He was getting wrecked even though it wasn’t yet noon. The first fifth emptied quickly as the five of them passed the bottle. In between pulls on the Southern Comfort the ever-shortening joint followed. Joe’s head began spinning from the booze and rising from the weed. This was a typical enough Saturday morning as the window van’s engine droned on. His eyes watered as the trees flew by. They hadn’t passed a house or even a planted field for some time. Riding shotgun Jamie broke out another bottle, swallowed deeply, passed it to Bill, the driver, and began rolling a new joint. Joe was still playing with the dead roach before putting it out.
Molly sat beside him. She’d been quiet all morning—starring out the window—and he could tell something was wrong but he couldn’t be sure what. After a long series of girlfriends, women remained an enigma to him. He understood a few things about them and could predict how they’d react in some situations or when certain types of things were said, but still he didn’t get them.
Okay, Molly was quiet this morning—what did that mean? She’d fallen for someone else and was done with him? He’d said or done something stupid or offensive and she wouldn’t forgive him until he apologized? But what for? He didn’t know. He didn’t have a clue even though he and Molly had been together awhile—five weeks—which was a long time in this group.
Anyway, the new bottle arrived, he took a swig, and handed it to Molly. Then he grabbed the new joint, toked it, and passed that on as well. She took the bottle and joint from him without looking him in the face. Earlier, before they got in the van, he saw her talking to Jim in low tones. Jim sat behind her now but those two hadn’t spoken since the group left the house. Maybe that was it. It was over between Molly and him and she wanted to move on to Jim. Then why was she sitting next to Joe now? Was it because she hadn’t told him she was dumping him yet? Joe knew plenty of women who would have just moved on to the next guy without saying anything. Should he ask her what the score was?
“Hey, Molly, pretty good dope, huh? You’ve been quiet. Are you okay?”
“Mmm. Yeah, it is good.” She said this without conviction.
“But is something wrong?”
“I don’t want to get into it right now—too many people around.”
No, he didn’t get women. He’d have to wait to find out where he stood with her and why. Who knew when that might be. Maybe he’d imagined the thing with Jim, and Molly was quiet because she was really stoned or had a problem about something else entirely. Yeah, maybe that was it.
Joe stared out the window on the other side of the van, wondering.
Molly sat beside him. She’d been quiet all morning—starring out the window—and he could tell something was wrong but he couldn’t be sure what. After a long series of girlfriends, women remained an enigma to him. He understood a few things about them and could predict how they’d react in some situations or when certain types of things were said, but still he didn’t get them.
Okay, Molly was quiet this morning—what did that mean? She’d fallen for someone else and was done with him? He’d said or done something stupid or offensive and she wouldn’t forgive him until he apologized? But what for? He didn’t know. He didn’t have a clue even though he and Molly had been together awhile—five weeks—which was a long time in this group.
Anyway, the new bottle arrived, he took a swig, and handed it to Molly. Then he grabbed the new joint, toked it, and passed that on as well. She took the bottle and joint from him without looking him in the face. Earlier, before they got in the van, he saw her talking to Jim in low tones. Jim sat behind her now but those two hadn’t spoken since the group left the house. Maybe that was it. It was over between Molly and him and she wanted to move on to Jim. Then why was she sitting next to Joe now? Was it because she hadn’t told him she was dumping him yet? Joe knew plenty of women who would have just moved on to the next guy without saying anything. Should he ask her what the score was?
“Hey, Molly, pretty good dope, huh? You’ve been quiet. Are you okay?”
“Mmm. Yeah, it is good.” She said this without conviction.
“But is something wrong?”
“I don’t want to get into it right now—too many people around.”
No, he didn’t get women. He’d have to wait to find out where he stood with her and why. Who knew when that might be. Maybe he’d imagined the thing with Jim, and Molly was quiet because she was really stoned or had a problem about something else entirely. Yeah, maybe that was it.
Joe stared out the window on the other side of the van, wondering.
