Trip of a Lifetime - The Fooo Conspiracy (Oscar Enestad)

42: Arcadia Kingdom Come

I still had the key to the house in Hollywood hanging on my dog key chain along with the rest of my keys. I never got rid of it in case of an emergency.

I couldn't stand staying in this town, not with all this commotion going on.

"Can you take me to Hollywood please?" I asked a taxi driver leaning into his window. The cab smelt of fast food and cheap cologne.

"Sure can miss, hop in."

I didn't tell anyone where I was going simply because I didn't want them to follow me. The last thing I needed was to hear the opinions of people who say what they think I should do. I truthfully didn't know at all.

After a couple moments of silence we reached the outskirts of town. "You have a strong accent miss, do you mind me asking where you are from?"

"Sweden." I answered him through the mirror. He looked at me strange however, I clearly had a mixed British and Swedish accent but I didn't bother telling him the details. He probably didn't care.

Sebastian slept in a child's seat bundled in many blankets to shield him from the cold rain that pounded outside.

"What brings you to Cali?"

"I am Alisha Crue? Surely if you listen to the radio you might have come by my name?"

"Oh yes, you were suing the WOD company."

I didn't answer. The last thing I wanted to talk about was that. I took the last glimpe of the gray ocean before we turned the corner heading in land.

"You sounds sad today, if it is about Kale Johnson then don't worry, that piece of scum will get what he deserves."

"How can you be so sure?" I asked him. He spoke as if he knew a thing or two about my situation.

"Cause I knew him. I am Jim...
Jim Johnson."

It took me a minute to connect the dots. "You are... brothers?"

"Were brothers..." He corrected me his finger waving in the air, I saw his jaw set in the reflection of the mirror as I it pained him to speak about it.

"My family was never well off and suddenly Kale moved away and began making money as soon as he started this buisness. He felt like he didn't owe anything back to the family or at least didn't want to help us get off the streets so he left us there."

I didn't really know how to respond. "I am sorry that happened." I managed to say.

"It's fine, we are all making out just fine now." Jim tried to smile over his hurt feelings, but honestly how good could be doing driving a taxi?

"No one deserves someone that greedy in your life, even though he had money it was probably better that you don't have to deal with him."

"Ain't that the truth!" Jim laughed and slapped his knee, he was still quite a scriffy guy dispite his efforts to recover from living off the streets. He had clearly needed a razor, haircut, and a new clean shirt. I was beginning to feel dirty as I sat in the back seat.

"This is the third time he has been sued in the past year, I am just glad those damages don't affect me anymore. So, just make sure you have proof of why you are suing him and consider yourself rich!"

Jim pulled the taxi up to the neighborhood and I guided him into the driveway of the house.

"Thanks Jim, how much do I owe ya?"

He pressed three buttons on his old square machine before it came out with a final price.

"Exactly 48 dollars."