Thursday, November 17, 2005

Part 3 (Sorry, it's a bit later than I said it'd be)

After nearly two hours of tough negotiation between the car, the rutted dirt road, and Chuck, we made it to town. It wasn't far - only perhaps ten miles in a straight line - but, between the winding roads and my truck's recent dilapidation, it was not a short trip.
Chuck seemed to calm down the closer to town we got, and was downright cheerful once we passed the outlying buildings. I was glad to see him in such good spirits, but I hated him for being so cheerful about wrecking my vehicle. I had to admit, though, I was feeling much better myself, and it was a truly beautiful day, so I didn't say anything to spoil the mood.

Chuck scowled a little, then said, "we got to go to a shop and get this fixed. I ain't got a lot of money, and I had to haul your ass out of there, so I figure I'll pay for half the repairs. That fair?"

"Uh...yeah, I guess it is. That'll work fine, Chuck." I hadn't really expected him to make the offer, but was greatly relieved that he had. Even though I'd known him for a while, I didn't know him very well - I'd worried that asking him to pay would offend him, somehow. Thank God for small things, I guess.

"I haven't been 'round here much, but I think they've got just the one place. Should be up ahead a bit. Keep an eye to the right, would you?"

I did, and I enjoyed seeing their quaint main street stretch of shops. Savory smells wafted from a few. I hadn't had anything to eat since the night before.
"Hey, Chuck, I want to stop at one of these places later and get some lunch. I'm starving. Sound good?"
"Yeah. Yeah, that does sound good. How 'bout some barbeque?"
"Barbeque would be awesome. I was thinking that myself."
He chuckled. "Damn straight! I'd be glad to think it for you, if you weren't. Stuff's good."

The auto shop was only another mile down the road. I was glad - I would keel over dead from hunger if I had to walk any further than that for a decent meal. But I wasn't as glad to hear the prognosis: repairs were going to be expensive, and worse yet, they didn't have all the parts. So we would have to stay in town for a few days, unless we could finagle a ride from someone. None of my family lived near, I didn't think Chuck even had any left, and everyone else I knew wasn't going to drive all the way out here on such short notice. This town was so small it didn't have a place to rent cars, and the shop's only loaner sat in the corner, looking pitiful and forlorn.

So, we walked back to the barbeque place, and kept our eyes open for hotels.

Sunday, November 13, 2005

Unfortunately, no update yet

Well, except for this. Real life, with its usual smarmy attitude, is hogging all my time right now. Like somehow, my time belongs to the world and not me. So, tomorrow, I intend to finish writing what I began.

Ok, honestly I only spent some of the time doing necessary things. I did probably waste a few hours doing important...uh...'studying' of the words in newspapers. And maybe just a few on a game...but just to keep my reflexes sharp, you understand?

I was hoping I'd bring up something witty by now, to make up for the nothingness, but I can't even do that. I'm so harried I think I dropped the 'w' somewhere, so I've only got something...itty. Heh. Funny that you'll hear itty-bitty but not itty. Is it even a word? No one knows. Well, I do. It's not. But neither I nor anyone else has ever been too good to use made-up words. They're fun.
And 'itty' sounds funny alone.