Chapter 213

After my walk I sat in the food court with a cup of coffee. I certainly didn't want any of their designer food. The place was full of college kids just as I had been promised by the news reporter on the local station. The guys were all in their twenties and walked every day so they were in pretty good shape.

I was surprised, since the walkers at most malls were older than dirt. I mean no disrespect, but these walkers were overwhelmingly college students or college age students.

"You finished for the day?" the young woman asked. She was a college student and probably mistook my dress and hair style for a statement of some kind. It was nothing but me being me. I decided not to correct her so soon. What could it hurt to find our what she had to say.

"The day is just starting, but I am finished walking for today," I said.

"How far did you walk?" she asked.

"I think, I went five miles or so. How about you?" I asked.

"I usually quick step about five miles as well. Quick stepping burns more calories," she informed me.

"Ah, I see, well I'm just trying to keep my muscles loose," I said.

"Yeah you don't seem to need to lose weight," she said. "My name is Kara." She held out her hand to me.

"Sylvia," I said taking her hand."Nice to meet you."

"Do you come here often Sylvia?" Kara asked. It sounded a lot like a pick up line, but I let it slide past me.

"This is my first time here," I said, "Do you come in often?"

"Yes, I try to walk here everyday. There aren't that many places where I can get out of the weather to walk, and not have to pay for it." she informed me.

"I heard about it on TV yesterday, and thought I ought to try it. I usually bike in the mornings," I said.

"Bikes scare me. Actually not the bikes the cars you have passing you," she said.

"Come up to County Seat at 5AM and you don't have that worry so much. I have started to wear a light on my back as well as one on the bike." I explained.

"I can imagine, the more light the better. So are you married Sylvia?" she asked.

"No never have been, how about you,"I asked.

"I never have either, So what do you do for a living," The tall, large frame young, black woman asked.

"A little of this and a little of that," I said holding up my hand then added, "I'm a retired cop on disability."

"Oh I'm Sorry to hear that. You doing okay?" she asked.

"In what way do you mean that?" I asked.

"Well you ain't getting rich I know on a retired cop's pay," she said.

"Yeah but I get by. I have very simple taste," I replied.

"I wish I did. I grew up poor, and I want nice things now," she said.

"So what do you do?" I asked.

"I'm a student at the university right now, and I'm a dancer," she said.

"As in ballroom dancer, or rockette type dancer?" I knew better but I didn't want to sound judgmental.

"Exotic," she said simply.

"I hear you can make some real money doing that," I said.

"Sometimes," she said. "Some of the girls waste it on drugs. I'm working a medical degree."

"Wow, how much more you need to finish?" I asked.

"I got two more years to go," she said.

"How long you been at it?" I asked.

"I have already finished four years and should get my PA license in two years."

"I hate to say this Kara, but you seem a little mature for be 22 years old," I said.

"There just ain't no polite way to ask a woman her age, is there?" Kara said. "I did a hitch in the army, before I came here to go to school. So I'm 26 not 22," she said.

"Oh, did you go anywhere interesting?" I asked.

"Yeah." was all she said. "You got a boyfriend?"

"Kara to be honest they come and go," I said.

"Yeah literally," she said with a laugh.

"Yeah that too," I said also with a laugh.

"So how do you feel about girls?" she asked.

"Well they smell better," I said.

"And I'm as strong as any of these wimpy little college boys," she said.

"I have absolutely no doubt, but I don't screw around with college kids. I just came to walk in the mall." I explained.

"So you wouldn't be interested in doing a college girl?" she asked.

"To be honest Kara men or woman seldom pursue me with such directness," I said.

"What would you say the odds are of us meeting again, if I don't push hard?" she asked

"Not good, but why me. I'm certainly nothing special?" I said.

"I don't know. You look like somebody I can take care of a little. Why don't you come to the club and see me dance?" she suggested.

"I just might do that. Do you have to go now?" I asked.

"No, did you have something else in mind?" she asked.

"Wanna ride in my car up to one of the overlooks off the parkway. We can sit in the rain and make out," I suggested.

"You know girl, I think that is probably the best offer I have had all week. But there are no string or commitments here. If it works out fine, if not we walk away right?" she asked.

"I was hoping you felt that way," I suggested.

"You ever been with a girl before," she asked.

"Yeah," was my only answer. I had been trapped in the box house and I needed the release damn it. I didn't have to make any excuses.

The the view from the overlook down onto the campus of the state university campus was gorgeous in the rain. It softened all the edges and make it a fairy land. While the world spun on everywhere else time stood still me me, maybe for Kara as well.

As I noted earlier, Kara was taller than me, and had a much wider frame. To be a stripper I suppose she needed the large breasts. They were at least 38d maybe even larger. She would have beaten me to death with one of those things and I probably wouldn't have resisted. Kara was also black. I do not mean chocolate, I mean black coffee black. She had shiny black skin except where it was pink.