There were three of us, Michelle, Karen and myself, heading north across country, driving to the Gold Coast to enjoy the spring break. It was nearly 1500 kilometres and there were some quite significant stretches where you could drive for ages and see nothing but trees and open country.
We weren't in a great hurry. We were just three eighteen year old girls, for the first time off on our own with no parents to ride herd on us. We'd stop for a short break every couple of hours, grabbing a bite to eat at a roadhouse, using the facilities and switching drivers. We estimated two days for the trip. We aimed to do a thousand kilometres on the first day, leaving us with an easy five hundred on the second.
It was the middle of the afternoon on the first day and we'd been driving for nearly two hours when we spotted a roadhouse, so we pulled in for a quick break. We had plenty of petrol so didn't bother about topping up the tank. We just headed straight into the café section, figuring on getting some coffee and a biscuit.
What we got was a surprise. We'd no sooner sat down than a waitress came bustling up to us. She was about our age, and we would have assumed she'd greet us smiling and willing to serve. Not so.
"Um, we're closed right now," she mumbled, not looking directly at any of us. "You'll have to leave. You should find another roadhouse about fifteen minutes down the road."
Closed? She had to be kidding. Lights on, place wide open, her there ready to serve, and a big sign outside that boasted they were open 24/7.
We were looking at each other (us three girls, that is, not the waitress and us) wondering if we should challenge her or just push on. I think it was two for one pushing on (I like to argue) but we didn't have to make a decision.
A second waitress came bustling up to see what was going on. I pointed out that we'd just been told that the place was closed and we had to leave.
The second waitress just held up a finger and told us to wait right there. Then she turned and dragged the first waitress away, and I could hear her saying something along the lines of, "Are you mad, Debbie? They're just what we need. More choice, you might say."
Debbie seemed to be saying, "But, but. . ." and then they were out of earshot. I don't know exactly what the second waitress said to Debbie, because she was talking softly. Whatever it was it had a decided impact. Debbie seemed to brighten right up, nodding enthusiastically, and then came bouncing back to see us, all smiles and good cheer.
"Sorry about that," she said cheerfully. "I had my instructions confused. Luckily, no harm done. May I take your order or do you want to browse the menu first?"
We just exchanged glances, shrugged and ordered coffee and some sandwiches. Debbie smiled and bounced off to get it.
We were the only ones in the place, although I had noticed a big truck parked over in the truck area, so I was a bit surprised at the speed with which Debbie delivered. She didn't have any speed. I was starting to wonder if she was baking the bread for the sandwiches when she finally trotted out, full of apologies for the delay.
I will say this, despite the slow service the coffee and the sandwiches were excellent, and we were scoffing them down fast. Then Debbie came trotting up to replenish our coffee.
"On the house as an apology for the mix up," she said, and then went bouncing off again. It seemed to me that something the second waitress had said to her had sure put a spark in her attitude.
We had just about finished our coffee when there was the crash of a door slamming from the back of the roadhouse. Then King Kong came stomping in. This guy, who I assume was a truckie, came barging into the main café. A bit of a surprise as those guys usually have their own section with special menus and special prices.
Anyway, as I was saying, King Kong walked in. This guy was all jeans and leather. They'd have had to skin a bull to make the leather jacket he was wearing, and a bloody big bull at that. He must have been over two metres in height and, at first glance, two metres in width. Second glance also suggested two metres in width. He was the biggest man I've ever seen.
He came stomping into the café, looking all around.
"Where are the fucking waitresses?" he rumbled. "Bloody wusses, the lot of them."
I glanced around but both Debbie and the second waitress had made themselves scarce. Not that I blamed them. That was one scary guy. We just sat at our little table and said nothing. If we'd already paid I'd have been leading the charge out of the door, but we hadn't and we couldn't until Debbie returned. I was just deciding, 'the hell with it. We'll leave the money on the table' when King Kong turned and looked at us.
He looked us over, nodding slowly.
"I get it," he said, his voice a soft rumble. "Sacrificial offerings. I just take my choice. Cowardly wusses."
I was confused and I'm quite sure Michelle and Karen were, too. What the hell did he mean by sacrificial offerings?
"You lot, stand up," he ordered, pointing at us.
When a man that size says stand up, you stand. Besides, standing meant we could start running. So we just looked at each other, shrugged, and stood. He looked at us and we looked at him.
"They call me Mighty Joe, for some reason, but everyone shortens it to Joe. Who are you?"
I knew the reason and I was hard put not to giggle. Mighty Joe Young was the name of a very large gorilla. I wondered how he'd react if I told him that. Common sense prevailed, so I didn't, just letting him know our first names.
He looked at us and then he pointed to Michelle and Karen.
"You two, sit down and shut up. I'll take that one."
That one being me, I naturally asked what he meant and why was I so lucky as to be chosen.
"I always get a fuck when I come here, but Sandra has gone to the city this week. I'd have used one of the other girls but they're hiding somewhere, cowardly wusses. Your friends look like wusses as well, but you look as though you'll survive. Take your clothes off."