Chapter 16

The Squigster almost dropped the plates of food. He felt trapped with no escape and also like an idiot. He should have known she would be here. She always was helping out with her church or anybody else who needed a helping hand.

Squiggy worried about his beer breath and how he looked, for a change. He placed the plates on the table and removed his hat. Squiggy took a step back and also took his old hat off, not a good move since he had a terminal case of hat hair and each one was going every direction.

She hadn't changed since the last time he saw her. It was at her house from two winters ago, the night when she dropped the bomb.

It still hurt, getting told by her that she had chose somebody else. Her hair was a little longer in the back, but still with that little twirl up front that he couldn't ever figure out how she did. She was still a little thin and wore a sweater that concealed her breasts.

Her dress was also a little big and reached almost to the ground. She was smiling at him and that was like a dagger in his heart. Nobody else ever smiled at him like that.

"How have you been doing?" she asked.

"Uh, dandy," Squiggy answered. That was about a dumbbutt reply, Squiggy decided, and wished there was some way to erase it.

"I've tried to get hold of you."

Yes, she had, several times. Squiggy ignored them. She didn't know how bad he was hurt and just the sight of her or hearing from her was more than Squiggy could stand.

He had tried to change for her, but it wasn't good enough. She chose a businessman from another town over him. Her mother helped influence that decision, Squiggy knew, and disliked that woman even more.

"Been a little busy," he said.

She nodded but looked a little skeptical. He had never been too busy before. "You must be hungry."

He looked down at the plates and realized that made him look like a pig. "It's for a friend's mother."

"Oh. I'm glad to know you're seeing somebody."

"Huh?"

"I'm glad that you found somebody," she said, but the smile had diminished.

"Naw, it's for a buddy out in the truck. His mother ain't got nothing to eat and we's taking her some food."

"That's nice of you."

Her smile returned and Squiggy realized he was smiling also. It was nice of him, and did make him feel better.

"We already ate."

"There's plenty in case you want some more."

"Naw, I'm bloated." Squiggy cringed. That was not the right thing to say to her.

"You need a hand?"

"Naw, I got two."

She giggled. "I meant carrying the food."

"Uh, sure." He grabbed one plate and handed it to her. Squiggy took the other one.

"Who's your friend?"

"Mule."

She looked a little strange, almost like that name was familiar. "His name's 'Mule'?"

"I guess, that's what everybody calls him."

"How come?"

Squiggy almost lost his plate. "Just a nickname, I guess."

She nodded. Her face was a little blushed. "You look good."

Squiggy smiled more than he had in the last two years. He looked around for the evil mother, but she was absent.

"My mother's not here," she said. It was almost like she could read his mind.

Her mother disliked Squiggy from the start. He tried everything possible to win her over, but she never thought Squiggy was good enough for her daughter.

"Good," Squiggy said. "Sorry, shouldn't have said that."

"It's okay. I don't blame you for that."

Squiggy was so nervous that he needed to wee. "We best get going."

She nodded and started walking to the exit.

"It's really good to see you," she added as they walked down the hall.

"You, too," Squiggy said. It was the truth. He had missed her so bad. The beer and skanky women never took her away from his thoughts. "Where's the dude?"

"What dude?"

"That feller you married."

She slowed down. Squiggy wished he had never asked.

"We got divorced," she said. "Apparently I took our wedding vows a lot more seriously than he did."

"What do you mean?"

She stopped and leaned back against the wall for support. "He cheated on me. I forgave him once, but not the second or third time."

He saw the hurt on her face and wished that subject could be erased. "I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she said. "I should've known better."

They started walking again. Squiggy opened the door for her and followed her out the door and to his truck.

"It's a different color," she said. Actually, several different colors than it used to be. At least it started all the time now, thanks to Mule. He was sitting in the truck with his laid back, looking like he was sleeping.

"That must be Mule."

"Yep." They approached the truck. "Wake up, Mule."

Mule jerked awake and looked out the window. He saw Squiggy with a woman! He smiled and took the plates from the open window.

"Howdy!" he said. "I's Mule!"

"Glad to meet you," she said and shook his huge hand that dwarfed her hand. "I'm May."

"May? Like the day?"

"The month," Squiggy said. Mule was acting like a little kid fixing to go on Christmas vacation.

"Cool. Glad you ain't February."

She continued to smile and turned to look at Squiggy. "You guys want some company?"

"Sure," Mule said.

Squiggy almost fainted. His truck was a mess and smelled like a brewery. There was at least a case of beer in the floorbed and Mule still smelled from his earlier accident.

"The truck's a mess," he said.

"It's okay."

Squiggy had an uneasy feeling. He never expected to see her again, especially in a situation like this.

"Lemme get my dog out," he said.

"You got a dog?" she asked.

"Her name's 'Psycho'," Mule said.

At the mention of her name, Psycho climbed up in Mule's lap and looked out the window, her tongue dangling with drool dripping off.

"Hey boy!" May said and reached out to pet the dog.

"It's a girl," Mule said.

Psycho accepted May and accepted a petting. The dog started smelling something and tried to go for the food Mule had put on the dashboard. They started wrestling. May laughed. Squiggy almost died.

He opened the door and grabbed the dog and put her in the back. Mule got out of the truck and moved aside to let May in.

"I broke my leg," Mule said.

"Sorry to hear that," May said. "How'd that happen?"

"Squiggy ran over me."

May looked over at Squiggy for a clarification.

"The truck did," Squiggy said. "I wasn't in it."

"It hurt," Mule added. "We thought I'd broke my..."

"Better get going," Squiggy interrupted. May climbed in the truck and found a place for her feet that wasn't covered with beer bottles.

"We been drinking some beer," Mule said.

"I see that," May said. Squiggy was about to die. He got in the truck and fired up the engine.

"Burn some rubber!" Mule said.

"We's at the church," Squiggy said.

"Never stopped you before."

Squiggy wished Mule was somewhere else.

They took off a lot slower than Squiggy ever drove. He even turned on the blinker as they got back out on the highway.

"Y'all buddies?" Mule asked.

There was no reply for several seconds. "Something like that," May said.

"Good. You're a lot prettier than the bar skanks he usually chases."

"Excuse me?" she asked.

"Nothing. Mule's just kidding. Right?"

Mule didn't think he was telling a joke, just the truth. But he could tell now was a good time to not push that conversation any more.

They drove past the repo lot and Mule giggled. "Look Squiggy! Barbie's still up on the fence."

May looked around but did not see what Mule was talking about. "Who's Barbie?"

"She was this blow-up balloon chick that Squiggy and Chief Arnold fought over."

May looked to Squiggy for a better answer. His face was as red as an apple.

"You guys want a beer?" Mule asked. He popped the top on one and handed it to May. It was rather lukewarm and the smell almost gagged her.

"No thanks," she said and tried to hand it to Squiggy.

"I don't want no beer," he said. She handed the beer back to Mule.

"I thought we was gonna get drunk?" Mule asked.

"I ain't thirsty right now."

"Hmm." Mule didn't worry about anybody else drinking. He had two down by the time they got to his mother's house. His mother was still sitting out on the porch, awake and drinking a beer. Several bottles were scattered on the porch and in the yard.

Squiggy hated to think what was going to happen now. He stopped the truck, got out and helped Mule out. He carried the plates while Mule followed behind.

"Mommy, we gots you some food!" Mule said. Squiggy wondered if there was any way he could dump his buddy.

"Bout time, you dorks!" she hollered. "I was almost starving."

Squiggy wasn't all that concerned. As big as she was, the old woman had plenty of lard to feed herself for a long time.

He handed her to the two plates. She grabbed a tray and set the plates down on them. "Where's the friggin tossed salad?"

"Ain't that enough, Mommy?" Mule asked.

"Dog poop! You know how I goes for the tossed salad. I might as well not eat now. You can't eat Thanksgiving dinner without tossed salad."

"Want us to take the plates then?" Squiggy asked.

"No, that ain't necessary." Squiggy turned and started walking back toward the truck. He could hear Mule coming behind him.

"Slow down, Squiggy!" Mule said. "You's about to leave me behind."

Squiggy stopped and waited. "I figgered you might wanna stay here."

"Wif my Mommy? I don't reckon."

"Oh." Squiggy walked back to the truck, trying to figure out some way to ditch Mule. But his friend was attached like a tick.

They got back in the truck. Squiggy turned back to the porch and saw Mule's mother was going to town on the food. One of the kittens got a little close and was swatted into the front yard, past the lone rose bush.

"Where we goin now?" Mule asked. He got another beer and attacked it, slurping half of it down in one drink.

"We's goin out to my house," Squiggy said.

"Good, I been wanting to see your storm cellar."

"You put in a cellar?" May asked.

"Naw, it's been there," Mule answered. "Squiggy's livin in it!"

Squiggy stared at the window, wondering if things could get any worse. He was about to find out that they could.

Chapter 17