Hick

chapter two

Did you know I have a baby brother?

Back then my mama had a baby blue dress but it didn't come down far enough. And my dad liked her in that dress and well next thing you know. It looked like mama had swallowed a basketball.

And even though I was only seven and didn't know why mama had swallowed a basketball or how that made a baby brother well, I couldn't help but smile as I saw my daddy come through that door. And they had a Sunday where everyone was coming over and bringing gifts in a little baby crib.

Cuz it was like all the "Hi, How are you?"s and "Well hello sunshine"s and the county had decided to march down that there dirt rode in a line just this once around my mama saying "proud and pretty" in that little blue dress that started it all.

***

I rip open my closet pulling out the perfect outfit. I look at my outfit realizing its so "sweet southern girl." But I can pull it off, can't I? I nod at myself in the mirror. I can do it.

I stare at myself. I do good impressions, don't I? "Can you feel the breeze from the subway? Isn't it delicious?" I say looking in the mirror smiling innocently. "Help me Obi-Wan-Kenobi, your my only hope!" I say sounding like a scared girl. "I am big!" I say raising my head high. "It's the pictures that got small." I scowl at the mirror. My impressions are good.

***

As I'm finishing up painting my toe nails a Las Vegas commercial comes on the tv. I walk up to the tv after the commercial is done and pull the plug out. I turn around and stare at the pig pin I call home. "This is just a pig fuck." I say throwing the plug out of my hand.

I grab a map and a crayon and I trace my route from where I am, to where I want to be, Las Vegas. I grab a piece of paper and make a Pros and Cons list. Under Cons I write "Might Die".

***

"Say that's not yours, si. You ain't got no right si. Aww nah pilgrim, looks like you got yourself a choice, you either be one of the men in black or the ones in white. Think fast there pilgrim." I say moving the money in my hand around. I stand in my room with pounds of money I've saved up over the years. I knew sometime I'd need it.

I rip the map off the wall and stuff it in my bag along with my drawing journal, some clothes, some money, and my 45. I put the bag on my back, grab my jacket and run out into the hallway, this is the last time I'll probably ever be here. I walk out the door and turn to stare at my house. I put on my shades and walk backwards down the path of dirt.

"So long suckers." I say before I turn and skip down the rest of the path.

***

Walking along the highway, I hear a car come. I turn around and stick my thumb out walking backwards as the truck comes to a stop a few feet in front of me. I stop walking. As he drives back towards me he rolls down his window.

"Where you headed?" he asks me. "Las Vegas." I say pulling off my sunglasses. "Aren't you a little bit young and maybe too innocent to be traveling to Las Vegas all by yourself?" He says smiling at me a little bit. "No. What about you Mr. where you headed?" He immediately becomes uncomfortable and shifts in his seat. "My names not Mr, it's Eddie."

"Eddie" I repeat while nodding.

"What are you some kind of runaway?" he questions leaning forward in his seat. I look around a bit, embarrassed by what I'm about to say. "No, my dad left me." I watch as his eyebrows rise up. "Really?" he sounds shocked. "Yeah and then my mama died and I was raised by nuns and then they left me and they left me on this rode and I'm scared." I say hitting the car. I'm clearly exaggerating and I think he knows it. "Look what's your dad look like maybe I've seen him?" he speaks over me as I'm still talking.

"You." I respond.

He starts laughing so hard as if I had told the funniest joke ever. "Oh my lord what in the world is in store for me here?" he says more to himself than to me. "Look are you gonna sit there and laugh at yourself all day or are you gonna let me in?" The smile is immediately wiped off his face. "Don't just stand there get in if you want." He says gesturing towards the door.

I give the door three hard pulls but it doesn't budge. He gets out and limps over to my side. He yanks the door open waiting for me to get in. "Two folks heading West gotta help each other out." I sit there and stare at him like an idiot. "C'mon now I ain't got all day."

As we drive off a song comes on the radio and Eddie starts singing to it. "When you're perfect in every way." He sings along to the radio. I smile to myself and listen silently as he transitions from singing to whistling.

"You mind if I ask you something?" I say staring at the side of his face. "Shoot." he says putting his cigarette to his mouth. "Why you got that limp?" I say looking at his legs. "Oh I used to train bunkos at the rodeo. Started as just a buckaroo and then doing ranch work and putting down horses. That ain't for me." he says looking at me. I laugh and look back out the window.

"You hungry?" He says turning to face me. "We could stop and get a rootin. Ever had a rootin?" He asked sticking a cigarette in his mouth. "No" I say simply, shaking my head. "You should, they say it's the celebrity of sandwiches and you could be a celebrity." Eddie says looking at me with the not-lit cigarette still in his mouth. I just smile at him. "Who would want to be the celebrity of sandwiches?" He says more to himself then me so I just smile and reach over for my bag.

I open my bag and Eddie looks at me again. "Uh you mind not looking over here for a while?" I ask him not wanting him to see me changing. He just nods, looks out his window, fixes his hat, and starts whistling.

"It don't match." Eddie says but it sounds slurred. "What?" I say taking off the previous shirt I was wearing. "It don't match, unless you a hooker." Eddie repeats.

"Oh so now I'm a hooker?!" I say looking at him. What's that supposed to mean? That's so rude, I'm not a hooker and nor will I ever be one! "Well darn you're too ripe that's all." He says. Well what the hell is that supposed to mean. "Excuse me!" I almost yell out.

"Well I said you're too ripe and your mouth's too big." He repeats himself calmly. "Too big in general or too big like I talk to much." I say shaking my head and talking faster. Its a habit I've grown into. "Well both." he says with a straight, serious face. "Yea well what do you know anyways?" I say lowing my voice. "Asshole." I mutter under my breath.

Quickly the car comes to an ultimate stop, faster than it should have. "See now if you ever, ever call me that again I will throw you straight through this windshield and then I will run you over after that, you understand?" He says angrily. I just snarl, that asshole deserves it. "Go ahead say it." He says calmly. I swear he's so bi-fucking-polar. One minute his mad next he's all calm. "Go on, say it." He pushes even more. I turn and look out the window. "Say the word." He pushes even more leaning forward. "Let me out." I demand at him.

"The door's right there, you're free to use it." He nods toward the door. I push and shove at the door trying to get it to open. God dammit I hate this thing. He leans over and opens the door a little and I push it the rest of the way hopping out. I hop out the truck and the moment I slam the door shut he speeds away just like that. I push my glasses onto my face. "Forget him." I snarl and scream after the direction his car went in. I turn to start walking down the dirt path to the left of me. That asshole.
           
                                        •••
                               
                               |love you all|

    |ā. out exits chapter holding up peace sign|