” Jack got a little of this and a little of that, sat down. It was shoveling it in as fast as It could. He knew It hadn’t eaten for a while. He wondered if It was girl or boy. You couldn’t tell with all the makeup and it was quite obvious the hair was a wig. Jack couldn’t tell looking in Its face. About that time, its jacket opened while It was shoveling food in. He was glad she couldn’t hear what he was thinking. “Yea, it’s got tits, sorry Martha; it has breasts, so undoubtedly it’s a girl.”

       She didn’t see the two State Troopers come in until they sat down at the counter. When she noticed, she slipped down in the seat, holding a menu in front of her face. It looked as if she couldn’t make herself any smaller. Jack could tell she was really scared. (To this day Jack does not know what he was thinking.)

Jack was looking down so she couldn’t see him grin; it amused him to listen to her talk so tough.      

“Because he might bite you. I think he likes you a little because if he hadn’t he would have bit you by now.”

“What do you mean not by now?”

“I saw him almost take a little boy’s arm off because the boy was standing on his sidewalk.”

“He bit a kid?”

“Well the boy was on his sidewalk but I don’t think he will bite you because he would have already. Like I said, I think he likes you.”

        “If he tries to bite me I’ll cute his fucking head off.”                                                                 

        They had been together for about two hours and the amusement was getting better. He couldn’t just throw her out of the truck, especially in that outfit. It seemed as if she hadn’t been around the neighborhood much, just stuck close to home. The last two hours had been entertaining to say the least. Jack picked up the Styrofoam box so J.R. didn’t have a chance to take a bite out of it. The last time he did, he got sick in Jack’s truck. He reached behind the seat for J.R.’s leash.

As Jack started to walk across the parking lot with JR she said “Where are you going?”

“I’m going to go walk J.R.”      

“I thought we were going to get out of here.”

 “We are, but we have to walk J R. first. As she slid further down into the seat, she said “Why don’t you just stick his ass out the window?” Jack was about to burst out laughing but he didn’t want her to see him. He was getting tired of the language; he didn’t want to say anything at the moment. She was acting so frustrated, Jack was enjoying the drama. Jack took his time walking across the parking lot to the grass. J.R. bounced along as if he was a majorette in a parade, and he was in no hurry either.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

Jack could tell she was starting to steam as he and J.R. strolled across the parking lot. J.R. had this bouncy-bouncy walk. She had slid down into the seat; her eyes were just looking out of the bottom of the window. Jack knew she was watching them. J.R. put a drop on every blade of grass and bush. Jack gave the leash a little tug to let him know it was time to go. J.R. tugged back to let Jack know he wasn’t ready. J.R started this around and around business looking for the right spot, anything to take up a little more time. They walked some more down the grass, J.R. smelling. Then J.R. decided to go to the truck, going across the parking lot like he was walking in a funeral. She just sat and stared at them. J.R. jumped into the back seat and stretched out like he was ready for a nap. Jack took a wide turn around the parking lot instead heading for the exit.       

“Where are you going?”           

“We got to get some diesel fuel. You know diesel fuel, like gasoline.”

        “Couldn’t we get that somewhere on down the road?”                                 
      “Guess we could but we’re already here. Get out and help and it will go faster.”    

“I don’t do diesel” Jack grunted as he got out of the truck as if he was eighty years old. He saw her lean over to the driver’s door so she could see what he was doing. He flipped this little door on the side of the truck , screwed this cap off, put this funny looking gun with a hose on it into the truck, pulled out a credit card and put it into this thing. His fingers were doing something, and then he grabbed the funny looking gun and held the trigger. She could tell the diesel was flowing. “That don’t look so fringing’ hard” she thought. Jack got back into the truck and was fiddling around with his seat belt, checked the mirrors, turned on the window wipers, turned them off, turned on the key but not the truck.            .

        “What’s wrong, it won’t crank?”                        

        “Oh it will crank but a diesel has to warm up before it's cranked.”

        “How long does this take?”

        “Just a minute or two.There is this heating element that heats up these things like spark plugs, only diesels don’t have spark plugs.”

Jack could tell she was about ready to scream. He cranked up and sat for a moment.

“We have to let it warm up a minute.”

      “I wouldn’t have a piece of crap you couldn’t get in and drive.”  Jack turned his head so she couldn’t see him smile to himself; this was getting to be too much fun. He started driving around the gas pumps toward the exit when he saw the State Troopers come out of the restraint. She did too. She slid down in the seat.             

      “Can’t we go any faster pulling that big old boat?”

He had never heard it called a boat. As he went around the lot to the exit the Troopers got in there cars and pulled up behind the R.V. As they got to the highway one of the officers came around the R.V, the other one was behind them. About that time you heard a siren blare out. She slid further down into the seat.

Jack could hear her say real low, “Oh shit.”

The Trouper came around fast going to a call; you could tell she started back breathing. She slid back up in the seat as if nothing happened. Jack pretended nothing happened.

      They were quiet for about ten miles. Jack wasn’t going to ask any questions because it wasn’t any of his business. He was going to drop her off as soon as he had a chance; this kid had lots of problems.                          

        Jack would look at her, and then turn back to the front, then to her, then back to the front. He did that about three times; she would glance up to see him looking at her. She stuck her hand in her jacket pocket and out came this knife. Jack heard this little click and out popped a blade about six inches long. It didn’t scare him, in fact he wanted to burst out laughing, but he didn’t want her to think he wasn’t taking her serious. She looked at him as if she was really bad and not to be played around with. She waved the knife around to make sure Jack could see it.

      “Old man, if you try to put your hands on me I‘ll cut your balls off and pull your cod sack over your head like a bogging.”

      “Don’t worry angel, I have no intentions of trying to put my hands on you.”

      “Don’t call me angel!”

      “Don’t call me old man!”

        Jack almost busted out laughing. He thought he had heard it all but that was a classic. He wanted to come back with something ridiculous like “You don’t have to worry; this soldier hadn’t stood at attention for a long time.” He didn’t want to play the game, beside Martha wouldn’t like it. It was still funny.

        Jack knew he had to get her out of those preposterously weird clothes and into something normal. He knew that wasn’t going to be easy.

The tone of her voice caught Jack’s attention, it was even civil.

        “Isn’t there a rest stop not too far down the road?”

Jack was thinking maybe she wanted to wash some of that stuff off her face, then maybe not. He told her eating like that would make her sick, oh-no, not in my truck.

           He tried to speed up but you can only go so fast pulling fifteen thousand pounds. He took the ramp a little fast, J.R. stuck his head up to see what was going on. Jack didn’t get completely stopped when she jumped out and ran behind the tractor trailer truck next to them and bent over. She didn’t think they could see her. Jack laid his head back on the seat not looking because he didn’t want to embarrass her. Someone in the back seat couldn’t look any harder; his eyes were frozen on her, ears sticking straight up. If he could have laughed he would have.

She came from behind the truck and turned to go up the hill to the rest rooms. Jack was looking the other way to let her handle it, he wasn’t going to say anything, but he did tell her she would get sick. Jack wasn’t going to look straight at her, he really didn’t want to embarrass her, but in the back seat somebody couldn’t get there face any closer to the glass. His noise was all most against the glass, eyes as big as they could be stretched. Ears up like a soldier in formation. As she came down the hill Jack could tell she washed a lot of the clown makeup of her face. How could such a pretty girl get herself in to so much trouble? It doesn’t matter, he’s not going to get involved, and he was going to get rid of her at first opportunity, he kept telling himself.

She came down the hill and got into the truck without saying a word.

“I have to walk J.R.”

“Whatever.”

Jack picked up the leash and J.R. was right there, all he had to do was put it on and he was out. The black asphalt parking lot was a little hot; J.R. picked his feet up more than usual. When he made it to the grass he started his smelling and marking. The day was beginning to warm up so he was in no mood to stay out long. If there’s anything J.R. likes is air conditioning. After he tiptoed across the parking lot Jack opened the door he was in. He gave J.R. a little water from a bottle he had in a cooler behind the seat, J.R. preferred his water a little cool. That was something Martha would say, he had more personality than most people, only because she spoiled him by treating him like a person.

                  The girl was just sitting there looking straight ahead, a little pale in the face for what he could see. Jack thought he would leave her be but somehow he had to convince her how outlandish her outfit was. They rode twenty miles or so not saying a word; Jack knew he was running out of time. They were almost to Spartanburg and on the other side of Greenville was the shopping center. OK let’s give it a try.

“You know if someone was looking for you----.” She cut him off before he could finish his sentence.

“No one is looking for me!”

 “I didn’t say anyone was looking for you, I said if they were.”

“What gives you the idea that someone is looking for me?”

“That’s not the point.” How could he put this without being thrown out of the truck “The point is you stick out just a little.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

“There’s nothing wrong with the way I look.”

“Well take the restaurant we were just in, what you saw was some truck drivers, construction workers, and some old people that are R. V.ers. Now if you looked over the whole restaurant it all goes together except one thing, the one that has different cloths.”       

Jack could tell she was letting it all roll around her head; she didn’t say anything, just sat looking straight ahead.                                                                                                         “I know a nice Salon Martha liked to go to some time we came down this way. It’s a very nice place, these girls will get you some nice cloths and fix your hair, make you look like a different person.”

 “I don’t like beauty shops; I don’t like people messing around my damn face.” Not that she ever had been to a beauty shop. Jack thought here goes the language again.

“Oh no, you got it all wrong, this is a Salon, not a beauty shop. There’s a lot of difference in the two, a Salon has a lot more class than a beauty shop. They take better care of you and do a much better job. You’ll come out a completely different person.”

She was looking straight ahead out the windshield but the question she thought was “What am I doing here?” She had been on the run for three days and this is the forth. She was scared and has been ever since Sheila put her out at the rest stop, and she was very-very tired .The more she felt the truck move the more she wanted to sleep. It was like being rocked to sleep real slowly.

She didn’t know what to tell him, maybe nothing was best.

        She hated to continue being a little bitch but she didn’t know what the situation was. He was being too nice, maybe he’s lonely, but riding around in this new truck pulling this big boat he calls a R.V. and this small dog that gives me the evil eye. She never liked dogs since her grandmother said people shouldn’t waste food on a mutt when they couldn’t feed themselves, or there was always someone that could use the food. Besides they were all dirty she said.

        Coming out looking like a different person might not be a bad idea, it did make her a little nervous not knowing what to expect. The old man seemed to want it and it was a bad idea to have let Sheila and her friend talk her in to this getup.

        Jack turned his head over his shoulder “J.R. I’ll take you out as soon as we get to the Mall.”

        She thought it was real smart for him to use J.R. as an excuse to stop at the Mall; it really would give her an opportunity to do something with herself. Get rid of these cloths, take a shower and wash her hair, but she didn’t want him to know she was so willing.         

        Jack was coming up on the exit; he was going to take it because he had to take care of J.R that was a great idea at the last minute. As he turned off the interstate up the ramp he thought she would turn in to that little bitch. She didn’t say anything, just looked a head like she had been doing, Jack was thinking so far so good, now if he could make it around the shopping center to the back. Maybe if he could get to the Carnation Salon he would have it made. He didn’t want her to start screaming and cursing because he brought her here, she needed it so bad she had to realize that. 

        He pulled around the side of the Mall to the back; thank god they didn’t have to go inside the Maul. He was holding his breath a little because he felt it was his idea. If it didn’t work out he would have to listen to her cursing and raising hell. He felt it didn’t matter because he was going to drop her off somewhere. He couldn’t leave her like this that would be curial. As he got closer to the salon he was waiting (how does it go) with baited breath. When he got there he pulled into the parking lot taking up about ten spaces, it was before ten and you no and I know stores want open till ten. (I’ve been there five minutes before ten, they still wouldn’t open, I’m birchen, sorry, on with the story. Does he get her in there or not?)

      He was thinking when he turned off the truck getting her out of it would be one of the biggest obstacle. He turned the key real slow but that was crazy, the diesel, you could hear at the other end of the parking lot. He eased out of the truck as if he didn’t want to wake the baby, she sat looking straight ahead. As Jack walked in she                                                                                                                                                                                                         could tell he had been here before and they knew each other quite well. He had his head looking down as she was                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              telling him something that very serious while holding his hand. Jack kept shaking his head up and down as to agree with her.                                  

“Well Jack Carter, so glad to see you.”                                              

 “I thought I would be catching you by surprise.”

 “We are so sorry about Martha, didn’t know about her funeral but we got her letter, she told us how much fun she had knowing us. She said she didn’t spend as much time as she would have liked, she was a wonderful Lady.”

        This was the first Jack had heard of the letters.

“What can we do for you?”                                                                                                                                      “I have Martha’s cousin‘s daughter in the truck; I’m taking her home to her mother. She got involved with a strange group and her dress is not what I want her mother to see. If you could help me out I would be very grateful, she really needs help.”

She saw the older woman give Jack a hug, must be really good friends. About that time two more girls came in, one in her late twenty’s, the other maybe twenty. They hugged Jack too, must really be a close crowd. She could see Jack talking to all three now, sure would like to know what they were saying.                                                   “She has nothing, so if you could get her whatever a girl needs, everything from tooth brushes to sneakers. I know she needs lots of work.”

 “Come on Jack, she can’t be that bad.”

 “I’ll go get her, she’s a little rough.”

          Jack walked out to the truck briskly hoping she wouldn’t change her mind. He started to open the passenger door but had second thoughts. He didn’t want to seem as if he was pressing her, she didn’t seem the type to be pressed. He didn’t want her to start this cursing thing and get all pissed off, then he thought why should he care, she’s nothing to him., he was just trying to help here out, get her out of that hideous outfit, get her cleaned up a little, get some deceit cloths and she not raise hell, sorry Martha. He walked around to the driver’s side, opened the door, pulled himself up into the seat, not saying a word. They sat there neither saying anything. Jack couldn’t understand why she wanted to keep playing this bad ass game, maybe that was one of the attractions he had toward her and he wanted to see how far she would go. He knew there was something under that entire garb and bad ass attitude. He didn’t want to rock the boat, but he wanted for something to happen.                                                                                                                             “They are waiting for you in there.”   

“If they screw over me in there I’m going to be really pissed off old man.”  

 “Don’t worry angel, they’ll take good care of you.” 

“Don’t call me angel.”                                                                                                                                                       “Don’t call me old man.!”                                                                                                                                                    She got out and slammed the door to prove she was still in charge. Jack thought maybe he should sit a moment to see if she was going to slug someone. It seemed to go pretty smooth, they got her to remove that leather jacket, hope she don’t lose her switch blade. Jack decided he had better move his rig before some Security Guard came buy and ask him to move.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

                       J.R. slept through the whole thing, you would think he would want to be there to see her off. His smeller should have told him she was gone.

He stirred a little when Jack moved the truck, looked up, laid back down as if he didn’t care if Jack had just ran over her.                

Jack felt he needed a sandwich or something; his breakfast had been used up trying to do the right thing for this girl. Jack stepped out of the truck and there was a Mc Donald’s at the end of the parking lot. One of J.R.’s most favorite things was a Mc Donald’s hamburger, just meat and bun.                                                                                   

“Think I’ll go down to McDonald’s for a burger.”

        That’s all it took for J.R. to stand straight up looking at Jack wanting to know if he wasn’t back yet. It was quite a show watching J.R. and his hamburger from McDonald’s. He took it with only meat and bun; with anything else he wouldn’t eat it. He stood in the back seat looking out the window. Soon as he saw Jack coming and he could not be still, just moving around with anticipation. He sees the bag in Jack’s hand. As soon as Jack opened the door he wanted to jump out but he knew he had to wait for permission to get out. He was running in place wanting to get out. Jack put the bag on the ground and stepped back. J.R. came jumping out of the truck and grabbed the bag and started to throw it around like he had just caught a varmint. The hamburger came flying out of the bag, J.R. stops to look at the burger. He drops the torn bag and decides the burger is upside down. What determines upside down is the rapping of the paper around the burger, with the edges of the paper up. He flips the burger over with his nose. He starts to unfold the wrapping one corner at a time. The way he does that is he puts one foot on top of the Berger, not hard enough to mash the burger. He then, with his teeth, pulls backing one corner at a time. Once he gets the paper laid out with the burger in the middle you would think he would gobble it up, he sits looking for the right moment then flips the bun off the top exposing the meat. Just smelling the meat gives such pleasure, he lick’s it a couple of times. The meat is eaten in small bites to make it last as long as possible, when he finished with the meat he gobbled down the bun, and then he jumped into the back seat.

Jack picked up the paper; no trash can, wading the paper into a ball, and then threw it in floor of the truck. Thought he might take a little nap to kill some time. He had been here before so he knew about how long it would take, most of the day.                                          

            All of a sudden J.R. started barking as loud as he could. Jack jumped straight up it scared him so; he looked around to see what was going on with J.R. still running around in the back seat. He looked at his watch to see how long he had been asleep; it had only been only a few hours. He looked up to see this kid with a very wrinkled shirt that looked like he had slept in it for a week, it appeared his tie had been rolled up in his back pocket the same amount of time. He was a good fifty feet away                                

 “It’s just a kid going to work.”                                                                                                                         J.R. kept barking, running around in the seat.

  There was a sidewalk between the two rows of cars with a small incline; Jack still couldn’t see what all the commotion was about looked down the sidewalk and all he saw was the kid going to work. Jack saw someone coming up the hill in front of the boy.

 The boy walking backward to look at whoever it was that just pasted him, he bumped into a car and had to turn around.            

“J.R., stop barking, he’s already gone.”                                                                                                                                       He toned it down to a growl and small barks while looking down the sidewalk. Jack could not figure out why he was so interested in the girl coming up the sidewalk, the closer she got the prettier she got. She had this self-confidence walk that caught Jack’s attention. She was a bit over dressed for someone shopping at the mall. She had on a cream colored dress with saffron all around it that had a print the same color as the dress underneath, matching shoes and pocketbook, not a hair out of place       

Jack expected her to turn but she didn’t, she was walking straight for the truck. He looked back being a little bit more observant. It couldn’t be, how could anyone girl change so much. As she got closer he could see the little smile on her face saying she couldn’t believe it either.

Jack didn’t know what to say “I knew there was something pretty under all that black,” that sounds stupid,  I shouldn’t say anything about the other outfit, maybe I should say something like, “Boy are you beautiful,” that’s something you would tell a little girl when she’s all dressed up,   “Aren’t you glad you went,” that’s the worst yet. About that time her hand touched the door handle and opened the door. Jack was lost for words, he just look at her coming through the door and sitting down.      

“WAW:” was the only thing that came out... Jack kept looking at her not believing this was the kid in all that black, J.R. was standing up in the back seat staring at her.

Again with the “WAW”

She sat with her legs crossed and holding her purse in her lap, looking straight ahead. Jack just let her sit for a minute to enjoy a little more what had just happened to her. Without turning to Jack she was looking straight ahead. “Sandra wants you to drive around to the front of her shop.” She didn’t see J.R. standing up in the seat looking at her. Jack had room to swing the R.V. around the parking lot. Trucks and R, V.; s this big doesn’t turn on a dime. He pulled up to the front door of the shop with the door of the R.V. across from the shop door. She got out and Patricia took the girl around to the driver’s side truck mirror, J.R. popped his head out of the window, he started doing his windshield wiper dance. Patricia hadn’t seen him for a long time.

 The girl jumped back “Watch out, he might bite you.” Patricia chuckled “Who told you J.R. would bite?”                                                                                                                                                                            “      The girl knew she had been had.”

 “Martha would bring him with her when she came by, JR wouldn’t bite a fly.”  

  Patricia rubbed his head while JR kept doing his dance.

 “Go ahead, pet him.”                                          

She was thinking maybe it was her he didn’t like; she sure didn’t want to get bit. “Come on, I promise he want bite.” She raised her hand to give him a little touch, he stopped in his tracks. She started to take her hand back when Patricia grab her hand and moved it to his head. She rubbed him softly as if not to mess his hair. As soon as she took her hand back J.R. started doing his windshield wiper dance. She knew she had been made a fool of; she did not like being made a fool of. She and Patricia was fixing hair in the truck mirror and playing with J.R. She was so perky she didn’t see Jack and Sandra taking the new cloths into the R.V.

She went back to primping and playing with her hair in the mirror, Patricia was telling her how great she looked. She backed up to see her dress in the mirror. She didn’t think she had ever felt so good.                  

“It’s time to go.” Jack wanted to say it as softly as possible. He didn’t want to ruin the mood. She gave every one a hug; you would think she wanted to stay because she didn’t want the fantasy to end.

        She walked around the R.V. to the passenger door so she wouldn’t walk by Jack; he felt the air of coldness. He cracked the truck and sat to let it warm up. He looked at her and thought how pretty she was, she cared herself very well. He wasn't sure of her age but any young man would pursue her, Nate could give her all the help she needed. 

She sat with an infuriating face, looking straight ahead. She was trying to project and air of being angry, but as good as she felt it was hard to do. He did bring her here and everything he said was true but she didn’t like being fooled by something as silly as a dog, especially a dog she didn’t even like.

After they got back on interstate 85 south nether said anything, Jack not knowing want she was mad about, maybe she was not going to talk to him until they got to Macon, then it would be good bye. The quite was starting to get Jack, maybe he could find out why she was mad.

“Well Marty do you--------.”

“How do you know my name? I bet that bitch Ann told you, if I had wanted you to know my name I would have told you. People are always trying to pull something like when they tell you a goddamn lie. People should mind their on damn business so you wouldn’t believe everything they say.”

Jack had heard enough, how she could go from a pretty intriguing young girl to a little bitch so fast.                          “      “Grow up and stop acting like a spoiled brat, what’s your problem!” 

She sat for a minute not even looking at him. He was waiting for her to maybe answer his question; she could take it any way she liked. If he could get her to Nate’s she wouldn’t be his problem. He hated to do this to Nate; maybe he should put her out in Atlanta. Jack thought what he said about growing up would set her off, if he had to put up with that language anymore he might put her out now.

“You lied to me and made me look like a embezzle.”        

“When did I lie to you?”

“You know when you lied to me, have you forgotten so quickly.”   

“No I haven’t forgotten but I lie so much I don’t know which one you’re talking about.”

She could tell he was starting to getting irritated; she wanted to pay him back for what he did to her. She didn’t like being made a fool of; even that grinning dog was in on it.

“You lied about the dog biting me.”

“You mean you’re up set about J.R. having a little fun; I can make him bite you if that’s all it takes.”

“Don’t fuck with me old man.”

   “Angel, when you grow up you’ll find out there are things to worry about and things to laugh about and throw away.”

Nobody said anything for what seemed like an hour. The silence didn’t bother Jack at all; he had about got to the part where he’s ready to give up being a Good Samaritan.                            

        “My name is not Angel.” that wasn’t as harsh as Jack had expected; he was totally caught off guard. “My name is Margaret Frances Whittaker. I’m called Marty; my grandmother gave me that name when I was born.”                                                                                                                                               

Jack was totally surprised how civil she could be, even her voice had changed.                                  

“Jack Carter, I’m pleased to meet you Marty.” 

“I know.”

“You know what, I’m Jack Carter or I’m pleased to meet you?”                     

 “I know, the girls at the shop told me.”

“Now why did they do that, if I had wanted you to know my name I would have told you?” Jack had a big smile on his face just poking a little fun. She didn’t look at him even though she had decided not to be a little bitch; he deserved that because he really was trying to be nice to her. Marty felt more comfortable with him, she didn’t feel that she needed her knife. Dam it, she didn’t know why she said it, not to get back at him she knew, maybe it really was to relay what the girls had said. Jack’s smile went away; he wasn’t as jovial as he was, not that his mood had changed, just more serious.

“Girls in the shop really liked Martha; they said she was quite a lady. They said she made everybody around her feel special.” Marty saw his mood change; she knew she had taken the wind out of his sail. She didn’t acknowledge that he was there, just sat with her eyes looking forward, that was the worst thing she could do. She was so tired she had to close her eyes. Jack noticed her head bobbing around; he could not understand why she didn’t lay her head back on the head rest, maybe she didn’t want to mess up her hair. He could tell she was asleep from her breathing. It was like her body was still but her head was rolling around, it looked real funny. Jack was smiling not laughing, but it was hard to hold it back.

Jack was checking his watch because he wanted to get to Macon before dark. He thought about getting to Atlanta about four or five; never get to Atlanta about four or five. All of a sudden he heard this bong against the glass. It was loud enough it made J.R. get up and looks. Jack was looking around and then he looked at her. Her body had fell over with her head first. Her neck was at a ninety degree angle. “J.R., if we leave her like that her neck will never be the same (Now is a good time to tell you about J.R., he is one of those dogs that have been treated like he was human to the point he thinks he is. He can’t talk but his mind functions like a human. Since I am the one telling the story I can tell you what he’s thinking. Up to this point he had plenty to say) J.R stood there trying to figure out what she had done

“We’re almost to Lake Harding; the Georgia Tourist Center isn’t very far. We’ll stop there to take you out and see if we can’t do something about her neck.”    

JR looked at her... “Not me; you maybe. I’ve seen her explode, you put your hands on her and she wakes up. I don’t want to get cut, not me.”                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        They crossed the lake and not too far were the Tourist Center, up the Exit ramp to the right and trucks parking lot and JR was in a hurry to get out; as soon as Jack put on his leash he jumped out of the truck and headed toward the grass. He was in no hurry to get back to the truck, smell, smell, mark, mark; there was a wet spot on everything he could reach. Jack would pull a little, he kept marking, and then he started going around and around to find his special spot (Why do some dogs do that and some dogs don’t?)

He knew that would delay the massacre. After he had done his duty Jack pulled a little harder. “Ok, Jack, it’s your life.”              

        Jack tied J.R. to the handle next to the door on the R.V., went inside and came out with a pillow. “Oh my god he’s going to smother her.”

“J.R., what do you think, if I hold the pillow with my left hand, open the door easy with my right hand, hold the door with my right leg so it don’t open wide enough for her to fall out, swap the pillow to my right hand, take my left hand and hold her head up while I slide the pillow under it. I like it.”                                                                                                                                                                                    if she wakes up your dead, I’ll stay out here.” J.R.’s leach was sixteen ft., It was stretched as far as it would go.                                                                                                                                        Jack set himself up to the door like one of those fat Japanese wrestlers, put his hand on the door and stood there. J.R. knew he was trying to get up his nerve. J.R. waited and waited, then gave Jack a little bark. Jack looked at him, “I know we can do this.”             

   “Here he goes with that we stuff; I’m not touching that girl.”                                                                            He pulled the door open enough for the pillow to slide in, held the door with his leg, traded hands with the pillow, pushed her head up with his left hand, slid the pillow under her head with his right hand, held the door with both hands and removed his leg, close the door with both hands, real easy.

   Jack started back breathing and so did J.R. Jack walked to the bathroom inside the rest stop because he needed to catch his breath and comm down. Why did he get so worked up over just trying to help this girl, because her neck would really hurt if he had left her in that position? The other thing, if he had wakened her up, he would be dead. J.R. was standing there looking at her thinking “What’s she going to do next, yes, she has to go.” The vibes he got from Jack was a little strange, he kept talking about getting rid of her yet he keeps doing thinks for her- weird. 

   Getting back on the road Jack looked at his watch, they would never make Atlanta before three or four a