random freewrite from today...not done. not good. just need a place to store it
She sang out loud with Johnny Cash in between bites. The smell of chicken soup seeped out of her can and bathed the car. Outside our windows were miles and miles of desert.
We had been driving all morning. Our pack seat was filled with our various cargo, a tent, a plastic trash bag filled with blankets and pillows, her camera bag, a cooler, and a few suitcases. In summer, the car always filled with heat, the metal on the seatbelts too hot to have on bare skin, our faces scrunched in the harsh sun.
Lydia had a desire to runaway for a few days. She wanted somewhere dry, maybe Arizona with cactus and turquoise jewelry. We packed a few things and just started driving. She never told me what highway to take or where to stop for the night, she just let me play navigator and let me pull her, my hands on the wheel directing me to somewhere for Lydia.
“This is how its supposed to be, ya know? Just us and this piece of car. Nothing to hurt, just you and me and all this around us.” She waved her arms around, smiling.
“That’s right, I don’t need anything in this world but my girl.” Trying to immatate Johnny, I croaked out the words. “Yup, just my girl Lydia and me on the open road. Like some kinda modern cowboys with nothin’ to loose.”
She sat with her legs all tucked underneath her, facing me. “Oh baby, do you think we’ll see some Indians? She formed her hands into pistols, and spun them around. “I’ll shoot ‘em real good.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Lydia is too sweet to ever do any damage. Just this pretty lil thing, couldn’t hurt a fly. She slapped my arm lightly.
“Don’t make fun. I’m the meanest cowgirl this town ever did see.” She made a face, but kept singing to the tape player.
“Get me something outta that cooler, woudja?” I switched lanes and drove down the exit ramp.
She threw a bag of marshmallows wrapped in a rubber band.
“What the hell? Why would you bring marshmallows?”
“They’re a tasty snack. Full of sugar to keep up your energy. “ She took the bag from me and popped a couple into her mouth. “Mmm.”
“That’s gross. You might as well be eating spoonfuls of sugar. Your teeth are gunna fall right outta your head. C’mon, theres a diner a few miles up. We’ll get something there.”
“Good, I’ve had to pee for almost a half hour.” Her arm lay around the back of my seat, tapping her fingers.
The diner had this smell to it, like a grandma’s house, kind of musty, but not unpleasant, maybe a little like pickles. A few truckers sat at the counter, drinking cups of coffee with slices of pie, or an anemic looking dinner salads. A wrinled waitress, with a baggy face, greeted us at the door.
“How many?” She spoke slowly. Covered in a lacy apron and a paper crown holding her hair back, something spread all across her front, the color of gravy.
“Just …” I held up two fingers.
“Right this way.” The waitress motioned with her hand and led us to a small booth, the plastic seats covered in light pink and green swirls. We slid into them. Lydia pulled her legs next to her, sprawled over the seat, and picked up the menu from the table.
“My name’s Ester, I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order.” She slouched off.
We had been driving all morning. Our pack seat was filled with our various cargo, a tent, a plastic trash bag filled with blankets and pillows, her camera bag, a cooler, and a few suitcases. In summer, the car always filled with heat, the metal on the seatbelts too hot to have on bare skin, our faces scrunched in the harsh sun.
Lydia had a desire to runaway for a few days. She wanted somewhere dry, maybe Arizona with cactus and turquoise jewelry. We packed a few things and just started driving. She never told me what highway to take or where to stop for the night, she just let me play navigator and let me pull her, my hands on the wheel directing me to somewhere for Lydia.
“This is how its supposed to be, ya know? Just us and this piece of car. Nothing to hurt, just you and me and all this around us.” She waved her arms around, smiling.
“That’s right, I don’t need anything in this world but my girl.” Trying to immatate Johnny, I croaked out the words. “Yup, just my girl Lydia and me on the open road. Like some kinda modern cowboys with nothin’ to loose.”
She sat with her legs all tucked underneath her, facing me. “Oh baby, do you think we’ll see some Indians? She formed her hands into pistols, and spun them around. “I’ll shoot ‘em real good.”
I couldn’t help but laugh. Lydia is too sweet to ever do any damage. Just this pretty lil thing, couldn’t hurt a fly. She slapped my arm lightly.
“Don’t make fun. I’m the meanest cowgirl this town ever did see.” She made a face, but kept singing to the tape player.
“Get me something outta that cooler, woudja?” I switched lanes and drove down the exit ramp.
She threw a bag of marshmallows wrapped in a rubber band.
“What the hell? Why would you bring marshmallows?”
“They’re a tasty snack. Full of sugar to keep up your energy. “ She took the bag from me and popped a couple into her mouth. “Mmm.”
“That’s gross. You might as well be eating spoonfuls of sugar. Your teeth are gunna fall right outta your head. C’mon, theres a diner a few miles up. We’ll get something there.”
“Good, I’ve had to pee for almost a half hour.” Her arm lay around the back of my seat, tapping her fingers.
The diner had this smell to it, like a grandma’s house, kind of musty, but not unpleasant, maybe a little like pickles. A few truckers sat at the counter, drinking cups of coffee with slices of pie, or an anemic looking dinner salads. A wrinled waitress, with a baggy face, greeted us at the door.
“How many?” She spoke slowly. Covered in a lacy apron and a paper crown holding her hair back, something spread all across her front, the color of gravy.
“Just …” I held up two fingers.
“Right this way.” The waitress motioned with her hand and led us to a small booth, the plastic seats covered in light pink and green swirls. We slid into them. Lydia pulled her legs next to her, sprawled over the seat, and picked up the menu from the table.
“My name’s Ester, I’ll be back in a few minutes to take your order.” She slouched off.