After work, especially after a day like this, I just had to hit Murphy's Pub. This was one of those days I'd like to live upstairs from Murphy's so I could drink and not worry about having to drive. I had to deal with getting the tape back, talking to Teresa, get yelled at by Holly, and sicking my attorney on the biggest news station in the city.
On the way to Murphy's I took a little detour past a liquor store and picked up a bottle of bourbon and one of tequila. After the last couple of weeks, I had put a serious dent on my supply at the house.
Carla had taken a detour past her apartment to change clothes which meant we would probably get there around the same time. When I drove past the front of Murphy's. There was this familiar little red Corvette convertible parked out front. A couple of cars in front of it was a silver Mercedes convertible. Naa! As much as I wanted to go to Murphy's, I wasn't ready to deal with that.
I pulled around the corner and called Carla on the cell.
"How 'bout we go to my place and order out?"
"Sure, but I thought you wanted to go to Murphy's."
"I did, but considering there is a red Vette and silver Benz parked out front, I'd rather have a nice QUIET dinner and a few drinks with you."
"I'll meet you at your house."
The more I thought about it the more I really wanted to just relax. A couple extra drinks, soaking in the hot tub, I'd be like a new man... especially with the right company.
Now, what was I in the mood for? Pizza? Well, yeah. I'm always in the mood for Pizza. Mexican? There's the answer. Carla loves Mexican, especially with her tequila. And guess what? There's a full bottle on the seat next to me. And guess what? There's a Mexican carry-out on the way.
Still being a little paranoid about my best buddies, the Dipshit brothers, I was watching in my rearview mirror. There wasn't anything obvious. And the way I drive, someone would have to drive at least as bad as me to stay with me, right?
I stopped by the Mexican place and picked up a half-dozen tacos, "fajitas por dos", fajitas for two, and two fried ice creams. While I was waiting for the food, I ran next door and picked up two six packs of Corona. I figured we could have our own little Mexican celebration for... well... anything.
When I got to the house, Carla's car was in the driveway. She doesn't have a key to my house, at least I don't think she does. Maybe she does. I tried the front door and it was still locked. I went inside and deactivated the alarm. Okay, I know she isn't inside. I went to the back door and looked out. There she was, already in the hot tub.
I unlocked the door and went out onto the deck, arms full of goodies.
"Now how did you know I was in the mood for Mexican?", Carla asked as I stumbled my way to the table with the bags.
"That's my profession, ma'am."
Carla got out of the tub with nothing on. She leaned over and picked up a bottle of tequila from next to the tub. "See?"
"Excuse me, ma'am, but there are laws in this community about running around naked in public, it's called indecent exposure."
Carla stopped and looked at me. She assumed a slightly exaggerated modeling pose. "Do you think this is indecent?"
"No ma'am. I don't. It would make a rather nice ad for Jose' Cuervo."
"Nobody can see back here anyway." She slipped a black blouse on.
Carla walked over and gave me a kiss. She opened the bag to see what I picked up. I took the bag with the fried ice cream and put it in the freezer. When I walked back onto the deck with two shot glasses for the tequila, Carla had already opened a bottle of Corona and killed it. She had a taco in her other hand and took a healthy bite out of it as I walked towards her.
"I'm sorry, but I'm hungry."
"Go right ahead. I'll catch up."
I took the bottle of tequila Carla had already opened and poured each of us a shot. "Where'd you get this?", I asked holding up the bottle.
"I stopped and picked it up on the way. I noticed you were getting a little low the other night. I almost stopped and picked up the food, but then I thought you might not be in the mood."
"In the mood for what?", I asked with a devilish grim.
"Mexican food."
"Oh! That!?"
"Pheury!"
"I'm sorry."
"Yeah, I know, you're always in the mood."
"You have a lot of room to talk, running around naked like that."
I pulled a taco from the bag and opened a Corona. I sat the beer down and picked up my shot of tequila, "Here's looking at you kid."
Carla picked up her shot and returned the toast. "Cheers!"
We finished off a six pack, half of the bottle of tequila, and all of the food before we even got into the hot tub. I went inside and slipped out of my clothes. Just in case someone stopped by, I put on a pair of swim shorts. On my way back out, I took the fried ice creams out of the freezer.
"Oops! We almost forgot the best part.", Carla said as I approached the tub.
"I didn't. I've been saving the best for last."
Along with such delicacies as Corona, Pacifico, tequila of any brand, and Mexican food in general, the most important single contribution to society from Mexico has to be fried ice cream. Even though it is best when served right out of the fryer, warm on the outside - cold on the inside, a lot like my ex-wife, fried ice cream is great any way at all.
Carla and I sat on the edge of the hot tub and enjoyed our dessert. We chased it down with the tequila and another beer.
The rest of the night was very much like the other evenings Carla and I had been spending together lately. We relaxed in the hot tub for a while and then went inside and made love. That's right love, not just sex. I was really, really enjoying having her around all the time. Yet, I was still hesitant on mentioning either of the two "M" words that have a tendency to ruin relationships, "move-in" or "marriage".
I felt as though Carla would do either, and even though she had never come right out and said so, I think she'd love to have a kid. Me? I always thought about it, but now, at my age, I can't imagine having some rug rat running around. Hell, I'd be mid-60's by the time they'd graduate from high school.
In the morning, Carla had gotten up and had breakfast done before I dragged my sorry ass out of bed. I ate, did a little workout in the gym, and then went for a little run. Naturally, I made the little detour past the gun safe on the way out. Something was telling me I was going to have company.
I walked down the driveway scanning around a bit. To my right, I saw a bright blue import parked where there normally aren't any cars. All of the American made Japanese cars look alike these days so I wasn't sure what make it was. It also had dark tint on the windows so I couldn't tell how many occupants there were. Because of the terrain and shrubs, I don't think they could have seen me yet, so I ran back inside to grab my cell phone. I quickly told Carla what was up. She wanted to come with me, but I told her no. "If I need you, I'll call."
I started on my trek once again. This time, I left by way of the back door and cut through the back yards of two of my neighbors. This would put me behind where the blue car is parked. This would give me the opportunity to run past the car and see if it was occupied and maybe identify who it was.
I ran down the driveway as if it were mine and out into the street. As I got near the car I stopped and acted as though one of my shoes needed to be retied. With the help of the rising sun shining through the opposite side of the car I could barely make out one occupant, the driver. I couldn't make out enough to identify him.
I took off up the street once again, giving him plenty of chance to make his move, if that was his intent. I made it all of the way to the park before I actually saw that the car was following me. Oh, I knew it was following me. My sixth sense radar was actively pinging away letting me know it was back there, but this was the first time the driver slipped just enough for me to see the sun bounce off the chrome trim.
Trying to see just how good this person was at trying to trail someone, I deviated from my normal path and darted directly into the woods. I could see the blue car speed up and turn into the parking lot of the park. Once I was far enough into the woods, I stopped so I could see what the driver was going to do. The driver got out of the car and ran back towards where I had entered the woods.
I was totally expecting another encounter with the Dipshit brothers, but was fooled. I didn't recognize this guy. He was a little younger than either of the Dipshits. I guess I'll call him O'Shit. He must be an Irish cousin. He was dressed in a pair of khaki pants and a bright red golf shirt. So much for camouflage. I took off towards where I hoped the trail would be. Even with the age difference, I hoped I could outrun him on a cleared surface. The sticks and leaves were advertising my position to him. Luckily, there was that slight echo associated with most woods that hopefully was throwing him off just a little.
When I finally got to the trail, I went to the left, back towards the parking lot. Remember how I told you the trail went in a type of a loop? Well most of the trail does. I don't know how I ended up on this trail but it led me right to a stream. "If I remember right," I thought to myself, "the other trail comes close to stream too."
The trail I am on continues on the other side of the stream. Nope, I didn't want to go that way, so I started along the bank. I could hear O'Shit still trailing me. I made it to the loop trail and made a left. This was looking familiar now. I was able to make up for lost time.
I made it to the split where I confused the Dipshit brothers the other day when I saw Laura jogging towards me.
