One More for the Road

“Don’t worry your pretty little blonde head about that.”

“Don’t treat me like an idiot just cuz I’m blonde. I asked a simple question.”

“Well, I just don’t know what he was thinking. Maybe he wasn’t thinking.”

“But…”

“No buts, Margie, let’s just go pay his bail and bring him home.”

“Okay.”

“You missed the turn to the police station back there.”

“Okay, I’m a little preoccupied. I was thinking about Larry and what are we going to do with him?”

“Let’s just wait until we can talk to him and ask him where his head was, Glen. There’s a parking space right there on the other side of that Subaru.”

“Okay.”

“Don’t slam the door just cuz you’re upset with Larry. This is still my car.”

“Sorry hun.”

‘Which door do we go in?”

“I think over there where it says entrance.”

“You’re think you’re very funny, Margie?”

“We’ve come to get our son, Larry Coleson.”

“Please fill out this form, Mr. Coleson, sign it and I’ll let them know you’re here. He is being released to your custody.”

“Ya, thanks.”

“Hi Mom, Dad.”

“Ya.”

“Get your ass out there and get in the car.”

“Glen, remember not to slam the door.”

“Ya. I remember.”

“Thanks for coming to get me. I didn’t want to spend any more time in there.”

“You know, Larry, you wouldn’t have been in there to begin with if you hadn’t been so stupid.”

“Stupid. How do you figure stupid? I had to stop Dennis from driving the car. He was all bragging about his new boots, talking to girls and drinking way too much.”

“So, you punched him?”

“He punched a guy in the bar who made fun of the buckles on his new boots. He got knocked down, so we picked him up off the dirty bar floor. He wouldn’t give up the keys and wouldn’t listen to me or Manny, so I took him out and drove him home. I didn’t know his parents were going to press charges.”

“Third degree assault. Lovely. Your father and I are really unhappy about this.”

“I’d say more than a little unhappy dear.”

“Sorry dad.”

“Fine, we’ll talk more about this when we get home. Buckle your seatbelt.”

“Yes sir. I really am sorry. I just didn’t know what else to do.”

“Fine. But there were probably other choices.”

“Get out and open the garage door for me.”

“Yes sir.”

“Do you want something to eat, Larry? Are you hungry?”

“No thanks, mom. I’m good.”

Glen, answer the phone, will ya?”

“Hello?”

‘Yes, Larry is here with us. He wanted to apologize and ….. What? No Dennis isn’t here. I thought he was home.”

“Well I’m sorry he took the car, but he didn’t come here.”

“Yes, we’ll let you know if he turns up here.”

“Larry, you took Dennis home and left the car there?”

“Ya, dad, me and Manny walked home after we made sure we got him home .”

Glen, what is it?”

“He never got in the house and the car isn’t there.”

“Oh god, Larry did he take the car out after you left him?”

“I don’t know, mom, we thought he was going inside. He was really drunk. We thought he’d go in and go to bed. Sleep it off.”

“Well there is nothing we can do about it now, Margie.”

“Dad, could we go out and drive around. Maybe we can find him. He might have just gone to Mickey D’s for food.”

“Sure, Larry. Margie, we’ll be back in a little bit.”

“Thanks Dad.”

“Open that garage door again for me, son.”

“You think he might have gone for food? We can check down on Maple Ave. See if he’s there somewhere.”

“What’s going on up ahead, dad? Looks like the traffic is backed up a little.”

“There are police lights up there too.”

“Oh Damn, dad, I have a very bad feeling about this. Look at the smoke.”

“Let’s go take a look.”

“What’s happening, Officer?”

“You and your boy should go home, sir. Very bad accident up ahead. Driver was trapped in the car when it caught on fire.”

“We’re looking for my friend, Officer. Could we make sure it’s not him?”

“No son, I’m sorry. The cars wrapped around a tree and the driver is jammed under the dash because his boot buckles got stuck and he couldn’t get out.