Winter season

Nosy friend?

On his way to work, Chet pulled him over. “How are you this morning?”

“I’m okay.”

Chet got in the car with Oscar. “Look man, I’m only looking out for you okay. Please don’t hate me. I ran Little Miss’s plates. What she said at dinner worried me. She is either in some deep military crap or she is a coal black lar. The curious thing is, I can’t find anything about her in the last two years. It’s like they didn’t happen.”  

“Maybe she’s in trouble.” Oscar said flatly.

“I just don’t want you getting hurt.”

They sat there for a long time. Oscar finally found the courage to speak. “I have been letting her stay in my guest room until she gets her house ready to move in. Friday night she terrified me. She woke me up screaming. I have never heard screaming like that. Not even in the movies. Especially not from a woman.”

“Did you ask her about it?”

“I did, all she would say was bad dreams.”

They set there a long time before either of them spoke. Chet finally said, “please be careful my friend.”

“I will.”

Chet studied his friend. He was staring at the steering wheel the whole time. The only time he made eye contact with Chet was when he first got into the car. He laid his hand on Oscar’s shoulder. “Are you okay?”

He slowly shook his head, yes. Another moment of silence past. “I think I’m in love with her.”

If it would have been possible, Chet would have fallen through the car. “Really?!”

“I’ve never been in love. I don’t think. I think that’s what this is. It could be infatuation, I really don’t know. What does it feel like?”

Chet looked out the window for a moment. “I think it’s different for each person. I’ve never felt like the songs. The Earth has never moved under my feet. I must admit Friday night was the happiest I’ve seen you in a long time.” When Chet turned back around to look at Oscar, he looked so sad and lost. Typical Oscar, he thought.

“How did you know you were in love with Bell?”

Chet sat there for a moment thinking. “When I pulled her over, I was having a piss poor day. You remember Ole Ms Kinger?”

Oscar laughed, “who doesn’t?”

“She had called in a complaint on me. Anyway, when I pulled Bell over. I was pissed. Here was a car with Fayette County tags. Oh yes! I was all jacked when I walked up to the drivers side window. This criminal was going to get it.

“But when she rolled down the window and looked at me. All the sound was gone. I saw her lips move but I had no idea what she was saying. I got so nervous that I dropped her drivers license ‘bout the time a coal truck drove past and blew them under her car. I offered to take her to dinner. We exchanged numbers.” Chet got lost for a moment, “I never did give her that speeding ticket.”

“Esther is like a breath of fresh air, non-judgmental, easy to talk to, great cook. I’m sure there are things that she is hiding. I’d like to hide my family but I can’t. Women in general terrify me. She doesn’t scare me. I feel an ease about her that I’ve never felt before.”

“You never told me that women made you uncomfortable. I just thought you were painfully shy.” Oscar raised an eyebrow. Chet shook his head, “Take it easy today man.”

“You too.”

Winter Season