Fresh Outta Batteries
I woke up late to my phone ringing, my wife was calling.
I tossed and turned a couple of times and picked up eventually, "Hello..." I said in a rather grouchy voice.
"Where the fuck are you and who is she?!" she screamed.
"What...Its...like early...I'm in Illinois...Can you call back I'm still exhausted." I said rather weakly.
It was actually around 11:30 AM but to me it felt like 6 AM.
"Early? Have you been doing drugs and picking up women?!" She said still accusatory.
I rubbed my eyes, "No god damn it! I'm in a shitty hotel, with no coffee or fuckin' continental breakfast."
I heard her exhale and a distant pen breaking.
"Good, when are you coming back?" she asked.
I really didn't want to think right now, but now that I was up my stomach was beginning to growl.
"Uhh how am I supposed to know, all I know is I'm heading out to California to see my family out there and a friend." I said.
She must have been trying to figure out the last time she saw my family out west because there was a long pause.
"You had this all worked out from the beginning didn't you! To get away from us."
I didn't have the energy to argue, "Yeah."
"Don't be sarcastic with me, you remember what I said about the divorce?"
I lifted my head up a bit and spoke a bit louder, "I didn't have any of this shit planned! I've been working all year without a break, you did your thing, I'm doing mine!" I guess I had a second wind.
"I can't let you just leave us here, you have no idea what you're doing to this family!"
"Oh god.", I couldn't listen to it anymore, I hit the end call button.
"Good morning America." I said rather sarcastically.
I got up and mulled around trying to get my bearings.
I showered slowly, and got everything together after that.
I knew I was forgetting something, and I double checked the room.
If I knew what I was always forgetting and where I put all that lost stuff I'd definitely have had a good social life.
I shut the door behind the room and checked out just before the buzzer.
Any later and they would have charged me for another day.
I scored a fresh cup of coffee, and those little creamers.
Well she was right there was coffee.
I felt my energy coming back up for the day.
I unlocked the car door and with everything inside I turned the key over but the car didn't start.
"You have gotta be shitting me!" I tried two more times.
I popped the hood and looked underneath. I couldn't see a damn thing wrong with the battery.
I noticed a guy in a truck packing his stuff, I had to ask, "Hey you got a jumper on ya?"
"I might. Wait for a sec." He said.
I sized him up, he seemed older, had that old red and white plaid shirt worker look.
He came back with the jumper cables and gave me a smile with crooked teeth.
"Yer lucky, where ya headed?"
He setup the jumpers and I waited for the car to get some juice.
I didn't want to waste energy on the old two fingers trick I picked up from a mechanic back in California years ago.
I thanked him, "Thanks, California, I had to get away for a while...Too much happened, I couldn't breathe." I said.
"A Vication I take it?"
I nodded my head, "Yep."
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"Alabama been movin' round for a long time, one job to the next, went from cashier, to trucker ain't done nothin' else since." he said.
"Must be tough, being on the road all the time, no sleep." I said.
He looked up from the hood toward the sun.
"Sure is but you get used to it, long as you got somewhere to be." he said.
"Pays good?" I asked.
"Better n' a cashier but shitty hours." I looked down at the hood away from him.
"I hear you there."I said.
I looked him over again he could have been your typical American worker.
Comes home late, missing his family after hours of driving, sits down at the TV to have a beer,
doesn't want to talk, just wants a blow job from his wife and off to bed, turn over.
Wash rinse repeat. I didn't say that I couldn't. I like to think he always had an important delivery maybe that last crate of medicine, or a full supply of cereal that had to get where it was going.
I asked shyly, "Say you know any good stops along the way?" I asked.
"Stops? Touristy things ya mean." he said.
"Kinda I'm on my way to California, sort of a vacation get away from my wife, kids all that." I was repeating myself
He pushed his hat up and smiled, "You ain't thought about Vegas?" he said.
My brows curled I never thought of gambling as a good thing, a financial dead end, the house always wins.
"Gambling isn't really my thing." I said.
"You got the wrong idea." he said shaking his head.
"It ain't just bout money, its whose round' when you win." he said.
I kind of got the picture.
A pretty girl, a curious business man, a family trying to put together enough for a new car or house, a wise guy on his last dime or a father just looking to have a little fun before the return home.
"Hmm you might have something there." I said.
"Course I do, been there couple times gets harder to enjoy when ya get older." he said.
I nodded my head knowing I'd get old too one day whether I'd want to or not.
I thought back to the number of times I looked in the mirror, horrified sometimes not knowing what I was, smiling sometimes cause I liked the way I looked, laughing at myself in other times when I couldn't figure out how I got where I was, and that one time in fear when I woke up with a swollen eye realizing how I'd got it the night before.
I looked back at the trucker, taking note to carefully observe his features.
I saw the laugh lines, the whiskers from a 5 o'clock shadow, the protruding beer belly, and the baseball cap.
He saw me burning the mans face into my mind.
"Outta check out that battery." he said.
"Yep."
He took the jumpers off and said, "Giver a go."
I turned the key and nothing happened. I frowned looking at the guy in disappointment.
I must have left something on last night.
I looked over the dashboard and saw nothing on I shook my head in frustration.
"Hate ah tell ya yer gonna have to get yourself a new bat-rey."
I got out of the drivers seat and looked under the hood.
He pointed at the battery and I could see the leak.
Now I was ready to scream thinking that I'd be on the next flight back to New York to have to contend with my family, the kids and work when I wasn't ready to.
I'd be home alone again most of the time, dealing with all the frustrations I'd been trying to escape all year, not starting that band, not ever just picking up and leaving all of it.
"Ya ain't adda luck theres an autostore round the corner block up." he said.
His words broke my idling and I asked for directions looking the way over.
He offered me a ride over, I nodded and said, "No thanks."
"Ya sure? That battery ain't light you might as well."
I guess I was nervous about it because I didn't feel too comfortable about accepting the offer.
I took a chance and said, "Your right lets swap it out and i'll pay ya for the time."
"Thats aright, hop in and we'll get er switched." he said.
I picked up the battery and carried it in my lap.
His car rumbled like a tank on threads and off we went.
It took less then a minute for us to get to the autostore and it took a few minutes to get someone to help us.
Which didn't help, "Sorry we don't have that particular battery in stock."
My nerves we're beginning to curl I was almost 100% sure I'd end up on a flight back to New York I'd end up leaving the car. I'd have lost two things my escape, and a lost car.
God damn it!
The trucker spoke for me, "Ya know any other autostores got battereys?"
"Yeah theres a few others around, one down the block from merchant ave."
"Thanks." I said.
"You want a paper towel or something for that battery?"
"Yeah."
The employee grabbed a bunch of paper towels and sapped the leak.
"Must have burned through the other side, its as good as dead."
"Yeah."
I walked with the trucker back to his pick up and we drove the next mile or so to the auto store.
"Thanks again for the ride."
"Yer very welcome, run into a rut like this myself. Way back when headed over a Los Angeles damn heat blew it out. Must been more en a 100 degrees." he said.
"That sucks." I said.
We stopped at the second autobody shop and the clerk looked it over.
He typed up the model number on the computer and said, "We've got it just wait for a few minutes gotta check the back."
We both waited and I looked at the battery again still wondering how it came to leak like that.
The battery costed more then I wanted it to.
The clerk asked if I wanted to recycle it and I handed it to him, "Thanks." I said.
The trucker and I went back to my car and he helped me make sure I got it in right.
"Thanks for your help, I've spent about an hour of your time."
Without asking I handed him a $10 bill, "Nah thats alright sonny you got a ways to California anyway."
"Take it consider it a lucky 10 for your next Vegas trip."
He smiled and took the tenner, "Certainly hope so."
"Your name isn't Jonas by chance is it?" and I laughed.
"No whys that funny?" he asked.
"From a song, just my sense of humor." I said.
"No sir, its Tom." he said.
I stepped into the car turned the key and the car came back to life.
"Thanks and good luck Tom!" I said.
And off I went toward the morning sun, back on the highway, I breathed a sigh of relief.
That old song My Name Is Jonas by Weezer popped in my head I got back on the highway and kept heading west.
I tossed and turned a couple of times and picked up eventually, "Hello..." I said in a rather grouchy voice.
"Where the fuck are you and who is she?!" she screamed.
"What...Its...like early...I'm in Illinois...Can you call back I'm still exhausted." I said rather weakly.
It was actually around 11:30 AM but to me it felt like 6 AM.
"Early? Have you been doing drugs and picking up women?!" She said still accusatory.
I rubbed my eyes, "No god damn it! I'm in a shitty hotel, with no coffee or fuckin' continental breakfast."
I heard her exhale and a distant pen breaking.
"Good, when are you coming back?" she asked.
I really didn't want to think right now, but now that I was up my stomach was beginning to growl.
"Uhh how am I supposed to know, all I know is I'm heading out to California to see my family out there and a friend." I said.
She must have been trying to figure out the last time she saw my family out west because there was a long pause.
"You had this all worked out from the beginning didn't you! To get away from us."
I didn't have the energy to argue, "Yeah."
"Don't be sarcastic with me, you remember what I said about the divorce?"
I lifted my head up a bit and spoke a bit louder, "I didn't have any of this shit planned! I've been working all year without a break, you did your thing, I'm doing mine!" I guess I had a second wind.
"I can't let you just leave us here, you have no idea what you're doing to this family!"
"Oh god.", I couldn't listen to it anymore, I hit the end call button.
"Good morning America." I said rather sarcastically.
I got up and mulled around trying to get my bearings.
I showered slowly, and got everything together after that.
I knew I was forgetting something, and I double checked the room.
If I knew what I was always forgetting and where I put all that lost stuff I'd definitely have had a good social life.
I shut the door behind the room and checked out just before the buzzer.
Any later and they would have charged me for another day.
I scored a fresh cup of coffee, and those little creamers.
Well she was right there was coffee.
I felt my energy coming back up for the day.
I unlocked the car door and with everything inside I turned the key over but the car didn't start.
"You have gotta be shitting me!" I tried two more times.
I popped the hood and looked underneath. I couldn't see a damn thing wrong with the battery.
I noticed a guy in a truck packing his stuff, I had to ask, "Hey you got a jumper on ya?"
"I might. Wait for a sec." He said.
I sized him up, he seemed older, had that old red and white plaid shirt worker look.
He came back with the jumper cables and gave me a smile with crooked teeth.
"Yer lucky, where ya headed?"
He setup the jumpers and I waited for the car to get some juice.
I didn't want to waste energy on the old two fingers trick I picked up from a mechanic back in California years ago.
I thanked him, "Thanks, California, I had to get away for a while...Too much happened, I couldn't breathe." I said.
"A Vication I take it?"
I nodded my head, "Yep."
"Where are you from?" I asked.
"Alabama been movin' round for a long time, one job to the next, went from cashier, to trucker ain't done nothin' else since." he said.
"Must be tough, being on the road all the time, no sleep." I said.
He looked up from the hood toward the sun.
"Sure is but you get used to it, long as you got somewhere to be." he said.
"Pays good?" I asked.
"Better n' a cashier but shitty hours." I looked down at the hood away from him.
"I hear you there."I said.
I looked him over again he could have been your typical American worker.
Comes home late, missing his family after hours of driving, sits down at the TV to have a beer,
doesn't want to talk, just wants a blow job from his wife and off to bed, turn over.
Wash rinse repeat. I didn't say that I couldn't. I like to think he always had an important delivery maybe that last crate of medicine, or a full supply of cereal that had to get where it was going.
I asked shyly, "Say you know any good stops along the way?" I asked.
"Stops? Touristy things ya mean." he said.
"Kinda I'm on my way to California, sort of a vacation get away from my wife, kids all that." I was repeating myself
He pushed his hat up and smiled, "You ain't thought about Vegas?" he said.
My brows curled I never thought of gambling as a good thing, a financial dead end, the house always wins.
"Gambling isn't really my thing." I said.
"You got the wrong idea." he said shaking his head.
"It ain't just bout money, its whose round' when you win." he said.
I kind of got the picture.
A pretty girl, a curious business man, a family trying to put together enough for a new car or house, a wise guy on his last dime or a father just looking to have a little fun before the return home.
"Hmm you might have something there." I said.
"Course I do, been there couple times gets harder to enjoy when ya get older." he said.
I nodded my head knowing I'd get old too one day whether I'd want to or not.
I thought back to the number of times I looked in the mirror, horrified sometimes not knowing what I was, smiling sometimes cause I liked the way I looked, laughing at myself in other times when I couldn't figure out how I got where I was, and that one time in fear when I woke up with a swollen eye realizing how I'd got it the night before.
I looked back at the trucker, taking note to carefully observe his features.
I saw the laugh lines, the whiskers from a 5 o'clock shadow, the protruding beer belly, and the baseball cap.
He saw me burning the mans face into my mind.
"Outta check out that battery." he said.
"Yep."
He took the jumpers off and said, "Giver a go."
I turned the key and nothing happened. I frowned looking at the guy in disappointment.
I must have left something on last night.
I looked over the dashboard and saw nothing on I shook my head in frustration.
"Hate ah tell ya yer gonna have to get yourself a new bat-rey."
I got out of the drivers seat and looked under the hood.
He pointed at the battery and I could see the leak.
Now I was ready to scream thinking that I'd be on the next flight back to New York to have to contend with my family, the kids and work when I wasn't ready to.
I'd be home alone again most of the time, dealing with all the frustrations I'd been trying to escape all year, not starting that band, not ever just picking up and leaving all of it.
"Ya ain't adda luck theres an autostore round the corner block up." he said.
His words broke my idling and I asked for directions looking the way over.
He offered me a ride over, I nodded and said, "No thanks."
"Ya sure? That battery ain't light you might as well."
I guess I was nervous about it because I didn't feel too comfortable about accepting the offer.
I took a chance and said, "Your right lets swap it out and i'll pay ya for the time."
"Thats aright, hop in and we'll get er switched." he said.
I picked up the battery and carried it in my lap.
His car rumbled like a tank on threads and off we went.
It took less then a minute for us to get to the autostore and it took a few minutes to get someone to help us.
Which didn't help, "Sorry we don't have that particular battery in stock."
My nerves we're beginning to curl I was almost 100% sure I'd end up on a flight back to New York I'd end up leaving the car. I'd have lost two things my escape, and a lost car.
God damn it!
The trucker spoke for me, "Ya know any other autostores got battereys?"
"Yeah theres a few others around, one down the block from merchant ave."
"Thanks." I said.
"You want a paper towel or something for that battery?"
"Yeah."
The employee grabbed a bunch of paper towels and sapped the leak.
"Must have burned through the other side, its as good as dead."
"Yeah."
I walked with the trucker back to his pick up and we drove the next mile or so to the auto store.
"Thanks again for the ride."
"Yer very welcome, run into a rut like this myself. Way back when headed over a Los Angeles damn heat blew it out. Must been more en a 100 degrees." he said.
"That sucks." I said.
We stopped at the second autobody shop and the clerk looked it over.
He typed up the model number on the computer and said, "We've got it just wait for a few minutes gotta check the back."
We both waited and I looked at the battery again still wondering how it came to leak like that.
The battery costed more then I wanted it to.
The clerk asked if I wanted to recycle it and I handed it to him, "Thanks." I said.
The trucker and I went back to my car and he helped me make sure I got it in right.
"Thanks for your help, I've spent about an hour of your time."
Without asking I handed him a $10 bill, "Nah thats alright sonny you got a ways to California anyway."
"Take it consider it a lucky 10 for your next Vegas trip."
He smiled and took the tenner, "Certainly hope so."
"Your name isn't Jonas by chance is it?" and I laughed.
"No whys that funny?" he asked.
"From a song, just my sense of humor." I said.
"No sir, its Tom." he said.
I stepped into the car turned the key and the car came back to life.
"Thanks and good luck Tom!" I said.
And off I went toward the morning sun, back on the highway, I breathed a sigh of relief.
That old song My Name Is Jonas by Weezer popped in my head I got back on the highway and kept heading west.
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