It was a late Sunday night, that warm July sort of Sunday. There was a light mist spraying from the neighbors sprinklers – made the air a little more humid, a little more comfortable. A beautiful night. I remember it all to well, for that was the night I meet Marla.
I was sitting on my porch, watching the deserted street, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood – quiet suburban, you would think, but if you really listen, there is so much to hear. Dogs barking being most common, but little things. The child across the street cooing in pleasure, or the teenager down the way in a fight with his parents. So many little things that 'quiet' suburbia isn't all that quiet. My porch was a good place for such listening.
I do that a lot, listening. There is so much one can learn by observance. I smoothed back by black hair, shorter now that I had finally gotten it cut. It used to be down to my shoulders, but the pressures of my job – sometimes I missed it, but on nights like tonight, were it was just a little too humid, it was nice to have less weight and pressure on my head. Somewhere down the street I saw the headlights of a car. Not to unusual a sight, to be honest, but always something enjoyable to think about on a summer night.
"Mmm... Blue... Jeep." I said, playing my favorite game with myself for these summer nights. Guess the next car. Not that I had ever seen many blue Jeeps but, hey, it was a wild guess. Could I ever be more wrong. The car that pulled up slowly down the street was a white Honda – ah well. Honda's were nice cars – my first car had been a Honda. Worked wonders till it was 11 years old, where it fell apart – literally – on the side of I 70, Ah well. I still remembered it with fondness.
This one didn't look much better than that one did, and I could hear it clunking along. And, with one final sigh, I heard the engine die right in front of my house. For a moment the car sat there – it was too dark to see in the windows – then I heard the engine try and turn over. No luck, though who ever was inside tried two more times. No such luck.
Pulling myself out of my chair I strode slowly down my finely cut lawn to the dead Honda, which now wouldn't even turn over, though I could vaguely see inside someone trying to get it to start. After a moment a fist hit the steering wheel quite hard, and the horn blurted briefly, breaking the 'silence' of suburbia. Well at least something worked, I thought as a chuckle escaped my lips. Rapping the passenger side window I peered inside to see someone with a baseball cap and a long ponytail inside. Whomever it was waved slightly and got out of the door. It was a woman, long brown hair, blue eyes, just a little shorter than my height, smiling "Hello there. Seems I've broken down on your front lawn. Do you mind if I use your phone?"
I smiled, shaking my head, "Not at all. Names Tony, yours?" I said, reaching across the top of the car to offer my hand
"Marla," she said, taking my hand and shaking it firmly, "Sorry about bothering you so late at night."
"Ah its no trouble," I said back, smiling as she walked around the car, "I'm usually on my porch at this time relaxing. My first car was a Honda – when they go, they really go," I said, as I lead her back towards my house, "It sounds like yours has finally had its last gasp.
She smiled a brilliant, bright tooth smile, "Yeah it seems so. Ive been waiting for it to die for the last few weeks. Had kinda hoped it would take me home..." she trailed off and shrugged as I held the door open for her. My house was pretty tidy, though most of the lights were off at this hour of night. The phone in my foyer had a little desk lamp next to it, and she stepped forward to use it.
"Where's home?" I asked, as she picked up the receiver and flipped open the phone book from the shelf below – you'd be surprised at the number of people I get asking to use my phone. Must be the late nights on the porch.
"Chillicothe," she said, as her fingers scanned through the phone book to find a number. That was the next town over, about a forty-five minute drive from here. I nodded as her slender fingers dialed on my old style rotary phone – I had felt it fit the picture of a phone in the foyer sort of deal.
She spoke for a few minutes then sighed, placing the phone down, "They cant send anyone out till tomorrow morning," looking a little glum she gave a half hearted smile. "Mind if I call my parents real quick?"
"Not at all," I said, and she spoke for a little bit on the phone with I assumed her mother.
"They'll be here to pick me up tomorrow morning," She said, and then gave another half hearted smile. "Well it was nice meeting you Tony..."
"Hold on a sec there Marla. Where are you planning to go? I've got an extra bed here, why don't you spend the night? I can put some quick food on, we can eat and then you can sleep and be here when they arrive in the morning." Her face lit up a little bit
"Really? You don't mind? I didn't want to ask since I only meet you a few minutes ago..."
"Ahh its no trouble, not at all. Sides, Im always on the look out for some femine company," I said, winking with a mischevious grin. Marla laughed slightly and I led her to the kitchen. "I hope simple fare is allright." I said, diving into the cupboards. "It is a little late." She smiled and nodded.
"More than adequate. Thank you so much again"
"Again, no problem," I said, as I started to pull down ingredients. Of course, simple fare for me was by no means simple. Twenty minutes later I had started the rice cooking and the vegetables and meats were cooking away – I cook for a living you see, and so simple fare to me is anything that takes less than forty five minutes to prepare. Marla and I talked as I worked, chatting away, getting to know each other. She was quite the woman, just about my age (26) and seemed to have a lot of the same interests as me.
