I saw Jenny head over to the phone and dial a number.I saw Jenny head over to the phone and dial a number. "What's up?" I asked her. "Calling Dianne to come pick me up. She's got my car tonight." Dianne was Jenny's roomie. I had met her briefly before, and Jenny had once mentioned that she worked an early day shift. Even if she didn't have to get up early tomorrow she surely wouldn't enjoy dragging ass out of bed at 2AM to come down here and get Jenny. Before Jenny dialed the last digit I volunteered, "Hey, don't wake her up. I'll give you a ride." Jenny looked at me dubiously, her finger paused over the last number. "I didn't figure you for the altruistic type. Isn't it out of your way?" "It's more out of Dianne's way. The poor woman isn't a creature of the night like us. She needs her sleep." She considered a moment, then put the phone back with the last number still undialed. "Okay," she smiled, "but straight home and no sidetrips. I'm bushed." "No prob." I assured her. We walked out into the refreshingly cool night air, across the parking lot to my junkmobile. I saw her giving it the wary eye and I flashed her a grin, "Don't laugh, it's paid for." I thought I heard her mumble something about it being paid for in cereal boxtops but I didn't pursue the matter. I turned the key and the engine moaned, grumbled, and finally coughed to life athsmatically. I revved the engine a couple times and it roared impressively, the sound bouncing off the nearby building walls in staccato bursts. I really needed to put a muffler on the damn thing. Pulled out of the parking lot and into the street--slowly. I was thankful that it was dark and Jenny couldn't see my foot which had the accelerator pressed to the floor. I doubt she would have cared anyway. She was too busy hanging on for dear life, trying to avoid being shaken out of her seat. I *really* needed to put a muffler on this car. Ten teeth-rattling minutes later we pulled up in front of her apartment building. All around lights were coming on as people were getting up to see what the hell was making all that racket. I found an empty spot along the curb and turned the ignition off the keep from waking the other half of the neighborhood. In the deafening silence I turned to face her. "Well, here we are." She turned in the darkness, "Yep, here we are. Well, thanks for the, uh, ride. |