It was 1964. This was not the life he'd planned for himself when he was discharged 9 months earlier from the Service !
"Though, come to think of it", he told himself now, " I don't recall I'd actually planned for anything !"
He'd finished his military hitch, collected his bonus & pretty much gone where ever the wind or the road happened to blow him.
Money was never an issue. His mother had married a fairly successful Mineola banker when he was a child & at 18 he'd begun recieving a regular monthly allowance from the Trust Fund his late father had set up for him. So, almost all of his military pay got socked away into a Savings account at his step-dad's bank. This allow'd EuEarl the luxury of going where he pleased, when he pleased. Since his discharge, he'd lived & occasionally worked, up & down the Pacific Coast. He'd eventually ended up in Gallop, NM after deciding on a whim, to travel back to Texas, when his car had overheated. The station he'd pull into happened to have a 'Help Wanted' sign up. Again, on a whim, he applied for the job & got it ! That had been 3 months ago.
A middle-aged woman in a tan Chevy pulled up outside. EuEarl shook himself out of his doldrums & put on his best "You-can-trust-your-car ..." smile ! "Fill her up,please." the woman chirped . "Yes, ma'am.", EuEarl replied. He placed the nozzle in the Chevy's tank receptacle, then proceeded to wipe the front & rear windshields. Just as he'd begun to check the air pressure in her rear tires, another car, dark blue, also drove up. Inside were two men, one white, the other black. They stopped alongside him.
"Hey, 'Gomer'. What's decent to eat around here ?" the white fella asked, after cranking down his window.
" T'eat around here ? Nothing. !" EuEarl replied. He walked up front and tested both front tires. As he finished, the gas pump 'dinged', so he walked back to disengage the gas nozzle.
The white passenger had been taken aback. Once he was sure EuEarl was within hearing range, he said, as his black companion smirked." 'Nothing ?' So wha'd'you do for food, then, buddy ? Eat exhaust ?".
"Personally, sir, I eat all kinds'a things !... That'll be $4.80, ma'am !". EuEarl removed the nozzle & placed it back on the pump. He took the five dollar bill from the woman's hand, reached into his pocket & gave her two dimes. "Thanks, ma'am. Come again."
"Look, buddy, ya gonna tell us where there's a restaurant or not ? "
The black fellow leaned over & spoke directly to EuEarl. " Excuse my friend, mister. He's mighty hungry & it's made him forget his manners." "Marcus !...", his friend began to protest, but Marcus shushed him.
"Ain't that so, Boz ?!"
EuEarl took a quick, but thorough look inside the car at the two men, then walked over 'til he was barely a foot away from the passenger door."Hunger can have that effect, alright ! 'Specially a 'mighty' one ! "
"You bet.", Marcus replied & nudged his pal. The bulb in Boz's attic lit up !
Boz smiled. " Sorry, man. No offense intended."
"None taken...Boz.... Fact is, I know a great place to take on your appetites ! You guys come back in an hour & I'll take ya there." Both men nodded in agreement. " Good. Now, if ya go down to the next light & turn right , a half block down on your left you'll see Florita's Bar 'n' Grill . Terrific food. Big portions & cold beer ! Only don't fill up. You're gonna wanna save some room ."
60 minutes later, after his relief guy had punched in, EuEarl handed over his work keys & name badge.
"My brothers are in town. I'll drop off my uniform tomorrow. It's been fun..." Before walking towards the door & climbing into the dark blue Plymouth waiting outside, which contained his two new friends, EuEarl added, "...But I quit !"
....................................................
"Sometimes, inappropriate fun is the MOST FUN!..."
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