I said was she’s the prettiest little piece in here,” Glenn said. “Any asshole offended by those words ain’t got his head on straight. What say we let her decide? You want to leave with me, pretty little piece, or do you want to stay here with two assholes?”
The girl didn’t say a word. Her hands trembled and her lower lip quivered. Red Beard said, “You wanna keep your teeth in your head, you old fart, then get out. Now!”
Jimmy slid between them. He didn’t mind a fight but Jay was an idiot. “Hold it,” he said to the two men. “Come on, Jay. We’re getting out of here.”
“Oh hell, not you again. I suppose you’re going to tell me this one’s not a woman either, like you done that last time.”
“I’m just saying we’re leaving. You guys back off.”
“If he’s your friend, you’d better teach him manners or keep him out of here,” Red Beard said. “You don’t, we’ll kick his ass up between his shoulders.”
Though Jimmy was small, he was strong. He grabbed Jay by the arm, hoping the man wouldn’t resist. For some reason, maybe because he’d had too much to drink, Glenn surrendered. He winked at the girl and said, “You get tired of these guys, look me up. You sleep with a real man and you’ll spit on these assholes.”
Jimmy pushed him towards the door. “Come on, man, let’s get out of here.”
When they reached the car, Jimmy waited until Glenn climbed in before he went around to the passenger side and did the same.
“You’re gonna have to quit interfering with me,” Glenn said. “Next time I get my hands on a girl, I’m gonna screw her and you’re gonna have to stay out of my way. I like you, John, but people who cross me tend to get hurt. You’ve been warned. Don’t forget.”
“Yeah, okay. Let’s get on the road. I’d like to live long enough to see Seattle.”
“We’ll sleep here,” Glenn said. “I’m gonna pull the car over under the light and we’ll drink beer, piss, and sleep until we’re ready to move on.”
Sunlight poured through the side glass and burned Jimmy’s eyelids. Jay was folded into the front seat in some obscure way, not visible, but there was no doubt he was there. His snores vibrated throughout the car.
Seattle seemed light years away.
A few minutes later Jay’s snoring caught in his throat and rumbled to a stop. He thrashed around for a moment and then sat up. “Got a damned crick in my neck.”
Glenn rubbed his stubble of beard. He liked to start his day with a razor. Slap on a little aftershave to please the girls. Oh well, they would have to stop for gas in Sacramento and he could always clean up in the rest room.
Jimmy stared at him, wondering what the older man was thinking. His lips fit together too tightly, and Jimmy thought he knew why. The man wore false teeth. He must have taken them out to sleep. Glenn ducked his head out of sight and soon reappeared with teeth intact.
“Somewhere in California,” Glenn said. “Ain’t important just exactly where we’re at. Don’t worry one little bit. We’re on our way to Seattle. Told you I’d take you and I will. Old Jay says he’ll do something, he’ll do it.”
Somewhere down the highway they stopped at a McDonald’s. Jimmy went inside and ate a hamburger and French fries while Glenn decided to stay in the car and drink. Soon after they hit the road again, the driver stopped and bought more beer.
After that they drove silently for a few hours. “We need gas,” Glenn announced, breaking the quiet. He left 1-5 at a Sacramento exit and drove until he found an Atlantic Richfield station. He might as well use the credit card until the balance got so high they cut him off. While the attendant filled the tank, Glenn checked the oil. Take care of your car was his motto. Treat it better than you would a woman. Cars are hard to come by. Women are plentiful. At least they used to be. They would be again, of this he was certain.
John had hurried to the rest room. After signing the credit card slip, Glenn pulled his shaving kit from the trunk and followed. Damn John and his Seattle. Glenn knew he would not, could not, wait that long to have a woman. Somewhere along the road he’d find one and have his way. If she didn’t like what he had in mind that was too damn bad. There were ways to handle them kind of women. He got back on the highway continuing the drive.
Hitchhikers of both sexes, many traveling alone, lined the road. Most were thumbing their way in the direction of San Francisco. A multitude of shapely young ladies were already being mentally raped by Glenn True Clark. He was sorely tempted to stop. But for one reason or another he passed them by.
Meanwhile, Greg had dropped Terrie Tidwell off on the highway. It was 3:00 P.M., the hottest time of the day. She put up her thumb in the customary manner. It wouldn’t take long to get a ride.
Watching Glenn, Jimmy decided that, when the early settlers moved across this country, they must have made better time than he was making with Jay. Them old covered wagons would have passed them by already, left them in the dust. The sun was standing at midafternoon and they had yet to reach Redding. The mountains were in sight but still far away. And now here was Jay taking another exit. What is it with this man? Jimmy wondered.
“Where we going this time?” Jimmy asked as the older man, paused at a stop sign, and then turned right.
“Keep cool, little buddy. I got a little chore to do. Have you back on the road in no time.”
After driving a couple of miles, Jay shot a left and turned down a side road. He soon stopped, pulled a pair of pliers and screwdriver out of the glove box, and got out. Jimmy followed.
Jay opened the trunk. Inside was a license tag with a name, letters and numbers that read California IVX-380. “Time for a little insurance,” he said. “We’re gonna make a change.”
“Why?”
“Because this is a hot car, that’s why.”
“I should have figured that,” Jimmy said, wondering what had ever possessed him to hook up with this damn nut. As soon as they got to Seattle he was going to make some excuse and cut out.
“Picked it up off a car lot in Salt Lake City. After they closed at night, that is. I like this little beauty. We keep swapping tags and we can drive her forever.”
“Where’d you get that tag?”
“Off a junk car a block or so from my brother’s house in Tracy. Nobody ever misses a tag off a junk car.”
Within five minutes the chore was done. Glenn tossed the old tag back into the trunk and the tools back inside the glove box. He said, “I gotta drain my radiator before we go on.” As he started to urinate, he grimaced. “Some bitch caused me to have a leaky dick,” he said. “I’m doctoring it though, so it’s just temporary.”
What else? Jimmy thought, but kept quiet.
When Jimmy didn’t respond, Glenn said, “Let’s pull up under a tree and take a nap. I don’t feel like I’ve slept in a week.”
Within five minutes, Terrie had her first ride of the afternoon. It was with a man. He was alone in a pickup
