-“Please just serve me the water, and save your comments. I don’t intend to accept your kind offer.” I said this with dismissive severity.
-“Suit yourself, eventually you will come around, if it means your survival. Being here with me is a lot better than being gang raped by dozens of men at night, and then made to cook for all of them in the day. There are no women folk in these parts; only renegade gangs which live like rats underground, and hide from the law. You will come around little lady.” He said this with a satisfied and lewd expression on his grimy face.
I sat on a booth with my back to him, to think through my predicament. This man was abusive and deranged, besides having deplorable hygiene rituals.
It was too hot to venture outside. I decided to sit there for a while and wait for the sun to go down a bit, before I ventured outside once again.
The trickle of water was agonizingly refreshing and soothing to my parched mouth and throat. I was careful to close the cap of the bottle after each measured sip of water, so that not a drop would evaporate.
I wish I had some ice cubes. I would balance one on the top of my head. I’d also plop one in my cleavage…and use another cube to cool my temples and flushed cheeks.
I decided not to inquire from about possibility of ice cubes from this man, the least contact I had with him the better. I would spare myself inhailing his nefarious odor, and the unabashedly hungry look he gave me, as though I were a platter of succulent roast beef – well done.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and imagined gliding in a pool of aquamarine water, with a man-made waterfall built-in. A little Tikki bar situated adjacent the pool would be nice too.
I imagined alternating my swimming strokes, with decadently lounging on a floating device, this while drinking from a goblet, an iced-cool strawberry Margarita.
To obliterate the shrill sounds of the world, I imagined diving into the cool body of water, feeling light, buoyant, and embraced completely by the liquid blue.
My reverie was interrupted by a different noise, from that of my immediate environment. It was a sound of an engine approaching in the distance. I opened my eyes to see an 18 wheeler driving west. I immediately grabbed my purse and bottle of water and ran like mad to the main road.
The highway was too far away for me to catch up to him. I ran as fast as I could. I only stopped for a second to put my water bottle inside my purse, then I placed the strap of my purse over my right shoulder, and under my left arm. I made my unencumbered arms wave, as I ran as fast as I possibly could. My still dry throat was raw from screaming for the truck to STOP for me!
From the height of this peripheral vision, the driver must have seen me, for he stopped his truck, and patiently waited for me to cross the remaining distance.
-“Thank God! Thank you for stopping, my car is malfunctioning, I need to call a towing service, please give me a ride to the nearest gas station!” I said in a flurry.
-“Jump in. I can drop you in the nearest town which is Barstow. Although I would strongly caution you from wandering there alone dressed like that. Barstow is practically deserted now. The only known inhabitants are those hiding from the law, and gangs lurking there; and those are real bad people.” He said.
To be continued….
I wish I had some ice cubes. I would balance one on the top of my head. I’d also plop one in my cleavage…and use another cube to cool my temples and flushed cheeks.
I decided not to inquire from about possibility of ice cubes from this man, the least contact I had with him the better. I would spare myself inhailing his nefarious odor, and the unabashedly hungry look he gave me, as though I were a platter of succulent roast beef – well done.
I closed my eyes for a moment, and imagined gliding in a pool of aquamarine water, with a man-made waterfall built-in. A little Tikki bar situated adjacent the pool would be nice too.
I imagined alternating my swimming strokes, with decadently lounging on a floating device, this while drinking from a goblet, an iced-cool strawberry Margarita.
To obliterate the shrill sounds of the world, I imagined diving into the cool body of water, feeling light, buoyant, and embraced completely by the liquid blue.
My reverie was interrupted by a different noise, from that of my immediate environment. It was a sound of an engine approaching in the distance. I opened my eyes to see an 18 wheeler driving west. I immediately grabbed my purse and bottle of water and ran like mad to the main road.
The highway was too far away for me to catch up to him. I ran as fast as I could. I only stopped for a second to put my water bottle inside my purse, then I placed the strap of my purse over my right shoulder, and under my left arm. I made my unencumbered arms wave, as I ran as fast as I possibly could. My still dry throat was raw from screaming for the truck to STOP for me!
From the height of this peripheral vision, the driver must have seen me, for he stopped his truck, and patiently waited for me to cross the remaining distance.
-“Thank God! Thank you for stopping, my car is malfunctioning, I need to call a towing service, please give me a ride to the nearest gas station!” I said in a flurry.
-“Jump in. I can drop you in the nearest town which is Barstow. Although I would strongly caution you from wandering there alone dressed like that. Barstow is practically deserted now. The only known inhabitants are those hiding from the law, and gangs lurking there; and those are real bad people.” He said.
To be continued….
