extra double good

dec10-2011
Driving through the woods of Wisconsin, we came upon a truck stop with a red sign. I stopped in for some gummy worms and a soda. The clerk was wearing a maroon polo shirt. I purchased my goods and then asked the clerk if she'd like to step outside in order to see my friend's amazing Volkswagen van. There were highway sounds in the distance, and conifers were silohetted against the sky at the horizon. The pavement was clear up to the van's parking spot where the driver of this trip was not probably fast asleep.

The clerk from inside the grocery section of the truck stop stood before me, expectantly. She noticed the stickers on the back of the van and asked if I knew any of the bands. I opened my mouth to speak, swallowing a mouthful of smoke from her cigarette.

I coughed -- she looked embarrassed. Before she could speak, the van began idling next to us. I knew I had a choice. At least, I knew I could either finish smoking my cigarette in the van, next to heat vents and tweeters. The thought. Or, I could tell Manuel to hold on for a minute while we finished smoking together.

I made a cranking motion through the passenger side window. Manuel nearly hit his head on the window coming to my attention. Once he managed to roll the window down, I said, "What's the Frequency Kenneth." He replied, "What?" smiling with flared nostrils. His eyebrows took a dip, and I'm sure we all sighed at the same time.

"Can you please pass me my cigarettes from the glove compartment?" I asked him.

He frowned into the glove compartment and produced a red pack of Marlboros.