Perchance Read Free

you have anything?”
     
                  “That’s all?  Why sure I do.” She pulled out a plastic bag and inside of it were bottles and bottles of every kind of medicine.  This woman was a freakin’ Walgreens. 
     
                  She took a smaller squatty bottle out and handed me three blue oval pills. 
     
                  “Do you have anything to drink?” Her voiced almost creaked as she spoke.
     
                  “No Ma’am, I’m gonna get out here and get something.  Can I get you anything?”
     
                  She smiled and patted my hand. “No thank you honey girl . I’ve got to use the bathroom.  I’ll get myself something.”
     
                  I smiled back at her and stepped over her knees to exit the bus.
     
                  Stepping down those four steps towards the concrete be low was a feat since my legs had been constricted to the small space between seats in the bus.  I was a little wobbly and had to hold on to the han dle on the side of the bus door to get my balance.
     
                  I looked out and we were st opped at a truck stop .  I made my way into the gas station area, bought a bottled water and took my pills right there before paying for it.  I paid for the water and a pack of gum since my mouth tasted like a gorilla had crapped in it.
     
                  I used the bathroom and washed my face off before making my way back to the bus.  I sat in my seat and noticed that the older lady still wasn’t back.  I was kinda worried since the bus driver looked ready to go.  Then I heard her voice before I saw her and leaned back in my seat no longer worried.
     
                  Six more hours, six more hours, six more hours.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Cooper
     
     
     
                  I was being nudged in the arm by somebody.  There had better be a fire, that’s all I can say. 
     
                  “What?” I croaked out. But all I could hear was the Beastie Boys talking about Sabotage .
     
                  I jerked my earbuds out, prepared to stare down the sucker who woke me up.
     
                  What I got was an eyeful of Mr. Flight Attendant, with his hands on his hips, giving me this ‘I know you just didn’t say what to me’ look.
     
                  “Sorry, are we there?” I said as I sat up and tried to straighten myself.
     
                  “Yes, the rest of the passengers deplaned a while ago.”
     
                  I jumped out at that statement.  “Oh crap, thanks.”
     
                  I grabbed my stuff as fast as I could and made my way out of the plane, getting some ‘so not so friendly skies’ glares as I did.
     
                  I pushed my hair back trying to look halfway presentable, not for him but for my Mom.  She’d slap me where I stood if she thought I was getting off of the plane looking like a homeless guy.  I mean, she’d never hit me, but sometimes she’d make you wish she would.  It would be easier to take than the lectures I got.
     
                  I pulled downward on my dark green Van Halen t shirt and tried to flatten the wrinkles in my jeans as I walked out of the gate and towards baggage claim.  My Da..Eric said he would meet me there. 
     
                  I rounded the corner in the small airport, well it was smaller the Charlotte , and looked around.  I fully expected a cheesy sign that said “COOPER NEAL I AM YOUR DADDY” on it, but no, that would be too easy. 
     
                  I looked for the baggage claim and went to retrieve my bag and there was a man standing next to it.  I