Neil and I had driven twenty-two hours straight on summer-hot highways all the way from Phoenix, Arizona, and we pulled into Tacoma at just after midnight. We were red-eyed and stiff but happy to have reached our final destination for the day, and we immediately called Neil's brother Earl. Neil called six times, but Earl wasn't home, or his phone was out, or maybe Earl was fucking his girlfriend and didn't want to be bothered.
Neil and I had about twelve bucks left between us, which wasn't so bad because Neil was pretty sure we'd get in touch with Earl sooner or later and we didn't need to spend any money on a motel. So, just as the warm summer Tacoma rains began to patter our windshield, we pumped four bucks into the gas tank of Neil's old Ford and took the rest of our cash into Mindy's Pancake House to try to comfort our grumbling bellies.
Neil vibrated with enthusiasm for Mindy's. "Me and Claudia, we used to come here every Friday night." Neil gesticulated widely, his arms sweeping out grand arcs as his voice rose in pitch. "We'd smoke cigarettes and make out in the booths until the night manager got mad and tossed us out on our asses."
"Hey there, you!" Neil yelled to the waitress smacking gum and guarding the register. He read her nametag. "Maxine! Do you remember me, Maxine?"
But Maxine looked ten years too young to remember Neil from his teenage carousing days. "Two for dinner?" she said slack-jawed, her young shoulders bowed like she'd spent her shift lugging boulders on her back.
Maxine deposited Neil and me in a booth and dropped menus in front of us. I pored over the breakfast entrees looking for meals that cost less than four bucks; Neil was too excited and left his menu lying in front of him. There were two women in the booth behind ours who were whispering and drinking coffee. Neil, of course, noticed them immediately. "Sam, this was always the place to pick up chicks," Neil said. "Any time you wanted to get laid, all you had to do was strut into Mindy's and you'd find yourself some tail! Ha! The stories I could tell you!
"Did I ever tell you about Claudia, Sam? Oh, man! Claudia! She was
something else!
"
And then Neil's attention faltered. He looked past my head like he was trying to peer around a slow-moving truck. "Don't look now, old buddy, but I do believe there are a couple of honeys over here who are giving us the eye!"
There were angry whispers and giggling from the next table and then, from one of the girls, an audible alto voice: "You know the problem with this place? You never meet anyone new!"
Neil beamed. "Ladies, then maybe you should focus your attention on this pair of weary travelers!"
"And who might you be?" the alto replied.
"I am Neil, and my friend here is Sam." I craned around to look at the girls. There was a blonde and a brunette, but only the blonde was looking our way. "We are visitors in your fair city," Neil continued, "and we are in dire need of some local companionship."
The blonde alto was doing all the talking. "You don't get much more local than us," she said. "This is Anne," she motioned to her friend. "And my name is Bea."
Neil stood to shake hands and took an immediate interest in blue-eyed Bea. We were invited to join them in their booth, and we soon paired off: Neil with Bea, and me with Anne.
This is the way things usually worked out with Neil and me. Neil would find a couple girls, peel off one for himself, and cast aside the second one for me to pick up. Girls were always drawn to Neil's enormous energy and charm. When Neil turned it on, when he really ignited, there was no one in the world more attractive to the fairer sex.
Bea's friend was shy, which was not unusual, but Anne was even shier than most. She nibbled the nail on her little finger and followed the conversation between Neil and Bea with eyes half curtained by her dark bangs.
It didn't take long before Neil and Bea were footsying under the table and staring moon-eyed at one another. I had seen Neil operate often enough; it was a matter of minutes before he would propose that we find more intimate surroundings. Unfortunately, we had no money. But you can always count on Neil to dream up a plan for any occasion, especially when fucking was on the agenda.
When my Anne excused herself to use the restroom, Neil took the opportunity to swap seats and settled in next to his conquest for the night. When Anne returned, she sat down beside me, as quiet as a stone.
Neil put an arm around Bea and pressed up close. "Do you ladies have any suggestions on where we could spend the evening?" he boomed. "Someplace a little more, um, private?"
The women exchanged glances. "There's always the Evergreen Motel," Bea said.
"Ah, yes!" Neil exclaimed. "A fine establishment! Did I tell you girls that I once lived right in this very neighborhood, and I have experienced a handful of exceptional liaisons at that very establishment? You could say it is my good luck charm!"
"And I'm sure it hasn't changed a bit," murmured Anne, the first words to leave her mouth since we joined them.
"A unanimous choice, then!" Neil laughed. He leaped to his feet, and we all followed along, afraid that Neil might leave us behind. We gathered our things and left the diner.
Anne lagged, and I had to slow my pace to stay with her. This often happened with the shy girl, who would be disappointed that her friend got Neil. A quickie affair with a big, bombastic fellow like Neil was one thing; settling for his quiet sidekick was something else entirely.
The four of us piled into the Ford with the girls in back, and Neil navigated the short distance to an old, two-story motel with a bright neon sign in front. Neil killed the engine and twisted around to face the girls.
"Um, ladies, I must ask a slight favor of you," he said. "Our travels have left us temporarily low on cash. If you could lend us enough to pay the innkeeper, I can guarantee you a speedy reimbursement."
Anne clucked her tongue and shook her head. Bea just laughed. "We are modern women," said Bea, pulling a credit card from her purse. "Why don't you two stay in the car while Anne and I get the rooms."
Neil gave one of his prize smiles, his teeth bright as chrome. "We thank you, ladies. You will not regret it!"
Neil and I sat in the car while the girls walked across the parking lot towards the lobby. "She is
something
, is she not?" Neil enthused as soon as they were out of earshot. "What did I tell you about Mindy's, Sam? The girls are fast, hot, and easy! And Sam, your girl is nothing to shake your stick at, either. I wouldn't mind getting myself a piece of that myself! Man, Sam, would you look at the
asses
on those chicks!"
I had to agree, both possessed wonderfully peachy bottoms displayed magnificently in their tight dungarees.
"Isn't it funny, Sam? I spent my teenage years right here in Tacoma, but I didn't appreciate the girls here then. I had to leave, scrutinize every inch of this big country – I had to
live
– before I could finally see the prize pussy I had right in my own backyard! Ha! Who says you can't come home again!
"But I suppose it's all for the best, Sam. If I knew how hot the girls were, I would have never drifted to New Orleans, I would have never hooked up with you, and we would have never had the adventures we've had. Remember those chicks in Denver, Sam? Do you remember Gwen? Man, Sam! The times we've had!
"I love the road, old friend. The all-night drives. And the all-night tumbles in the hay! If it wasn't for you, Sam, where would I be right now? I could never make it out on the road by myself, you know. On these long, quiet highways alone, it would drive me fucking nuts! All this, Sam, all the places and all the chicks, I owe it all to you.
"We've had ourselves some fantastic ass, haven't we, Sam? And I feel in my gut that we're in for something great tonight, too.
