13. Buckeye

Don L had a U-Haul trailer loaded with auto parts at his brother's place in Quartzsite, Arizona that he was anxious to get to his salvage yard by the end of the month. But, being basically a one-man operation, he didn't have the time to haul it back to Texas himself. So, he asked the boys if they'd be willing to do the job for him over the weekend.
" Cain't pay ya much beyond gas & food, but you'd be doing me a powerful big favor !"
Well, they'd been just scrapin' by on EuEarl's monthly allowance . KC'd pretty much spent his life livin' paycheck to paycheck , sometimes no paycheck at all & so had no savings to speak of. EuEarl, for his part,though better off financially, knew they'd both have to become gainfully employed again soon. Still, he wasn't any too keen on takin' time away from KC for any job. Not yet, anyway.



But they both liked Don L, who was one of only a handfull of folks in Mudflap County
who'd be-friended them. Of course, they knew he knew, though it was never discussed. Don L always made 'em feel welcome, whether at his business or runnin' into him in town. So, it took them less than no time to agree.
It was a great trip. They left Sunday mornin', takin' their time, checkin' out the sites & fun spots along the way. The Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, ect... By Friday evening they'd arrived & the following morning , hitched up the trailer & started back to Texas on Hwy 10.
" Funny name. ", KC said.
" What's a funny name ?"
" Up yonder. Sign says 'Buckeye, AZ 60 miles '. That's a funny name fer a town. Buckeye."
EuEarl , still half asleep,smiled slightly, leaning back further into the passenger's seat. " Ain't no funnier than Greeley, Nebraska ."
KC laughed while EuEarl dozed off. By the time they drove through Buckeye an hour later, not stopping, they'd both forgetten the conversation. Possibly , they'd have forgotten about Buckeye all together, if things had been different.