It Cannot Get Any Worse
The Hitchhiker
They did not get going until nearly ten o'clock that morning. Finally, Danny finished showering and they took Dad’s truck to go visit Dad. A policeman pushed the reporters back so the boys could get out of the driveway. People were taking their pictures.
There was a line at the bridge. A policeman was stopping every car, looking inside, and then waving them trough. It was pouring ran from a sudden storm. Quentin looked out the window and saw a guy in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts with his thumb out. He must be freezing. Dad had the exact same Hawaiian shirt. This guy looked nice and reminded Quentin of Dad, even though he was much younger... “Hey Danny, let’s give this guy a ride.” Q said. “Sure” Danny muttered. Q opened the window and called out “hey mister, hop in back.”
The man got in and said thank you. Then he just sat there quietly. As they approached the bridge, Officer Cjersti Chapman recognized Terence Hilderman's truck. She saluted the boys and waived them through. She did not recognize the man in the back, but if he was with the boys, he was probably one of those SCA guys looking after them. He certainly had a silly enough looking shirt on. On the bridge, Danny said “Where are you headed Mr.?”
The man said “My kayak tipped. . . oh what the hell - I just lost my job and I am headed to Canada to become a fisherman. Where are you going?”
Danny answered. “We are only going across to visit our Dad in the hospital. He got shot yesterday. He is really famous now, you may have heard about it. We can drop you at the Tractor Supply store, you will be able to find a better ride from there.”
The boys were confused by the fact that the man would not stop laughing all the way to Tractor Supply Hardware. When he got out of the truck, he turned and said, “You know boys, you should not be picking up hitchhikers, it really is not safe, you do not know who anyone really is.” Then he turned and walked into the store muttering something about getting rid of this stupid shirt.
There was a line at the bridge. A policeman was stopping every car, looking inside, and then waving them trough. It was pouring ran from a sudden storm. Quentin looked out the window and saw a guy in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts with his thumb out. He must be freezing. Dad had the exact same Hawaiian shirt. This guy looked nice and reminded Quentin of Dad, even though he was much younger... “Hey Danny, let’s give this guy a ride.” Q said. “Sure” Danny muttered. Q opened the window and called out “hey mister, hop in back.”
The man got in and said thank you. Then he just sat there quietly. As they approached the bridge, Officer Cjersti Chapman recognized Terence Hilderman's truck. She saluted the boys and waived them through. She did not recognize the man in the back, but if he was with the boys, he was probably one of those SCA guys looking after them. He certainly had a silly enough looking shirt on. On the bridge, Danny said “Where are you headed Mr.?”
The man said “My kayak tipped. . . oh what the hell - I just lost my job and I am headed to Canada to become a fisherman. Where are you going?”
Danny answered. “We are only going across to visit our Dad in the hospital. He got shot yesterday. He is really famous now, you may have heard about it. We can drop you at the Tractor Supply store, you will be able to find a better ride from there.”
The boys were confused by the fact that the man would not stop laughing all the way to Tractor Supply Hardware. When he got out of the truck, he turned and said, “You know boys, you should not be picking up hitchhikers, it really is not safe, you do not know who anyone really is.” Then he turned and walked into the store muttering something about getting rid of this stupid shirt.