Oliver
The town we ended up in didn’t have anything but a dollar store and a tiny little bar/gaming room, and they just so happened to be right across the street from one another. I didn’t want to ditch the car at one because then the other would see. I was hoping to find someone willing to give us a lift to the next town, and I knew they wouldn’t do that if they saw us pull up from across the street. So, I drove past both, and we hid the car behind a silo that wasn’t too far up the road. We walked back to the bar, where only two cars were parked outside. One I assumed was the bartender, and the other belonged to an old lady who was chain-smoking as she sat behind a video gaming machine.
“What can I get you two started with?” the middle-aged woman asked from behind the bar.
Amelia and I sat down at the small bar. “Just water for me, thanks,” Amelia said.
“Make it two,” I agreed. I was thirsty after our walk.
The bartender placed two bottles in front of us. “That’ll be four bucks.”
Amelia passed over five.
“Thank you,” the bartender said, taking the money. “You two don’t look like you’re from around here. You just passing through?”
I lowered the bottle from my lips. “Yeah, we hitched a ride, and this is as far as they were going. We stopped in, hoping to catch someone going a little further south. You know of anyone?”
“Rose there will be going south at some point. It just depends on how long she wants to stay and gamble,” she said, nodding toward the old woman.
Crash and I both turned and looked back at the lady. She was at least seventy years old, and every single line on her face screamed it. Her gray hair was short and curled—the way all old women wear their hair—but she was still dolled up with her smudged blue eye shadow and bright red lipstick. She attempted some eyeliner, but it was obvious her hand was no longer steady, as the line wiggled across her upper lid. Her eyelashes had all but fallen out, or they had turned gray and were nearly invisible. She wore a purple button-up shirt, red slacks, and black slip-on flats. Pearls were hanging from her neck, and every finger had a ring on it. In front of her, she had a half-full glass that was sweating and a totally filled ashtray—each cigarette butt had a ring of matching red lipstick.
I looked back at the bartender. “Can a woman her age hold her liquor and still drive?” I asked quietly, not wanting the old lady to hear me and grow offended.
“Oh, Rose never drinks. That’s just club soda with some cherries for added flavor.”
“How far south does she go?” Crash asked, leaning in a little.
“About fifty miles,” the bartender answered. “She drives to the city once a month for a doctor’s appointment. She stops here on her way back home.”
I looked at Crash, and she looked at me, shrugging. I took that to mean that she was approving of the ride this time. I took a deep breath and moved to stand up, but the bartender tapped the bar, stopping me.
“Don’t ask her now. She gets really cranky when her gambling gets interrupted. Wait until she’s done. Then ask her. Trust me, it will get you a lot further. And cross your fingers for her to win. She’s always in a good mood after she wins a few bucks.”
“Thanks for the tip,” Amelia said.
The bartender nodded and smiled before turning to put the money in the drawer.
I stayed in my seat and looked around. The entire bar wasn’t any bigger than a large shed you ordered from Home Depot to have delivered on a flatbed trailer. There was a bar that could only seat four. Behind it were two video gaming machines. And there was a single bathroom.
“This place is tiny,” I thought out loud.
The bartender turned back and nodded. “Yeah, we’re a tiny little town. Only have about one hundred and sixty-five residents. I think the dollar store was only put in because of the highway access. And my dad put this place together for him and his buddies mostly. He passed away a few years ago, so I took it over. Even with as small as we are, I still usually turn a profit every day, so as long as it’s not costing me money…”
The video gaming machine started going off, and the old lady behind us yelled, “Jackpot!”
The bartender smiled. “You hit it big, Rose?”
“You can say that again! Mama’s getting a new pair of shoes tonight!”
A moment later, the old lady stepped up to the bar. She put down her glass and the ashtray with a five-dollar bill.
“Here you go, honey. I’d better get going. I don’t want to blow all my winnings in one place.” She laughed.
“Rose, this nice couple here was hoping you’d be willing to drive them south.”
The older lady turned and looked at us. “Well, hello there, sugar. Where are y’all going?” She grinned, showing the red lipstick on her yellowed teeth.
“As far south as you’ll take us,” I answered.
