Chapter 8

Timmy got out of the car, and leaned back in to thank the truly nice couple who had freely given the young hitchhiker a ride right to Ben's doorstop. After they drove off, Timmy climbed the weathered wooden steps to the second floor of the old canted apartment house, and knocked on one of the four doors in the hallway.

A tiny, microscopic eye peered out at him through the peephole. "Hey, my Man," shouted the big Black dude, as he yanked the door open. "What's happening?" he cried, as he high fived Timmy, then grabbed his hand and pulled him in for a back slapping bear hug.

"Wooof," grunted Timmy, as the air squeezed out of him. "I'm glad to see you, too, Buddy."

"Come in, come in," invited Ben. He looked up and down the hallway, then withdrew into the apartment, and locked the door and set the chain.

He turned back to Timmy, and put his hands on Timmy's shoulders. "Ok, what gives? You're trembling, my friend."

Timmy looked embarrassed for a moment, then took a deep breath. "Ah man, it was just some asshole coming up here."

"Why, what happened?" demanded Ben, ready to fight.

Timmy stalled, then pushed it out. "He tried to force me to suck him off. He was some straight looking old dude. I had to jump outta da' car and get out of there." He didn't mention that he had pulled a knife on the old man.

"Damn! You ok now?" Ben asked. Timmy nodded. "You think you could find this jerk again?" Timmy shook his head NO. "Well, then. Put it behind you, Man. That's the best thing to do."

"Yeah, you're right." Timmy sighed, willing himself to be still. "You got any weed I can buy?"

"Grass?!? You know it, I've got some of the best maui wowie I've ever smoked. How much you want?" bragged Ben. He was glad Timmy was talking about something else now, the pot would get his mind off the old pervert.

"I dunno, a nickle bag?" asked Timmy.

"Sure, man, sure," replied Ben, getting out his stash. He put some buds in a baggie, way more than usual for a five dollar buy. "That good, Buddy?"

"You treat me right," smiled Timmy. "Here's the dough." He handed over a fiver, then put his dwindling remaining funds back in his pocket.

Timmy pulled out his little stone pipe, and pinched a bit into the bowl. "I'll clean it later, this'll do for now." He held his lighter to the weed, and sucked in. Holding his breath, he said in a strained voice, "Here, man," and handed the pipe to Ben.

Ben nodded and took the pipe. He put his mouth on the pipe, and drew the smoke in deeply. He handed the bowl back to Timmy, then jumped up and put on some Hendrix. Passing the pipe back and forth, the two friends sat slumped on Ben's worn couch and got very mellow.

"Hey, Ben?"

"Yeah, Timmy?"

"We gotta go to my parents' house, man."

"Oh yeah, I knew there was a reason you came up here tonight. Just a minute." Ben sat upright, paused, then stood up and went into the other room. Timmy heard the toilet flush. When Ben came out with his leathers and a couple of helmets, Timmy made his own way back to the cramped lavatory. When he returned, Ben squinted at him, and asked, "Don't you got something warmer to wear?"

"Naw, this is all I got. I'll be fine," Timmy assured Ben.

"The hell you will. Hold on." Ben went to the open clothes rack in the corner, and rummaged through the boxes on the floor beneath. He picked up a small dark jacket and threw it to Timmy. "Put that on."

"Man, this is a girl's jacket," complained Timmy. It rode short on him, and the sleeves only came down three quarters of the way.

"Wear it, dude, or you'll squeal like a girl, too. It'll get cold on that bike like you wouldn't believe," insisted Ben. "Summer time don't matter."

"Okay, okay," grumbled Timmy. He followed Ben out of the door, fidgeting while all the locks were engaged. They clumped down the stairs and into the back yard. There, under a tarp in the open sided shed, was Ben's 1959 chopped Triumph Bonneville.

Ben wheeled it out from under, and opening the choke, jumped on the starter. The engine turned over, coughed, and roared into life. Ben revved it, slowly brought it to temperature, and shut down the choke. It sounded good. Two different neighbors glared out of a couple of upstairs windows.

It was a fine night. Ben and Timmy motored along, Timmy tight to Ben's back. The evening smells rolled over them, and life felt very exciting. Whenever they stopped at lights, men driving in cars sitting next to them stared enviously. However, when they got out of the Queen City and up to full speed on the open road, the half-lit air became chillingly cold. Within an incredibly short time, Timmy's hands and arms began to ache and his teeth clatter.

Ben pulled over and stopped. "God, it's colder out here than I thought," he told Timmy. "Get off for a minute. I think I've got some gloves." He found a pair in the compartment under the seat and pulled them on. "Sorry, Bro, I only got one pair."

"It's alright, I'm fine," blathered Timmy, so cold he couldn't think. He got back on the bike, and the pair pulled back out into traffic.

A half hour later, and Ben pulled over again. "Man, I don't know how much further I can go." He waited until Timmy dismounted, half falling in the process, then climbed off himself. He spied Timmy's white face.

"Whoa, man, you're looking pretty bad," he exclaimed to Timmy.

"Uh, uh, yeah, it's it's it's cold," stuttered Timmy, shaking.

"Come on, let's warm you up," coaxed Ben, rubbing his big hands up and down Timmy's face, and then his arms. A little red showed up in Timmy's cheeks. "That's better. I dunno, dude. What you want to do?"

"I, I gotta get there, man. I don't have any clothes left," Timmy pleaded. "We're halfway there."

"Hmmm," muttered Ben. "Well, ok, but we'll have to stay overnight at your parents' place. We won't be able to go any further."

"Oh God," moaned Timmy. "That'll suck."

"Can't help it," stated Ben. "That's as far as we can go."

"Okay, okay," Timmy groaned. He thought he could talk Ben out of the plan after they arrived, as long as they got there.

The remaining ride was a nightmare. Cruel mist swirled up out of the roadside ditches and spiraled over them as they rode. Headlights from oncoming cars took on an ethereal glow. At one point a deer darted across in front of them causing Ben to reef on the brakes, but it was well away before there was any danger of actually striking the creature. The two bikers were miserable and ready to drop by the time they pulled up the driveway in the little mountain valley.