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"Something amusing you?"
Mo cracked an eye. "You're disturbing my moment. Go away." How did I not hear that beast of a truck on the street next to the park?
"Do you often have moments?" Tony asked. Mo opened her other eye. He stood by the park bench, with one foot one on it and leaned on his knee as he watched her curiously. He was out of uniform and looking delicious in a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. She dragged her eyes up to his face.
"I haven't had enough moments through the years. I think that's where I went wrong."
"Do these moments require pharmaceutical intervention?" he asked, looking worried. "Is that a California term for letting your hair down, or throwing it all into the wind?"
Mo shook her head. "Just contemplating, no drugs required." She changed the subject. "I guess you escorted my car to the appropriate location," she grinned.
His eyes narrowed, but she could tell he wasn't still upset. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small roll of cash then handed it to her. She gave him a confused look. "What's that?"
"We're not going to play games again, are we?" he asked, moving one of her bags to sit on the bench.
"I can see what it is. So why are you giving it to me? Is that better?"
He shrugged. "It will do. This is what the recycling place paid for the scrap metal of your car. What's so funny?"
"And here the uninformed residents north of the Mason-Dixon thought people in this part of the country either shoved them into the bayou or used them for lawn ornaments. Recycling hits Louisiana! What next? Vegan and Paleo restaurants? I tell you, the Southern way of life might be on the way out," she cautioned.
"Lord, I hope not! Southern fried chicken, chicken fried steak, okay- anything fried, sweet potato pie... should I continue?"
"No, I think you have a point. The south might actually win the war if it came down to food," she chuckled.
"Speaking of food, shouldn't you be getting this stuff put away before it spoils?" he asked, pointing to her bags.
"No perishables, no fridge, no hurry," she replied. "Why do you think I'm sitting here?"
"That's what I stopped to find out. You aren't going to have a heat stroke, are you?"
She stood and bent to collect her bags. To her surprise, he took them from her and started walking. She ran to catch up. "I feel my blood thinning every minute I'm not parked in front of an AC unit. In a couple weeks I will no longer be part of the juvenile mosquito hazing ritual. They will move me to the adult open season list."
He carried the groceries to his truck, opened the driver's door, and put them behind the seat. Then he hopped in and motioned. "C'mon. I'll give you a ride back to the motel," he offered.
Mo gave the truck a nervous glance, and he leaned over to look out the open passenger window. "Is there a problem?"
With big eyes, she asked, "Does it come with a ladder and a parachute? Actually, I'd settle for a ladder."
"Oh, I forgot, you're just a squirt," he joked.
"Ah, the good old days," she said with humor. "Little, squirt, tiny, shortie- I've heard them all. But, it's been a long time since I've been called one of those." When he opened the door she sighed and said, "I guess that means no ladder."
"Boy, you have been away for a while, haven't you?" He shook his head. "Grab hold of the door- uh, huh, that's right. Now try using the step bar... yeah, the tubey thing and climb up."
"Easy for you to say," she huffed, as she popped up and then dropped back down. She straightened her blouse with dignity. "Isn't there an easier way?"
"Yeah, grow a few inches. Otherwise, no. Try it again, and I'll pull you in," he offered.
He grinned when he heard, "Seriously?"
"Would you rather I pushed?" he joked.
"Let's not get personal, fella!" she snapped. "That crashing sound you heard was my foot slipping off the tubey thing. Thanks for the bruise. Now let me get my courage up again... Okay, I'm ready." This time she popped up, and he grabbed her arms to pull her in. It worked to a degree. She lay flat on his front seat, with her head next to him and her legs hanging out the door. Her muffled voice complained, "Thanks. Because this already wasn't enough of a humiliation. Please tell me no one saw... Never mind, I grew up here! Just set me upright and hand me an empty grocery bag for my head."
"They're plastic," he said.
"All the better! If you take the long way back to the motel all my problems might be solved."
He chuckled. "Next time don't wear slippery sandals," he advised.
Next time? Mo's heart beat double time, and she was glad for the AC. He took her to the motel and when the truck stopped, she tried to hop out before the reverse process of embarrassing herself took place. Bad decision- it happened, anyway. "Watch out for that first step," she yelled from the ground. "It's a loo-loo," she quoted a famous cartoon.
"Are you hurt?" he yelled back.
"Only my dignity. Wait, that's already gone. Nope, I'm fine." He saw her face appear on the passenger side, covered with dirt and flecks of asphalt. She gave him a sheepish grin. "I'd invite you to stay and eat, but I'm pretty sure you can do better than a peanut butter sandwich. So if you'll hand me my bags..."
He out and retrieved her bags, determined to carry them to her door. He felt bad when he saw the scrapes on her arms and the mess on her once white blouse. "I'm sorry," he began, and she waved it off.
Mo crinkled her nose as she examined her limbs. Then her blue eyes sparkled and she said, "Why be sorry? I've got a wad of cash thanks to you and Carter! I'm not complaining."
"You might when you see your blouse- that's no longer white."
Mo shook her head. "If it can be cleaned, I can do it." After checking the front of her blouse, her head popped up. "Compared to a fire, a suicide, or a category three sewage loss? This is nothing." She reached for her bags and thanked him for the ride.
"Unlock your door, because if I have to watch you fumble around and your groceries fall out one piece at a time, I have the feeling Carter and I will be picking them up under Ida Belle's watchful eye," he advised.
"Yeah, I guess it's been one of those days," she agreed as she unlocked the motel room door. Then she let out a yell, and he dropped her bags.