"Damn, Shit, Fuck!" I yelled, banging my hands on the steering wheel. "Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!! I screamed, shaking my head from side to side, my long hair flailing. My car had just slid off the icy road into a ditch and it was getting dark.
"Now, what?" I muttered to myself, realizing there was no way I could back my car out. I was stuck.
I sat back thinking, knowing my cell phone was dead and I had lost the charger. I was going to get a new phone when I got home. "Who knew I would slide into a fucking ditch," I said to myself, angrily rationalizing my procrastinating tendency.
"I'm going to have to hitchhike and see if I can find a phone," I thought, knowing it was dangerous for a woman to hitchhike but I had no choice. "Oh well, here goes," I said out loud, grabbing my backpack.
I zipped up my down vest, pulled my wool cap down over my ears, flipped my scarf around my neck and opened the door. I had to squeeze out because the door was jammed against the side of the ditch. Once I wiggled my way out, I stood on the icy dirt and looked around. It was getting darker and it was obvious not a lot of people used this road. I realized if I didn't get picked up soon, no one would be able to see me.
"I hope I don't get picked up by some pervert?" I thought, walking up the road a little, glancing back at the front of my car down in the ditch. I stood there feeling the wind through my faded jeans. Fortunately, I was wearing boots that came up near my knees, my jeans tucked in them. I was really in an isolated spot and saw no signs of houses, no lights, nothing but trees on both sides of the road.
"No one's going to come," I muttered, then said, "Come on, Vicki, don't be negative. Think positive thoughts. Someone's going to come—everything's going to be alright."
I paced back and forth for about ten minutes, getting colder and looking in both directions, hoping a car would appear. "What should I do if a car doesn't come? Should I walk and hope I find a house or should I sit in the car and just wait it out? Damn what a mess I'm in. Why did I decide to take the fucking scenic route?" I muttered. "Why do I like the back roads? Why am I so stupid?" I added, letting my negative tendencies rise again.
Suddenly, I thought I heard the sound of a car and got excited. "Maybe I'm in luck," I thought as I looked in the direction of the curve in the road. As the sound got closer, I saw the glow of headlights shining on the trees across from me. When I saw the car, I moved closer to the edge of the road and put out my thumb wishing I could make it longer and more emphatic as I extended my arm, waving it frantically.
"I hope it stops, Please stop. Please stop," I whispered to myself, almost praying.
I saw the car slow down but it did not stop until it was twenty or so feet ahead of me. It backed up as I ran towards the car. The window went down and I poked inside and saw a man with longish grey hair and a shaggy beard but couldn't see much more.
"Looks like you're in a jam, miss," he said.
"Yeah, I slid off the road. I need to find a phone to call a tow truck."
"Hop in," he said. "I live five minutes from here. You can use my phone."
I opened the door and got in, putting my back pack on the floor. The car was warm and the radio was playing classical music.
"Guess you're not used to driving on these icy roads," he said.
"Yeah, I'm not from around here. I was on my way back to Boston after visiting an old friend from college and decided, stupidly, to take a back road."
He nodded and smiled at me. It was dark in the car, but I could see he had a nice smile. The classical music was soft and I relaxed, thinking he did not seem like a mad rapist. I don't usually listen to classical music but it was nice to listen to—kind of soothing. We were both quiet as he drove and I looked out the window.
"Almost there," he said, as we turned down a dirt road. He drove slowly over the bumpy road, steering the car around pot holes. He turned down another narrower dirt road that had trees on both side and had a lot of curves."
"Where in the world are we?" I thought as we drove through the woods and then turned into a small lane. It was dark but I noticed solar panels when we turned and then drove up to a cabin surrounded by trees.
"Wow you really live in the woods, don't you? I said.
"Yes, and off the grid," he said. "This is my Shangri la," he added as we parked.
"Cool," I responded as I looked up at the cabin and saw a light in the window.
I grabbed my backpack and followed him up a path to the front door. When we entered, I felt the warmth of the woodstove and saw the glow of coals.
"How about if I make us some tea and I call George's garage and let him know the story," he said, taking off his wool cap. He then got some logs from the woodbin and threw them in the stove. "He'll get you out."
I looked around the cabin at all the wood. It was just one room but it had a kitchen area and a bathroom. He had a table by the window with his laptop on it. I noticed the plants on the window and a Begonia on the table.
"This is such a nice place," I said as I walked around. "I never saw a wood ceiling," I said, looking up.
"That wood is over two hundred years old," he said, putting water in the tea pot. "I got it from an old barn they took down about fifteen years ago."
I took my down vest off and my wool hat and put it on the clothes pole he had near the door.
"By the way, my name is Peter, what's yours?"
"Vicki," I answered. "Short for Victoria," I added.
"I guessed it was short for Victoria," he laughed, looking at me. I saw him glance at my tits then look away. "You don't look very Victorian," he said, smiling.
I was wearing a tight turtle neck shirt and no bra—hate them and only wear one when I have to. My faded jeans were tight and I knew they looked good on me—especially with the boots. I can tell by the way guys look at me that they like what they see and I could tell Peter liked what he saw. I have to admit, I like being sexy and I like to fuck, but I am particular and don't let any guy get in my pants.
While the tea water was heating up, Peter went to the phone and dialed the number. He waited for several minutes, glancing at me and seemed concerned. "No answer," he said. "Maybe he's out on a call."
He hung up just as the tea kettle whistled. "Take a seat, Vicki and we'll have some tea," he said. "I'll call again in fifteen minutes."
"It's so cozy here," I said as I sat down and watched him fill my cup and then his.
I liked the way he moved around the cabin. He seemed so comfortable and had a quiet gentle way about him that I found appealing. His grey longish hair curled up in the back just above the collar of his flannel shirt. His beard was shaggy and he looked like he didn't really give much thought to his appearance. His jeans were worn and I liked that he took off his shoes as soon as he sat down at the table.
"I never wear shoes in the house and love being barefooted," he said, smiling at me. He had a twinkle in his blue eyes when he smiled and I felt myself being attracted to him. I have a thing about older men that I don't quite understand, but I often had crushes on my professors at college and flirted with them, but nothing ever happened. Actually, Peter reminded me of one of the teachers I had a crush on.
"So do you have a woman in your life," I asked.
"Nope," he answered. "I got divorced two years ago." He took a sip of his tea looking at me over the edge of the cup. "We decided not to be in each others movie any more," he added.
"That's a funny way of putting it," I said. I sipped my tea and looked at him over the edge of my cup. Again, I noticed the twinkle in his blue eyes.
"Well, Vicki, it's not good to get in the way of someone's spirit. You just get out of the way and let go when it's time."
I thought about what he said and nodded. "Nice philosophy but it must have been painful for you."
"It was. I really loved her and we had a long history together. But we're friends, now and we wish each other well. It's best this way."
He then got up and went to the telephone to dial the garage again. He had a little bit of a belly but was not fat. He was taller than my five feet three and I liked the way he smiled and how our eyes met when he dialed. "What a nice smile," I thought feeling myself getting turned on then tried pushing my attraction to him aside. "This is nuts," I thought.
"Still no answer," Peter said, sitting back down. "I'll try again in a little while. Meanwhile why don't you tell me about yourself? Do you have a guy in your life?"
"Nah!" I answered. "Nada." I shook my head. "I had a boyfriend up to a few months ago, but found out he was a jerk and was cheating on me—with my best friend, no less," I said, shaking my head as the thought awoke the pain and anger I felt.
"Too bad," he said. "He must be stupid to let some one like you get away."
"Well, thank you," I said, suddenly feeling he was interested in me. "Your wife wasn't so smart to let you out of her life," I said, looking into his eyes.
He chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. After a silence and a sip of his tea, he asked, "How old are you?"