It was 6 months since my maiden voyage, and I was back on the road again. This time, I had a specific destination in mind. I had gotten a call from Jenni, my lady trucker that I had shared a shower with at the T/A truck stop just outside of Nashville. She told me that she and her sexy wife Kat had moved from Texas, and were now living just outside the Seattle suburbs. They had found a wonderful house up in the hills above the city, great neighbors who had no problem with the fact that they were a married same-sex couple. They were not jammed in cheek by jowl as they might be in the city, and the climate was much more livable than the heat of Dallas in the summer. When Jenni asked me if I'd be up to take a cross country excursion to visit them, I eagerly agreed. Kat then took the phone, and the sexy purr of her voice matched the hot picture of her that Jenni carried in her wallet.
I had eagerly agreed to take a road trip across the country, it was 43 hours driving distance to Seattle. I figured it out, make 9, 10 hours a day behind the wheel, and I'd be there in a little more than 4 days.
It was my first day on the road, Noon was coming up, and with a gas stop and lunch needed, I wheeled onto the apron around the pumps of an Exxon just off the interstate, and started to fill up the tank. There was a diner, Al's Eats, next to the station, and when the Dodge was gassed up, I went in. The waitress was a busty blonde, who gave me friendly smiles and a nice view of cleavage. I was tempted to ask her if she'd like to test the van's shocks, but when a muscular man walked in, it was clear that he was her boyfriend, I was glad I had not asked.
Time to get back on the road again. Outside, I saw several cars, one that was parked a few slots away, the occupants were in some kind of disagreement. I heard raised voices and saw some guy open the trunk, take out a suitcase, and set it on the ground.
"Fuck off bitch, I'm leaving, and you can get a Greyhound, or hitch-hike your way back home!"
The engine roared to life, he backed out and spun the tires as he gunned it, picking up speed and heading for the onramp to the freeway. I saw the woman pick up her suitcase, and start walking back to the diner's entrance. She was a short lady, no more than four foot eleven, a mane of jet black hair to the middle of her back, and I could tell from her features that her heritage was Oriental, China, or Japan, maybe Vietnam.
As she walked in front of my van, I caught her eye and smiled, she gave me back a wan smile, and I asked, "Troubles with your traveling companion?"
She sighed, and replied, "Yeah, my boyfriend, or now, I would guess my ex-boyfriend. He hates the fact that I can be friendly to other men, his jealousy is enormous. I'm not a slut who's going to sleep with guys willy-nilly. But in his mind, I can't even talk to other guys, without him thinking I'm going to cheat on him, and he gets very green. I'm better off without that garbage, I feel sorry for the next woman he pulls that crap on."
No accent, she sounded like a generation that was born here. I had been surreptitiously sizing her up. Cute face, wonderful oriental features, looked like a wonderful set of perky 34B's, nice hips, she was wearing a white T-shirt and a set of lime green shorts.
I said, "I hope you don't have too far to travel, I've done a cross country bus tour, once. Once was enough, now I travel in style, with my restored boogie van. I'm Colin, Colin Farrell."
She smiled again, and said, "Nice to meet you, Colin, I'm Elaine, Elaine Chang. It's going to be a long haul, I live in Seattle, and here I am, all the way across the country, just outside of Brookville Pennsylvania."
I winced inwardly, it was only 5 hours from New York, she'd be facing a 38-hour distance to Seattle, plus needing to find the nearest Greyhound stop, and getting to there.
I decided to go for it, and said, "Perhaps I can help out. I am actually on my way to Seattle, if you want, I could take you all the way there. Or, if you'd prefer, we can find the next city that has a dedicated Greyhound stop, and you can catch a bus back home."
I could see her mulling it over, then she gave me a smile, and said, "Colin, that would be wonderful. I'd love to take a comfortable ride back home, thank you."
I took her suitcase and lifted it in behind the seats. I helped her up into the passenger door, my gaze enjoyed the smooth, shapely legs, tawny brown and sleek. I closed the door, crossed over, and quickly climbed up into the driver's seat.
"Seattle or Bust!" she exclaimed and giggled.
On the road, we exchanged the story of our lives. Her heritage was Chinese, she was the second generation, her grandparents had immigrated in 1939, her Mom was first-generation, born a year after they had settled in Seattle. Her dad was also first-generation, they had gotten married 37 years ago, and she was born 2 years after they were wed. They loved Seattle, it was a vibrant, exciting city, and she said she had never considered moving anywhere else. She had just been promoted to upper management of the investment firm where she worked.
"When you're four foot eleven, you have to work hard, to be taken seriously. I'm no China doll, and I drive myself to excel."
I told her about myself, how I was living in Queens, and was looking to get away from the crush of the New York metro region. I told her how an inheritance had left me free to pursue my real passion, writing, and it was now a steady stream of income, with no drain on my nest egg.
She blinked sleepily, and said, "I didn't get enough sleep last night, would it be okay if I went and lay down?"