Jeff Chandler closed the front door of what had been his home for the past two years. Sam, his black Labrador frolicked at his side, anxious to jump into the car that was parked in the driveway. When Jeff opened the door, Sam quickly jumped into the back seat. Jeff went around to the driver's side and got in the car. He put his key into the ignition and started the car, noting that she did not appear to be looking out the window as he backed out of the driveway.
Jeff and Linda had been a couple for the past two years. Both had been through divorces a year before they met but Linda was also clinically depressed, a fact which she hid very well until she lost her job about 15 months ago. She hid in the whiskey bottle then and did little more than drink and sleep.
He arranged for her to get counseling and paid for her hospital stay to dry out. Nothing worked. He didn't like living in a mausoleum with a nearly comatose woman. No hugs, no kisses, no making dinner, no sex, nothing. Finally, he gave her an ultimatum! Straighten out by April 15th, three months from now, or he was leaving. Today was the 16th of April.
He had all his worldly possessions in the trunk of his car. With Sam for company, he was headed West to Las Vegas. He owned a house there that had been rented out but the tenant was about to move, giving him the perfect opportunity to move back in.
With the music of the Oak Ridge Boys in the CD player, he turned onto the highway and set the cruise control. It would be an easy drive. He had already made this trip several times before.
After driving for a while, he saw the sign for the first rest stop off the highway in Iowa. Although Sam had been sleeping in the back seat, Jeff figured he could use a stretch of the legs and a rest stop didn't sound too bad to him either.
Turning in at the entrance, he steered to the parking area for cars and parked. Turning the car off was Sam's signal to quickly jump to the front seat. Jeff attached the leash to Sam's collar only because it was required. He knew Sam wouldn't cause any trouble or run away. As they got out of the car, another car pulled into the space next to them. Jeff saw a man at the wheel and another person on the other side he thought was a woman.
As he and Sam crossed in front of the car, a woman with red hair got out of the car and slammed the door a little harder than was necessary. Jeff watched as she marched to the building housing the restrooms. His attention was diverted as the other car door slammed. The driver was moving to the rear of the car.
Jeff watched as the driver opened the trunk and removed a blue suitcase, the wheeled kind used by flight attendants. He also removed what appeared to be a makeup case and tossed both of them into the empty parking space next to his car. He then got back into the car, started it, backed out of the space, and drove away. With a slight grin, Jeff waited for the redhead to reappear.
A few minutes later, she came down the walk and stopped.
"That bastard!" she shouted.
She moved to the suitcase, grabbed the handle, then stooped to retrieve the makeup case and moved them both to the sidewalk. Jeff let Sam find his way over to the lady and sniff her knees. When Sam sat at her feet, Jeff started to move towards her.
"Hello."
"Uh, Hello. Is this your dog?"
"Yes. He seems to like you. He doesn't usually sit next to people he doesn't like. His name is Sam."
She bent down to pet the dog on the head.
"Hello, Sam."
"I'm Jeff Chandler. It seems you're in a spot of bother."
"I guess so. I didn't expect him to just leave me stranded."
"Come on over to the bench and have a seat while you gather your thoughts."
"Thanks, I think I will."
"My name is Diane Foster." She said, offering her hand.
"Nice to meet you, Diane."
"Just for curiosities sake, why did he run off while you were in the restroom?"
"We were having a fight about the reason for our trip. He wanted to go to Vegas so we could get married and I told him I just wanted to go for the vacation. It's not that I disliked him, I just don't want to get married- period. I've been there and I'm not going back."
"I understand that attitude, Diane. I wouldn't want to get married again either. So now what are you going to do?"
"I'm not sure. I've never been in this situation before. I'm not sure of my options. I'm sure there's a way out of this somehow but I don't know how."
"As I see it, you basically have three options."
"Three? Really?"
"Sure. First, you can go to the pay phone and call 911. You ask for the State Police and tell them you're stranded here. They'll probably offer you a ride to the nearest town with a motel and drop you there. I'm not sure how long it will take them to get here because it will depend on what else is going on. You may have to wait a few hours for your ride."
"That doesn't sound so great. What's option two?"
"Option Two would be to call someone you know and ask them to come and get you. Is that a viable option?"
"No. I don't have any friends or relatives in this area. Both of my daughters live in San Diego and I don't have any real friends that would drive this far to get me."
"Option Three is relatively dangerous, I think. If you're brave enough, you could ask one of the folks who stop here for a ride to the nearest town or perhaps to where ever they might be headed, in other words, hitchhike. I wouldn't ask the truckers if I were you as they would probably want something in return if they are even allowed to have a passenger."
"Sorry, I'm not that brave. There's no guarantee that I would be treated well by a trucker. I've heard too many stories about women ending up dead. Do you really think I could hitch a ride safely with a random traveler?"
"Sure. You'll just have to be careful in choosing the right stranger. Some of us are stranger than most."
"I hear that. Oh, Jeff, I've never been exactly the bravest person in the group but this really scares me to death. Maybe that 911 call isn't such a bad idea."
"Well, Sam and I are also going to Las Vegas. Actually, We're moving there. If you want to take the risk, you could ride with us. Sam seems to think you're a nice person and he's a pretty good judge of character. Your only risk would be in trusting me."
"You seem like a nice guy, Jeff, but what proof do I have that you're really as nice as you appear?"
"Good question. We are going to Las Vegas at a leisurely pace, which means stopping in hotels or motels along the way. If you can afford it, you can get your own room. Otherwise, you'll have to room with us. Since we're travelling with a dog, we'll have to accept what ever accommodations the place has to offer."
