STOP
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Previously on The Child:
By the time I needed to fill the Triumph with gasoline I was already having thoughts to turn back around and return to my father. I was like a little child walking down the road with a blanket full of toys stopping just a few feet down the street, except I was miles away from my own home and I stole my fathers motorcycle. I stopped at a diner/gas station that was in the middle of nowhere, noticing the stars were visible in the sky, I noticed it was getting late. The sign read "Quickie Stop" I stopped the bike at one of the pumps and I looked to see if anyone else was in the diner. I only saw a few cars outside and those could have belonged to the owners.
The blinds were closed but light showered out onto the street between me and the diner. I looked up to see if any lights were above me and all I could see was the full moon that moved in the sky before me. No city lights were for miles and I couldn't see any streetlights. It was almost as if it was the calm before the storm, like these were the end of days. I looked at the pump and I finally realized that I had to pay for the gasoline that I was attempting to take from the pump. I wasn't looking forward to have any confrontation with another living being but it seemed like I had to. I then turned off the engine, took of my helmet and left the bike for the ominous building that had the only light for miles.
The building was fairly small, about the size of an average diner that you can find in town but the outside walls were painted a hideous yellow. I would imagine that it looked fairly attractive in the morning sun but in the piercing darkness, I would rather be abducted by aliens than to take a glimpse of that shade of yellow again. I then proceeded to step on the threshold and I took a deep breath just to prepare me for what I might see on the other side. I let my imagination go wild for what I expected and to the most I expected an another world on the other side of the door with giants and upside-down canyons and....mud houses. Well I can defiantly tell you everything was as normal as it could be on the other side. I thought to myself 'Oh my! A parallel universe looks exactly like a diner!' Now of course I was using sarcasm because I expected nothing more than to just jump my bike with gasoline, so I headed to the main register.
From what I remember--which is not lacking--was a middle aged woman with her back to me looking into that hole in the wall to where the cook is. In between me and her were several booths, chairs, tables and barstools. I went farther into the diner and headed to the woman and stopped to where a counter a barstools separated the staff from all the 'riff-raff'. I cleared my throat hoping that she would hear me and I then proceeded to sit down. Upon examination of the woman she was a larger set than most wearing a bright yellow dress with an apron--the colour was still hideous. She had enough hair to put Repunzel to shame, but to prevent angry complaints of her hair in food she had it pulled back into this big ponytail. I leaned back because I feared that when she decided to turn around, her hair would swing around like a bullwhip and take off the very thing I would like to call my head.
She said 'all right sweet' and turned around to look at me.
'Watchya need stranger?'I looked in amazement as if I forgot how to speak, and I tried to mutter out the words but she interrupted,
'I swear you don't look a second over a penny meetin' its first pocket.' I laughed to myself and I couldn't believe the analogies she was using. Soon as my mood was less than awkward I finally spoke.
'You're a eccentric woman aren't you?'
'Who wants to know?' She said 'Why are you so far from home?' I figured she wanted me to answer the latter question, but I decided to answer both.
'My name is Emery, I live on my own and I was simply just wanting to get some gasoline for my bike.' She looked out the window to my left and she saw the silhouette of my Triumph, she leaned forward and looked at me with an intensity of a thousand suns.
'And how old are you little fellow?' I swallowed but I thought to myself that its not like she could send me back home. I was miles away from the nearest town and I was certain that I was in another state, but I still lied.
'I am twenty-one mam.' She chuckled and eased up on her gaze.
'Yeah and you're also full of it Emery.’ She laughed then continued. 'Well I’m sorry to inform you but Franklin, called in sick today and isn't here. I have no idea how to access the pumps. Franklin is the owner of this place and normally does everything other than serving food, that’s my job. But if you come back in the morning I’m sure he will be up and ready for the day.' I couldn't wait. I was fairly low and I was driving as fast as I could so I could find a gas station before I ran out, so I told her exactly that.
'You see, I’m a traveler and I haven't seen a gas station for several hundred miles. I don't have a single drop to go in another direction and I have no place to stay for the night' She smiled and took off her apron and walked around the counter.
'So yer one of them huh? Well we have some motels behind here for where we all stay at, I'll let ya stay for free as long as ya stay for breakfast in the mornin'. I was delighted to hear this and I accepted. She then took my hand as if I was a five year old and led me to the back of the diner.
I was glad to see that good people were more than a dying breed and more wanted to help. At this moment in time I was happy to see everything go so well, but I didn't plan on having a good luck streak for to much longer. It was good to see a lighter side of life for once because most of my life has been drenched in a dark liquid of dreariness and for so long I was starting to lose hope. Once again I felt that I should turn back around only to say to my father that I am sorry but that moment was not now. I needed to mature and that time was on my own. I will deal with the highs, I will appreciate the lows and I will always continue forward to find a great expanse of my dreams and everything that I have always desired to make apart of my life and always keep in mind that I have to forgive my father.
Next entry in The Child:
Remember me
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