Road Trip (2018 Wattys Long List)

Chapter 20

"So you found yourself a girlfriend!" Stu goaded Harvey.

"She's not my girlfriend! Knock it off. I fell into the woman, in her seat on the bus. It was an accident, now drop it," Harvey warned. They were climbing up the steps of the coach again and making their way back to their seats.

"Ya', ya', ya', I'm just bugging you," Stu chuckled at his friend's discomfort.

Where you suppose we are now?" Reg asked, as he grabbed the back of Stu's seat and whispered in his ear.

"Not too far to Calgary from this point, I think. We have been going since four p.m. yesterday and it's ten in the morning now. We spent about an hour each on two meal breaks and some time on a couple of rest stops, so we must be getting close," Stu whispered back.

"I sure am looking forward to that city. My ass is really gettin' numb."

Mine, too. Try not to think about it", Harvey advised him.

"Hard not to think about yer' ass screamin', "Get off me!", Reg retorted.

An hour later the bus rolled to a stop at the Calgary terminal. They decided to take a break for a day in the city to rest and recharge their batteries before taking the final bus ride to Vancouver. They wandered out onto the sidewalk and looked around. The "needle" was distinctive against the sky, and the Saddle Dome stadium, home of the Stampeders, loomed close at hand. Since they were right in the heart of downtown Calgary it wasn't hard to find a clean, mid-price range hotel close by. This was a blessing since Mildred was very tired and she needed to lie down and get some rest in a real bed for a change.

I'll just rest awhile, at least until Charlie comes", she said to Stu as he guided her to a bed. "You be sure to wake me when he gets here", she instructed, seconds before she closed her eyes and began snoring loudly.

"I'll do that, Millie", he said softly to himself. He tucked the covers under her chin.

"So what is the game plan now?" Reg inquired. There was little doubt that Stu was in charge. It might have been Harvey's desire to go to Vancouver that had started it all, but Stu was the obvious leader. This whole trip would never have happened without him.

"Now we rest. In the morning, we get on the bus again and we make the final run to Vancouver. Once we get there, it will be up to Harvey. This was his idea so we will let him call the shots from there. Right, Harvey?", Stu asked.

"I owe you guys so much. If it weren't for the three of you' this wouldn't be happening at all. I don't know how to repay you, but thanks for making me see this thing through. It would have meant so much to my Martha," Harvey said, as his eyes misted up and his voice quivered a little.

"All my old lady used to give me was the hives," Reg said, changing the subject to lighten the mood. "No, really. She would start ragging on me, about some little thing, like the lawn needed mowing or the garbage needed to go out, 'cause it stank so much. Usually right in the middle of some crucial football game on TV. Used to drive me nuts, with all her bitchin'. Before long, I'd break out in hives every time. As if she couldn't just wait another day or sumpthin'."

"You sure were hard done by weren't you, Reg? It's enough to make a guy's beer go flat isn't it?" Stu chided his friend.

"All I'm sayin' is how lucky you guys were, marryin' your wives, that's all."

They laughed and needled him a bit more before the talk subsided and they all retired to rest up for the morrow.

********************

"What time is it?" a groggy Ryan asked when he awoke.

"Time for you to get a life kid", Reg said coming awake. "I was right in the middle of a dream about a big blonde. Built like a brick shit house. She was sitting right on my chest and holdin' me down. Her big bazoomies were right there in my face. Then you had to ruin it by opening your cake hole", he said indignantly.

"Geeze excuse me for living. I just asked a question, is all," Ryan said, defensively.

"Is Charlie here?" Mildred asked in a quavering voice, as she staggered through the adjoining doorway.

"Naw, Charlie isn't here. Its just Dimwit, makin' my life miserable, as usual", Reg said, gesturing toward Ryan.

Ryan gave him a sour look and shook his head in disgust.

"It is after nine already. Just get up now and stop your grousing, Reg", Stu piped up.

"Why don't we go see about some breakfast, I'm starving", Harvey suggested.

"Sounds like a good idea to me", Reg said. "Long as I don't sit beside Numb Nuts, here".

"At least I still have mine, grampa", Ryan retorted, finally standing up to Reg.

"A pair of cherry pits, I reckon", muttered Reg.

"OK, knock it off, both of you. Have some respect for Millie, if you don't mind" Stu tried to end the conversation.

"I think I like cherries, don't I?", Mildred looked confused.

"You probably do, Millie, but we haven't got any at the moment. That was Reg talkin' out of his butt again.", Stu replied.

"Oh I see", Mildred replied.

They all got dressed, freshened up, and checked out of the hotel, ready for breakfast and a new day. They had slept all day and through the following night, as well.