The Pale Man Rises

CHAPTER FORTY NINE

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At the Crawford Town Café the enamored highway patrolman Martin Clark strolled to his patrol car with the object of his affection Shelby Jean Britt. Shelby Jean lived with her divorced older sister Lucille and her small daughter in a mobile home near the small likewise unincorporated community of Ogden that was fifteen miles further down Highway 18 just short of the town of Belfast.

She like Reverend Locklear had car troubles. Due to this she had received permission to leave early this night. She had intended to catch the same bus Reverend Locklear had taken, but when patrolman Clark came in earlier with the minister in tow and hearing of her plight offered to give her a ride himself and she had readily accepted.

Just as the cook had agreed to let her off to catch the bus Clark had come in with Reverend Locklear. When he heard her conversation with the cook he interrupted their conversation and made his offer. Shelby Jean smiled bashfully and then graciously accepted the offer. She preferred this arrangement to riding the bus. Not only would it be more comfortable she was also carrying a torch for the tall cute patrolman and she eagerly awaited their trip together and a chance to be alone with him.

He told her he would return promptly at eight thirty to await the end of her shift at nine and to see off his new friend the congenial Reverend Locklear. When he did return the conversation grew even more lively. Reverend Locklear seemed to sense their mutual attraction and did everything he could to encourage their blossoming romance. He took particular care to cause the conversation to rise between the two of them. And they all had a high old time until the arrival of the bus from Sayerville.

Reverend Locklear could have easily contacted one of his relatives and had summoned them to come and pick him up. But he knew that at the time his car became disabled his family was no doubt just sitting, down to supper and he felt strongly that no crisis, short of a death in the family, should disrupt one's supper. To him food was sacred. It was his belief that when he sat to eat of God's great bounty he was also in a sense communing with God therefore he felt that a person should be allowed to continue to the point that not only had their body received its needed sustenance, but also that, their souls had gotten the nutrition of God's spirit. So he decided a brief bus ride was a small price to pay to allow his family this joy.

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The minister was himself a man so bountiful in spirit that his presence had eased the gulf between the young couple who had up to now only spoken briefly with each other despite the fact of the way they felt and had often watched each other with desirous eyes. Tonight though they had opened up to each other and had spoken to each other with enthusiasm.

Clark like all patrolmen with the NCHP was allowed to maintain their patrol vehicles at home. However it was against policy for them to transport civilians except on the occasions that had something to do with law enforcement or highway safety, which the assistance rendered to the minister, would have been covered by. But it was often done despite such regulations and tonight he intended to ask Shelby Jean out on a date while he gave her a lift home to Ogden. For the date however he would be required to use his '66 Thunderbird as transportation.

Clark hurried around the black and gray Plymouth and opened the door for the young woman who wore a pink serving frock. She smiled broadly at his gentlemanly behavior as she climbed into the cruiser. Then Clark rushed back around to the driver's side door opened it and joined her in the vehicle. He removed his Smokey the Bear hat and sat it on the seat between them. He then grinned at her as he pulled the microphone from its handle on the cruiser's dashboard.

He then called in and informed the HP office that he worked out of that he was going off duty. The dispatcher acknowledged his communication and then signed off. Following his acknowledgement Clark started the car and drove onto Highway 18 and set off en-route to Ogden.