Kiss My Assimilation

Chapter 11 - Bugsy

The pilot finally made it out of the plane's cockpit and stepped lightly down from the biplane's lower wing. It was indeed a woman, she looked in her mid-twenties and had short mousy brown hair in an advanced state of dishevelment. She had undone her flight suit's top and tied it around her waste. Annie stood next to the ancient vending machine transfixed. Bugsy looked like an older version of Scout in the movie adaptation of 'To Kill a Mockingbird'. She had seen the movie with her father when she was young. Bugsy was the quintessential tomboy which, Annie just now realized, was exactly her type.

Bugsy noticed her, she took her flight pad and walked inside the building without giving Annie another look. Annie, realizing she had stood there staring at the poor girl, shook herself out of her stupor and inserted some coins in the waiting machine. She pushed for a water bottle and got a Cola. Typical. She drank from it greedily. She was parched.

The door opened and Bugsy's head reappeared around the edge of the door.

"Hey." Bugsy declared.

"Hey yourself." Annie replied.

"It seems I got to give you a lift to City Hall?"

"If you could, yes please." Annie said, she finished her can of soda and threw it in a garbage can nearby.

"Oh, okay. Come on. My car's this way." Bugsy's head went back inside and Annie followed her inside the sweltering building. Bugsy saluted Janey and Annie gave her a rushed 'thank you' as she hurried after the Chief's daughter.

Bugsy unlocked the passenger door of an old American coupe that she didn't recognize. Annie got in and unlocked the driver's side for Bugsy.

"Thanks, my dad always told me you can see if someone is courteous that way."

Annie gave her a blank look.

"I unlocked your door and then you unlocked mine. That's courtesy." Bugsy Malone explained to Annie.

"I think I saw that in a movie Bugsy. May I call you Bugsy?"

"You just did, and yeah, that's probably where my dad got it from. He's a real cinephile." Bugsy said laughing.

Annie looked at the car curious and asked Bugsy what make it was.

"It's a 1953 Studebaker Starliner. I love this car. It used to belong to a friend of mine who gave it to me when he passed away."

"It's beautiful." Annie said, as the sleek car pulled out of the dusty parking lot.

"Thanks, everything's original too. M. Moore took real good care of it." Bugsy maneuvered the elegant coupe with ease.

"How you can drive such a big car is beyond me, I'm a poor driver myself." Annie remarked to the other girl.

"M. Moore used to say I was good with anything that moved with an engine."

"You look like you miss him."

"Mm, mm. He was very good to me after... Well, he's the one who taught me how to fly. Said I was a natural."

"Is this M. Moore the one who founded this aviation company? Janey's father?"

"Janey told you." Bugsy said dryly.

"We talked a little before you landed." Annie admitted.

"She told you about L.A.?" Bugsy asked Annie, her voice edgy.

"She said it wasn't up to her to tell me."

"Damn right it wasn't!" Bugsy said hotly. "Sorry, but Janey was against her father taking me in. She always thought I would try to swindle money out of the company. I proved her wrong by being the best pilot they had. She's a bit better now." Bugsy said.

"She only spoke good things about you. Honest." Annie assured her.

"I'm sure, I just... well I'm touchy about my past."

Annie nodded and turned to look at the road. The rest of the trip was spent in silence, the two girls deep in their respective thoughts.

They arrived at City Hall ten minutes later and parked the Starliner in a vacant visitor parking spot. When Annie got out of Bugsy's car, she ran her fingers along the long front fender admiring the car's beautiful shape.

"I can't believe they made cars like that in the fifties." She said. "I'm not a gearhead but our English cars at the time were small and shaped like little ugly potatoes. My grandfather's car sure was."

"Except for Jaguar." Bugsy added.

"Really? I wouldn't know. I'll have to Google it."

"Yes well, here you are. Do you need a lift after your interview?"

"I didn't think about that, the guys took a few rooms at a lodge in Lake Nacimiento. Is it far? I could take a taxi."

"A taxi? I'd steer clear of those. It's okay, the lodge isn't very far." Then Bugsy added. "What guys?"

"A boy band my uncle put me in charge of."

"You're a rock star babysitter." Bugsy said amused.

"I babysit rock stars yes." Annie said in a dead voice.

"It's settled then, I'll wait for you. I'm finished for the day anyways." Bugsy Malone said as they reached the reception desk.

"Yes?" Inquired incuriously a well groomed woman in her early thirties from behind the big oval desk.

Annie stepped forward and announced. "I'm here to see the mayor. My name is Annie Goldm--"

The receptionist who had been taking a sip of her energy drink interrupted her. "Are you with the members of Second Chance? Where are they? They were the ones the mayor invited. What is your connection to them?"

"I'm their facilitator." Annie said barely controlling her rising temper.

"You're a brave one riding in that junky's jalopy." Said the receptionist nodding in Bugsy's direction with a shit eating grin. "The mayor can arrange for you to be brought back to your lodgings. Safer that way." She said eying Bugsy like she was observing a particularly disgusting insect.

Annie bristled. She hated bullies. "Before you call anyone a junky, check the corners of your own nostrils dear. You left some crystals there. As for my lift, miss Malone assured me with great kindness that she would bring me back."

Bugsy covered a laughing fit by coughing like she had just swallowed a bug. Annie gave her taps on the back for good mesure.

The woman behind the big desk wiped her nose, stood up and left for the lavatories leaving them alone. They sat down in the waiting room.

"Holy shit. That was great!" Bugsy burst out.

"She was starting to piss me off." Annie said.

"Remind me to stay on your good side."

Annie laughed heartily.

"How did..." Bugsy began.

"I've been around show business long enough to see the signs. I guess I don't need to ask what happened in L.A. I'm so sorry. None of this would've happened if you didn't have to bring me here."

"Are you kidding? Except for pops Moore, you're the first person to stand up to them for me. I should be thanking you."

"You're driving me around town remember? No thanks are necessary. Besides, that poor excuse of a human being had it coming." Annie said as the door connecting to the mayor's office opened.

"Where is Deidre?" A fifty-ish man with graying hair asked.

"She went to powder her nose." Annie said to Bugsy's renewed amusement.

"English accent, are you connected with that rock group in town?" He asked.

Smart man, thought Annie. "Boyband, and yes, I am. I'm Annie Goldman. Pleased to meet you sir."

"Clint Reynolds. Mayor and slave to this town." He looked around trying to find people and failed. "See Miss Goldman? Nobody. My burden is a lonely one alas. Follow me please."

Annie laughed and raised from her seat to follow the mayor's receding back inside his office. She waved Bugsy goodbye.