Two for the Price of One
Gravelly Point Park – 1966
The sky was ablaze with the brilliant colors of the setting sun as Lee cruised down the George Washington Parkway. Shades of red, orange, and yellow painted the sky. He’d enjoyed the past week--driving to wherever he wanted, doing nothing in particular, enjoying the feel of the powerful engine as it took him to unknown destinations.
He didn’t mind coming to D.C. when his uncle had briefings at the Pentagon. Those briefings had become more frequent in the past few years. Every time Lee asked about them, or even how long they’d be staying, he was told “need to know.” He really didn’t care. The meetings kept his uncle away from him and allowed him more freedom.
This trip, though, had started out differently. After checking in at their hotel, his uncle had handed him a set of car keys and told him he no longer needed to be driven by an orderly. Since he now had a driver’s license, he could drive himself. He’d arranged for Lee to use a car, but if he put one scratch on it, he’d regret it for the rest of his life.
When Lee had first seen the car, he’d stood in front it, speechless. His heart pounded so hard he thought it would burst out of his chest. The sleek, silver Mustang gleamed in the sunlight. A car built for a man, and one that women flocked around. A chick magnate. His kind of car.
Now, he catapulted out of bed every morning to embark on a new adventure.
At the stoplight at the intersection of King Street in Alexandria, he strummed his fingers on the steering wheel to the beat of “Wild Thing.” When the light turned green, he put the pedal to the metal and smoked the tires as he sped down the road.
Lee downshifted as he pulled off the George Washington Parkway into Gravelly Point Park. He zoomed into a parking spot and turned off the engine. Looking into the rear view mirror, he checked his appearance. His hair had flown in all directions. Windblown hair was the one major drawback of driving a convertible.
He pulled the black Ace comb with the two missing teeth from the pocket of his jeans and groomed his hair. Then he ran his fingers through it to give him that carefree look. He had no idea why he kept this particular comb. He couldn’t even recall where he’d gotten it, but he’d had it for as long as he could remember. A couple of times, he’d found it in the trash, where his uncle or one of the orderlies had thrown it away. He’d fished it out and put it back on his bathroom counter where it belonged. After the last time he found it in the trash, he’d kept it hidden or in his pants pocket.
Lee sat behind the wheel for a few minutes, surveying his surroundings. Several families still milled around the park, gathering up blankets and picnic supplies. They should be leaving soon. The girls were the main attraction. Some cute ones lounged on the grass or on the hoods of cars. There were several he wouldn’t mind becoming acquainted with.
He got out of the car and leaned against the door. Now which one of the chicks should he hit on this time? As he considered his options, the roar of a jet engine almost punctured his eardrums.
Planes. That was what attracted everyone to this particular park. It was in the direct flight path to National Airport. This was the closest anyone could get to the runway, without being on airport grounds, so it was the ideal place to watch the planes take off and land.
When vibrations in the ground signaled a take-off, Mothers rushed their children into place on the grass. The kids held up their hands while the parents took their picture as the giant aircraft soared overhead, then tucked up its landing gear, before disappearing into the great beyond. Apparently the parents hoped the picture would look as if their child’s hands were touching the underbelly of the plane.
Lee didn’t care about watching the planes; he’d already seen enough of them in his lifetime.
Now back to choosing his conquest. There were always at least one or two girls who seemed a little frightened at the noise. They always thought that the planes were coming in too low and were going to crash on top of them. He had his line down pat. First, he’d casually introduce himself and offer a little chitchat. Then when the next plane flew overhead and the girls got the jitters, he’d act chivalrous and wrap his arm around their shoulders, while telling them he’d protect them from any danger. It worked every time. All the chicks had been putty in his hands.
He picked his target. A bubbly-looking blonde stood on a blanket in front of a car, her hands over her mouth as she watched each landing and take-off. Another girl sat on the blanket reading a book and just glanced up whenever a plane flew past.
The blonde noticed him coming toward her and winked at him. A few more steps and he’d make contact. Until he heard a horn honking and someone yelling his name.
“Lee!”
He knew that voice. Danny. He waved his arm behind him, trying to tell Danny to leave him alone.
Danny leaned on his horn. “Hey, Lee!”
It looked like Danny wasn’t going away until he acknowledged him. He turned toward his soon to be ex-friend and gritted his teeth. “What?”
“Come here.”
He strode to the car, placed his hands on the open window frame, and glared at Danny. “What is so damn important that you had to get my attention right now? Your timing sucks.”
“Lilli and Milli are having a party! Now! No parents!”
The Johansen twins! Lee had wanted to get to know those two more intimately for over a week. They’d teased him--individually and together--and made wicked suggestions that peaked his interest. He glanced back at the blonde, standing with her hands on her hips and frowning at him.
But when he could have two blondes for the price of one, he didn’t need to know math to make his decision. “I’m on my way.”
Lee mouthed “sorry” to the blonde he was dumping and hurried back to his car. As he drove toward the exit, he waved to the girl who might have been. Maybe they’d meet again.
*****
“How rude.”
“Who?” Amanda looked up from her book.
“That boy.” Jennifer pointed to a passing car.
Amanda glanced at the car and saw a boy with light-brown hair speeding away in a convertible. “Then I guess it’s for the best that we didn’t get to know him.”
Jennifer sighed. “But he was so cute.”
Amanda closed her book. “There are a lot of other cute guys out there. Missing that one won’t be the end of our lives.”
The End
Story Notes:
Disclaimer: Scarecrow and Mrs. King and its characters belong to WB and Shoot the Moon Productions. No infringement is intended. This is written for entertainment purposes only. Please do not redistribute or reproduce this story without my permission.
Thanks: Rita and Miss Edna, you make my stories readable by catching all my grammar and other errors.
Note: This story is part of my series of five-second meetings.
Thanks: Rita and Miss Edna, you make my stories readable by catching all my grammar and other errors.
Note: This story is part of my series of five-second meetings.