Too much rouge and lip gloss. False lashes, flapping. The hair teased way too high. A big woman, huge tits overflowing that Harley cut-down tee. But she had a flair, an allure, and I was smitten.
Two hours ago, I was doing seventy on I-95, heading for Florida. The drowsiness was winning, and I was in no rush, so, once I hit the Georgia line, I eased off the gas and found a roadside motel with lounge attached.
A few drinks and six hours of solid sleep, and I'd be gone again. I checked in to save time, then eased into the corner stool at far end of the bar.
"Hey, Darlin', what'll it be?", she drawled, happy to have another member of her audience.
"PBR and a Jack."
She smiled, "Don't get many New Yorkers this far off the Interstate." Tilting her head to my Jeep out front. "Saw you pull up, through the blinds."
She poured and slid the shot and beer across. I chugged the Jack and took a hit on the Pabst, nice and cold, almost hurting as it went down.
"Yeah, I was looking for a cheap room. Too rich for my blood on I95", I said, nodding to the shot glass. She refilled it and I laid a $50 on the bar.
"I don't have change of that yet, Darlin'."
"I'll be having a few, and something to eat."
"Well, okay then, I'll start you a tab, but don't go arunnin' on me! I'll track you down like a rabid dog!" She laughed.
Smiling, "I bet you would, too."
"Damn straight, Ol' Flo don't mess around!", a old man yelled over his beer.
"That's right," a heavy-set woman chimed in, along with the two others sitting around on a weekday in July, just happy to be in air-conditioning, I imagined.
I drank in silence as they went back to their local chatter, with Flo keeping me in the loop.
The TV had Maury doing paternity tests, and no one cared but when Jerry came on, they all went wild. This one had a second cousin who was on his show last year, and another's brother's bosses uncle once went all the way to Cincinnati to be on the show, then chickened out.
The menu consisted of half sandwiches of ham, turkey, and cheese of some kind. And potato chips. I ate two.
Next came Walker, Texas Ranger, and all agreed that Walker was the baddest Ranger ever. Flo stationed herself at my end of the bar, sliding into the seat next to me, when no one needed anything.
"You look sorta like Walker, with that beard", she said in hushed tones.
Hardly, I thought, I'm taller and thinner by a lot! My hair is dark. But we do both have beards.
"You think so? Is that good?" I asked, teasing.
"Hmm, very good. Walker can leave crumbs in my bed anytime!" she smiled, her eyes dreamy. "And you, Darlin', got a good chance your own self!"
I smiled back at her, wondering her situation. No ring, obviously a flirt, I estimated in her early fifties.
Was this just to entertain and increase her tip, or was she hitting on me?
"I'd better watch my back when I'm leaving."
"Oh, I wouldn't worry about than, Hon, I own this place, so i have a spare key to any room in the place."
"Double locks?"
"Darlin, I don't chase men unless they owe me money! If you want it, you gotta give a sign!" I felt her hand on my leg. "My night man is due in 15 minutes. I do expect a tip, and if you leave it heads up, you may get special room service. Heads down, and I understand, its your choice."
We settled up when Jethro came in, and I definitely had had enough of this place. Younger red necks were filing in, and many looked long and hard at the stranger in the corner.
Flo had broken the $50 and left two twenties change, clearly undercharging me by at least twenty.
I took out my pen, and drew a big smile on Andrew Jackson's face, with a cartoon balloon for him saying, "Head's Up!" I drained my beer and put it on the tip, said goodnight to all, and went up to my room, washed up and waited.
Ten minutes later, there was a knock on the door. I opened it, and there was Flo, a champagne bucket under one arm and a bag of Cheetos.
"Compliments of management!" She handed me the bucket, which held a six pack of PBRs. "So, you gonna invite a lady in?"
I swung the door wide. "My place is yours, but I guess you know that."
She laughed, "Good one! Gorgeous and a sense of humor, too!" She rumbled into the room. "I like what you've done with it."
I moved my bag off the one chair, and popped two beers. "I hope you're joining me."
"Oh yeah, I don't start til I get off, cause when I start, I don't want to stop!"
We tapped bottles and she said, "To Friendships. We all need to slow down and say howdy more often. Doesn't take long, but the memories can last forever."
A fine sentiment, I thought. To my new friend, I simply said, "Cheers."
We drank, our eyes not leaving the other's. "When you pulled up, I said to myself, 'Florrie, there's a young man you should get to know.' And then you came strollin' into the bar, all tall and young and handsome, and I thought, 'No, Child, he's young enough to be your son'".