"Hey!" a voice called out.
I turn my head to look for the source of the voice.
"Hey, hey you! What you doin' over there?" the voice called again, closer. A young guy in a jeans and a jean jacket bounced over to me, his lanky brown hair hanging over energetic blue eyes. He looked me up and down as if searching for something.
"You ain't got much to you, do ya" he said with a drawl and a smile. His hand kept twitching back to his left back jeans pocket. Each twitch of his hand sent a pulse through me. I started to sweat.
I returned his easy, wild smile with a nervous, tight one--the one I always used around white people who looked a little trigger-happy. "No, sir," I replied. "I'm afraid I'm just trying to get out West. To see my mom, and all." I tried to remain jovial, but nonchalant. There was danger both in trying to hard and trying too little with these folks.
He squinted at me and asked, "West, huh? What's out there? Man, I'm just looking to get out of here. Sick of all this lawwww and order. Just me and my girl, setting out for our land." He gestured proudly to an expressionless redhead sitting in his car. She could be no older than 15.
"Kit ... I'm hungry," she said in a soft, monotone voice.
"Ain't she cute? She's all mine," he said with a grin, hand reaching back again to his back left pocket.
"Kit, we haven't eaten since yesterday. And who's that...boy? Should you be talking to that sort?" she said, her voice almost taking on emotion.
He grinned sheepishly, "Well, she's a sharp one. Best not to be seen too much, right? Hope you have a great day, kiddo." He patted me on my shoulder and I almost jumped back.
I watched his black Cadillac drive recklessly away, occasionally kicking up dust as it swerved off the road and readjusted. I suppressed the urge to call the police. I knew, deep down, it could do no good. Especially coming from me.
TELEGRAM FROM HANK'S MOTHER:
ReplyDeleteDear Hank,
I do hope that you're keeping yourself safe on the road. I don't know why you feel the need to be out there in the first place.
That last episode you wrote to me about sends shivers down my spine.
The road is home to lawless folk. I wouldn't be surprised if that young man there that you mentioned was some outlaw who had gone and kidnapped that girl in his car.
You never know. Hank, you best not get mixed up with the likes of these people. These roads are not always meant for you. Doesn't help that all these people carry guns on them too.
Keep yourself safe and get home soon.
Your mother