11:38 AM
Gee, Ramon and Jimmy all sat around Ramon's tiny, dark, cluttered living room killing the morning hours with some laughs and a blunt.
"What did you say his name was Slim-Jim?" Asked Gee while holding in some marijuana smoke and passing the blunt to Jimmy.
"Bubba," Jimmy answered and waived off the blunt. "I'm cool, I'm trying to get out of here and meet up with someone."
"Is he a white guy?" Gee asked.
"BUBBA, dude...What the fuck do you think he is?" Ramon said while looking at Gee like he was a total idiot and taking a long drag off the blunt.
"Bubba is just a name brother, he could be anything. That can be a Black guy or Mexican guy too man." Gee said reaching out to receive the blunt from Ramon. "Like, look at me brother, my name is Gee and I'm a white guy."
"Gee is a fucking nickname," Ramon laughed.
"Still sounds like I could be a Black guy... Or even a Chinese guy. You never know brother. Watch Ramon, hey Jimmy, is bubba a white guy?"
"He is Gee," Jimmy answered while looking down at his phone and typing a message.
"Well that's just a coincidence Ramon, like there's that one guy named Bubba that has that song that goes... It's gon' get ugly in here huh, in here huh, in here. It's gon' get ugly in here huh, in here huh, in here...You know what song I'm talking about right, Jimmy?" Gee explained looking toward Jimmy for approval.
"That Bubba Sparxxx song?" Jimmy tilted his head, furrowed his brow and stared at Gee.
"Bubba Sparxxx Gee? Bubba Sparxxx is a fucking white guy! You used a white guy as an example... Gimme that blunt man!" Ramon laughed.
"Doesn't change the fact it's a good song brother. You got to get rid of that hate in your heart," Gee said while placing his open hand on Ramon's chest.
"Get the fuck off me man!" Ramon laughed along with Gee as Jimmy's cell phone went off. Jimmy looked down and saw it was Mark. He sprang up off of Ramon's recliner and headed outside.
"What's up Mark? We still going to that thing up in the mountains?"
"Hey man. Yeah, I just talked to Bubba. He said we can cruise up early and chill at his friend's pad while everyone shows up.
"His friend's pad? I thought Bubba lived right by the lake? We're still going to the lake right?"
"Actually there's been a change of plans... We are going to go to this winery opening."
"In the fucking mountains?"
"Yeah, I guess they are trying to build up the awareness or some shit with some big fancy opening because no one ever goes up there...You dressed up? Do you need to change?"
"Yeah, I gotta change and shower if we're going to some nice event."
"Alright, how about I pick you up at your place around 4:30?"
"Sounds good Marky Mark."
"Be ready Jimmy Dean, I ain't waiting..."
"I will be, later."
"Later man."
Jimmy walked back into Ramon's musky smoker's den to grab his jacket and say his goodbyes.
"It's gon' get ugly in here huh, in here huh, in here!" Gee was now standing over Ramon singing.
"Alright fellas I need to bounce out of here, you guys have fun. Maybe you should shower and head out into the world before you spark another one yeah?" Jimmy said as he held out his hand to slap palms and bump fists with his long time friends.
"Don't leave me alone with Gee man!"
"Fuck you Ramon, you Fidel Castro looking mother-fucker." Gee said while still dancing over him.
"Take it easy dreamers..." Jimmy put on his jacket and headed outside. He walked down the creaky apartment steps and hopped into his black Escalade. He popped the visor open and looked himself over in the mirror... Nice, my eyes don't look red at all, fucking pro... He started up his engine and made his way down the quiet tree-lined street. When he got home he showered and began to look through his closet.
4:39 PM
Jimmy was finishing up straightening his purple tie and buttoning his grey, Italian cut suit... Purple tie should be appropriate, I mean it is a winery and like, wine is purple. Hope this isn't cheesy... Jimmy thought. He checked the cufflinks on his white shirt and gave himself one more look in the mirror. he splashed on some Polo Sport and ran down to meet Mark who had now honked his horn several times.
"What's up Jimmy, let's roll."
"Do you know the way?"
"Bubba said to just head up Deer Mountain Road toward the lake. Once we pass the lake we'll see a huge barn painted red and we are supposed to go right and after a few minutes we will see a big tree with a tire swing, we turn left and he said his friend's house is the next one we should see."
"Sounds good, I'm gonna take my jacket off so it doesn't get wrinkled on the way there."
6:17 PM
Jimmy and mark now found themselves surrounded by big dry fields with a few ancient trees scattered throughout. Old abandoned barns and long broken down tractors peppering the landscape.
"Where the fuck is this red barn Mark? We passed the lake twenty minutes ago man... Call Bubba."
"I have no service, there is fucking nothing around here. I can't even remember the last house we passed it's been so long," Mark nervously said as he looked out the window, to his left, trying to see some signs of civilization. "You see anything on your side Jimmy?"
"Nothing man, maybe we should double back. The road is turning to dirt up ahead... It can't be passed that."
"Yeah... I think you're right bro."
Mark came to a stop and began to make a three point turn on the narrowing road. When he straightened out to go back the way they came he felt the car pull hard and fast to the right.
"Fuck, I think I just blew a tire! Motherfuck! Now what are we going to do?" Mark banged on the steering wheel.
"Relax, we'll just put the spare on." Jimmy smiled.
"I don't have a fucking jack! My roommate borrowed it and never put it back!"
"Dude, it's gonna be dark in less than a couple hours... We can't walk out here in the dark. This place creeps me the fuck out man. Seriously, Isn't this where that fucking Zodiac was killing people?" Jimmy began to panic.
"The Zodiac would be old as shit now... We better start walking or sleep in the car and walk tomorrow until we get a signal."
"Lets walk now if we can't get a signal we'll come back to the car I guess."
The two men started to walk down the road checking their phones every few minutes but to no avail. They walked about a mile before stopping and deciding to head back to the car before the day turned to night.
"Fuck man, let's go back to the car and maybe we can drive it on the flat?" Jimmy suggested.
"No. the tire is totally flat and I'm not driving my beamer on the rim Jimmy."
"We are going to have to do something Mark!"
"Oh shit hold on, look. I think it's a girl on a bike." Mark pointed to the open field. "Look, way the fuck down there, you see that?"
"HEY! HEY GIRL! OVER HERE! HELP!" Jimmy yelled.
"Dude, she stopped!" Mark waved at the girl and motioned her to come. The girl stopped the bike and stood facing away from them. She looked over her shoulder at the two of them for a long moment before turning her bike around and peddling in their direction.
"Yes, she's coming. Fuck I hope one of her redneck relatives has a jack lying around." Jimmy said, smiling for the first time in hours.
"Or at least a phone that works out here or something."
The young girl peddled her old bike down the dirt road up to Jimmy and Mark. As she got close the men had a full view of her small firm breasts, her half buttoned baggy flannel shirt hanging open as she leaned forward on her bike to get off.
"Holy shit did you see that?" Jimmy nudged Mark.
"Shut up dude... We need her to help us." Mark whispered never taking his eyes off the girl.
"This Trixie is fucking hot man..." Jimmy whispered.
The young girl wore a pair of incredibly short, tight khaki shorts to go along with her baggy flannel shirt and an old pair of brown dusty cowboy boots. Her light brown hair was picked up into a ponytail with a few hairs blowing loose in the wind. A leather necklace with a bullet affixed to it hung from her neck.
"You gents got a cigarette?" She asked, squinting in the sun.
"Um yeah, I have one." Jimmy fumbled around before remembering he had a pack of Parliament lights in his jacket's interior pocket. he popped the top open and outstretched his arm so the girl could pull one out.
"Them are fancy cigarettes like yourselves. You ain't from 'round here is you?" She asked as she pulled two cigarettes out of the pack. She tucked one in her ear and placed the other in her mouth. She pulled out a lighter and lit the smoke herself.
"Hi miss, my name is Mark and this is my friend Jimmy. We were--"
"I'm Sara Mae, pronounced Say-reh-May. Please to meet you," Sara held her hand out.
"Uh... Please to meet you too sweetheart." Mark answered and shook her hand.
"Please to meet you Sara Mae, I'm Jimmy." Jimmy shook her hand in an exaggerated fashion hoping to get another glimpse of her breasts bouncing around under her shirt.
"Sara, we got a flat tire about a mile up the road and we were wondering if you could let us borrow a jack if you have one?"
"My daddy has a jack. You fellers wanna use it?"
"YES, that would be a life saver. Is it far?"
"It's just down the road a spell. You said your car was that-a-way? I'll come back with the jack and help you fancy boys with your tire." Sara Mae turned her bike around, flicked the cigarette butt and peddled down the dirt road toward her and her daddy's cozy home in the mountains. Mark and Jimmy started walking back to their car to wait.
8:35
"Fuck man, I don't think she's coming back. It's been an hour," Mark said.
"Maybe her house or whatever is far? Just chill, what other choice do we have?"
"Give me one of those Parlees, I need a smoke."
"I can use one too..."
They stepped out of the car and lit up the cigarette. It was getting dark now, the winds died down and an eerie silence surrounded them.
"How can anyone live out here? Literally how? There isn't shit for miles," Mark talked to himself.
A few yards behind the car Jimmy heard something walking on some dry leaves toward them causing him to almost choke on the smoke.
"FUCKING ZODIAC!" Jimmy screamed and ran for the car.
"RELAX! It's just a fucking possum. Hey look, here she comes. Thank God I was getting kind of worried."
They stood there finishing their cigarettes as Sara Mae made her way up the road.
"Sorry boys, I needed to help my Pa get ready for his night time possum hunt. He don't have the sense God gave a gopher sometimes. You like you some possum?"
"Um, yeah they are good eats for sure. I like them with BBQ sauce." Jimmy said and looked at Mark raising his eyebrows in a 'what do you want from me' fashion.
"Are you funnin' on me mister?" Sara Mae stood and glared at Jimmy. "'Cause I got some possum back home if you fellers are hungry."
"Noooooo... No, that's okay miss. We should take a look at this flat before we take up anymore of your time," Mark said elbowing Jimmy.
"It's okay, I have all the time in th'world. All we have out here is time. I'll make you some possum gooder than that fancy city food when I'm finished changin' this here flat."
Sara Mae removed the bungee cords holding the jack on the back of her bike and made her way over to the car while Jimmy and mark followed, rolling up the cuffs of their sleeves.
"Actually, we are supposed to go to some winery down the road for a party." Mark tried to explain.
"You gonna turn down my hospitality? Is that how you fancy city folk treat each other? I have a mind to leave you out here to fend for yourselves I reckon." Sara Mae stood up and put her hands on her hips. "Hoyt Clyde be out here huntin' too. Yup, Hoyt Clyde would like you. Pretty city boys like ya'selves... Hoyt Clyde's as crazy as a shit house rat."
"Hoyt Clyde? Who... Who is Hoyt Clyde?" Mark asked nervously.
"I'm sorry about my friend miss Sara Mae. Am I saying it right? Say-reh May?" Jimmy said putting on the nicest voice he could muster.
"Yes'um."
"We would love to come over to your place and try some possum... My friend is a bit ignorant when it comes to certain delicacies so maybe we can just hang out for a bit and you can tell us about life out here in this beautiful part of the world."
"Really? Y'all wanna hear about my neck of the woods? Well let me get to this flat and I'll tell y'all 'bout it."
"Do you need a hand with that?"
Sara Mae loosened the nuts and jacked up the car before any of the boys had a chance to put a helping hand in.
"No sir! My daddy says I'm real good at handling nuts," Sara Mae said, shot Jimmy a seductive glance and stared uncomfortably long into his eyes while Mark handed her the spare tire. "Besides, you two look to be as useless as teats on a hog."
"That's... Huh, that's really impressive," Jimmy gulped. Her dad said that? What...
Sara Mae finished tightening the nuts on the spare, stood up and wiped her hands on her shirt moving it around enough to give Jimmy another peek at her breasts. Jimmy's eyes immediately darted toward her chest until it was covered up again. He noticed Sara Mae was staring right at him with her deep blue eyes and softly freckled face.
"Well, you boys wanna follow me in your fancy car?"
"Yeah, will do, you lead the way little darling," Jimmy smiled.
"Is you flirtin' with me mister?" Sara Mae smiled back.
Mark grabbed Jimmy's arm and dragged him to the car.
"Thank you Sara Mae, we will follow you. There's a road that leads to your place right?" Mark asked as he was getting into his silver BMW.
"Yes'um, this way. It's just over yonder." Sara Mae hopped on her bike and began to ride down the dirt road.
"This girl is smoking hot and fucking horny dude!"
"Fuck that Jimmy, this girl is creeping me out. And this Hoyt Clyde character running around liking city boys isn't making me feel any safer. I think we should just get the fuck out of here."
"What if we get lost again and fucking Hoyt Clyde finds us next man? What then? Let's just follow this trixie to her place and relax until morning. We'll be able to see. Fuck that winery party man... Shit is boring."
"Fine, but no fucking possum cooked out here in this fucking hillbilly no man's land. I'm serious Jimmy."
They followed Sara Mae closely down the dirt road taking several turns before reaching what seemed to be an old abandoned RV.
"This can't be where they live... It's a fucking motor home man," Mark's jaw dropped.
"Did you see her ass in those shorts as she worked that bicycle? You have to get your head in the game Marky Mark."
"Fuck you Jimmy, This shit is freaky. This could be a fucking city folk trap for all we fucking know. I don't want to get killed and eaten out here."
"Now it's your turn to relax man, she's just being nice and obviously lonely. Just go with the flow."
"You boys don't mind if I shower up does you?" Sara Mae said as she dropped her bike and started unbuttoning her shirt.
"No that's fine you pretty little mountain flower," Jimmy smiled.
"Your friend's a real charmer mister, he'd make a train take a dirt road he's so darn sweet."
"Yeah...