smile now. He sat up in the chair, hands on his knees and his eyes searched her face. She looked down for a moment and touched his knee, “John, my reasons for coming to the city were pretty much the same as your old friend. There was a strong militia in my hometown, too. I was always active in it. Our struggling US government needs allies. They're very concerned about this evil network that seems to be gaining strength and they are desperate to get information.”
He stood up, pulled on a pair of jeans and walked to the window. Well, I'm real sharp. Spies everywhere it seems, right under my nose---right in my bed. He felt a little stupid, a little offended for some g'damn reason.
The hands slid around his middle and her head rested on his back, “Look, Hon. We're on the same side, right?”
He brought the hand up to his lips. “Yes, we are.” She turned him to face her.
“I thought I could be more effective, maybe find out more if I was on my own. Like my friendship with old lady Pendelton. I've noticed that Dr. Pendelton hasn't been in to work in about two weeks. Mrs. Pendelton is getting downright aggravated because the man not only isn't doing his duty in the market, he's been out many nights very late. She told me yesterday.” She micmicked the elderly lady's sharp voice, “ If that old impotent sack of s—t wasn't so decrepit, I would accuse him of having a girlfriend. ”
Mamie, with her usual humor thought it was funny. “Good god, who else would want those two old farts? Does make one wonder what the codger is up to, doesn't it? I know that your friend is going to make some report to his connection. Might be a tidbit to add to his information. I would like to be in on what your friend learns from his contact, I think it's time for him to be aware of my purpose. If we're to fight this, we need an alliance.”
Silence from him, he stood holding her and inhaling the scent he so relished. Mamie pushed back, “I'm going to the showers. You think about all this, sleep on it. Come to my room in the morning for breakfast. Night, my love.” She sat down her glass and swept out the door.
***
The loud old bus growled away from the station. John's friend, Bud peered out the dirty window, lost in memories and his own jumbled thoughts. He thought of John's brother, his old high school friend. Only months before the s—t-hit-the-fan happening, their class had made a bus trip to the big city of Dallas. Their senior class had earned a trip to see the Dallas Cowboys play football in the much bragged about new stadium in Arlington, Texas. That stadium wasn't so far from his destination today.
He could still nearly hear that crazy laugh of his old friend as they exchanged lewd remarks about their teenage girl classmates, the “Hooters” restaurant that they passed by, all the typical young men bulls—t. The big city and it's sprawling suburbs looked very different then. Today, once the bus left the wild and unusual city villages, instead of the miles of housing, shopping malls and stores, restaurants, schools and car lots that seemed endless to a young man; the bus passed through miles of decaying relics of those things. Occasionally, there were inhabited areas, small communities. Nothing even close to the amazing views that had flown by the windows, thirty five years earlier.
They had a huge good time on that day, all those years ago. He was feeling reckless because as tempting and exciting as the taste of the big city was, he had pretty definitely made his decision to join the military. His parents, good hard working people weren't very happy with the choice. The wars were prolific overseas, in the middle east. Lots of volatile areas of the world. They were afraid for him and he admitted it was a frightening choice to make. What would he do, otherwise? Work on an assembly line in a factory, like his father? He wanted more. If he could survive military service, he
He stood up, pulled on a pair of jeans and walked to the window. Well, I'm real sharp. Spies everywhere it seems, right under my nose---right in my bed. He felt a little stupid, a little offended for some g'damn reason.
The hands slid around his middle and her head rested on his back, “Look, Hon. We're on the same side, right?”
He brought the hand up to his lips. “Yes, we are.” She turned him to face her.
“I thought I could be more effective, maybe find out more if I was on my own. Like my friendship with old lady Pendelton. I've noticed that Dr. Pendelton hasn't been in to work in about two weeks. Mrs. Pendelton is getting downright aggravated because the man not only isn't doing his duty in the market, he's been out many nights very late. She told me yesterday.” She micmicked the elderly lady's sharp voice, “ If that old impotent sack of s—t wasn't so decrepit, I would accuse him of having a girlfriend. ”
Mamie, with her usual humor thought it was funny. “Good god, who else would want those two old farts? Does make one wonder what the codger is up to, doesn't it? I know that your friend is going to make some report to his connection. Might be a tidbit to add to his information. I would like to be in on what your friend learns from his contact, I think it's time for him to be aware of my purpose. If we're to fight this, we need an alliance.”
Silence from him, he stood holding her and inhaling the scent he so relished. Mamie pushed back, “I'm going to the showers. You think about all this, sleep on it. Come to my room in the morning for breakfast. Night, my love.” She sat down her glass and swept out the door.
***
The loud old bus growled away from the station. John's friend, Bud peered out the dirty window, lost in memories and his own jumbled thoughts. He thought of John's brother, his old high school friend. Only months before the s—t-hit-the-fan happening, their class had made a bus trip to the big city of Dallas. Their senior class had earned a trip to see the Dallas Cowboys play football in the much bragged about new stadium in Arlington, Texas. That stadium wasn't so far from his destination today.
He could still nearly hear that crazy laugh of his old friend as they exchanged lewd remarks about their teenage girl classmates, the “Hooters” restaurant that they passed by, all the typical young men bulls—t. The big city and it's sprawling suburbs looked very different then. Today, once the bus left the wild and unusual city villages, instead of the miles of housing, shopping malls and stores, restaurants, schools and car lots that seemed endless to a young man; the bus passed through miles of decaying relics of those things. Occasionally, there were inhabited areas, small communities. Nothing even close to the amazing views that had flown by the windows, thirty five years earlier.
They had a huge good time on that day, all those years ago. He was feeling reckless because as tempting and exciting as the taste of the big city was, he had pretty definitely made his decision to join the military. His parents, good hard working people weren't very happy with the choice. The wars were prolific overseas, in the middle east. Lots of volatile areas of the world. They were afraid for him and he admitted it was a frightening choice to make. What would he do, otherwise? Work on an assembly line in a factory, like his father? He wanted more. If he could survive military service, he
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