Throwaway People

Life Goes On

Patty was dehydrated. Before she went back to sleep, Jim had her drink a half bottle of water, and left the rest next to the bed. As soon as Patty was asleep Jim quietly left. He came into the living room to find that Bobbi had retreated to the bathroom. Bobbi had arrived last night with a backpack, it appeared that she was now preparing to go to work.

"Andy and another man confronted Patty yesterday." Jim told Keyote. "She told them you were in Tampa. They seemed to believe her. They wanted her to get in the car with them, but Patty knew what would happen if she did. They didn't press her."

"Andy is called Perro Loco by the Guardia." Keyote said. "It's Spanish for mad dog."

Bobbi came out of the bathroom looking better than when she went in and changed into a too tight pair of gold hot pants and equally tight matching jacket.

"I see you've decided to go girlie today."  Jim said.

"I don't like being confined to one gender."  Bobbi smiled back at Jim.

"I wish you'd make up your mind, it gives me a headache trying to keep up sometimes." Jim was teasing.  Which meant he was getting over last night's events.

"I never said you had to keep up, besides you should be used to me by now."  Bobbi said.  "I've got to go make some money.  This outfit is hot, so it makes me look hot.  So, people will pick me up."

"Before you decide to go out you might want to know Andy is on the prowl for Keyote." Jim told her.

"What do you want me to do? Hide in here like the rest of you." Bobbi said.

"I'm just letting you know that they harassed Patty this morning."

"I've been at Reggie's for a few days now, since Little C. beat on me, I've got to make some money." Bobbi said. "A girl has expenses."

"Your arms still have bruises on them." Jim said. "You can sleep here if you want. Just keep it our secret. There is food in the cupboard. I don't really want you sharing a room with Keyote, but we could move that spare bed into the attic."

"Why do you want me to stay here?" Bobbi asked.

"You did us a couple of favors. You told Little C. that Keyote was in Tampa, it might have been enough to throw the really bad men off our trail. You came through for us again last night. Besides, the beating from Little C. was due to your association with this whole mess."

"You don't owe me anything." Bobbi insisted. "Hey, wait a minute. What do you mean you don't trust me in the same room as Keyote?"

"Bobbi, you still have functioning boy parts, as far as I know." Jim said. "It's just more discreet for you to sleep in the attic."

"It's not anything I haven't seen before." Keyote protested.

"I don't do fourteen year old girls." Bobbi stated firmly. "I thought you knew that."

"I believe you. I don't intend to explain to Patty why I let you two sleep in the same room." Jim smiled at them. "Would you like to take this up with her when she wakes up. Despite her faults Patty is your surrogate Mother Keyote. Do you think your real Mom would want you in the same room with someone with working boy parts."

"I slept in a common room with boys and girls with six years." Keyote said. "But, I like having my own room. I'd like to keep it that way."

"I get it, don't worry I'll stay out of your room." Bobbi laughed. "Besides, Jim is right I don't want to explain to Patty why I'm sleeping in the same room as you."

Keyote really didn't get it. After sleeping in a common room for so many years she was used to the presence of the opposite sex. It wasn't like the Bobbi would attack her in the middle of the night. Like some of the boys would do to some of the other kids. Nor was he like the Guardia who would drag you off into one of the other rooms and force you.

Bobbi was nice. That was when she remembered what Patty had told her. People who were nice to you didn't always have your best interests in mind. Keyote didn't really know Bobbi. He could be just like the boys in the common room or the Guardia. What Bobbi said and what he might do were two different things. Keyote saw the reasoning for Bobbi not sleeping in her room.

Jim had no problem moving the spare bed up into the attic. He set the bed near an attic window. There were wooden folding chairs in the attic and a old roll top desk. Bobbi dragged an old trunk over to make into a nightstand. There was also a standing full length mirror. One of the clothes racks and an empty cedar chest functioned for Bobbi's clothes.

Key took Patty a light lunch of soup and pbj sandwiches. Patty was sitting up in bed reading 'Gone With The Wind'. "Required reading for a Southern girl." Patty said. "Although I should be reading 'To Kill a Mocking Bird' if I wanted to be politically correct."

"Are you still high." Was all Keyote could think to say. She had no idea what Patty was talking about.

By supper Patty was up and eating dinner with the rest of them. They started making plans for the next day. Patty wanted to go to the Lost Tea Shop. Bobbi insisted that she needed to work. Jim suggested that they all walk to the Fresco together and that Patty catch the bus across from the Fresco. They were used to Patty getting on and off the bus near the Dollar General. They might be waiting there.

"I'll work the Trail tomorrow." Bobbi said. "I won't do much until after ten in the morning. I'll hang near the Fresco until then."

"I'm walking on to Forest Hill and the Trail." Jim said. "I can handle myself. It's too crowded there for them to cause any real trouble if they confront me."

"These two won't be like Little C.." Patty told Jim. "You don't take any chances. Go into the Sears Outlet if you have to."

"Too many people." Jim reassured Patty. "I'm not going to walk away from the crowd. Not with some guy people call Perro Loco looking for me."