Part Two, Gail and Sandy
Denver is only a distant dream to me now. It's funny how easily unhappy times in life can be pushed behind you. But there is always a dark shadow right behind you. When you stop and let your guard down the dark thoughts can overwhelm you in an instant. While driving these past few lonely miles I basically shifted into my numb mode. Stop thinking. Watch the world go by but not let anything register. The occasional thoughts of what I left behind try to sneak in, but I can blank them out and stay semi-comatose. But the last few miles have been a little tough. Doubt and dark thoughts keep me wondering if I am making a huge fucking mistake.
This part of my story finds me in the middle of Bum Fuck Northern Colorado. This is unattractive, high mountain plains, with little spots of agrarian culture dropped in here and there. The towns are small and far apart. They are little bits of nothing dropped in the middle of nowhere. Near as I can tell there isn't much to do around here but drink and make babies. Sure, it may be fun to visit for a weekend, but, Christ, you can only camp and fish and hunt or ski for so long before you get bored out of your mind. No wonder the kids out here were moving away to the big cities. I've only been out here for a couple of hours and I can't wait to get away. At least I had a chance to pick up a couple of strangers that would take my mind off the loneliness that is creeping into every dark corner of my mind. I had to take advantage of this chance meeting.
What harm could there be in offering two women, stranded in the middle of Bum Fuck, a ride. It's not like I didn't have room in the truck. And maybe they weren't going someplace that US 40 went. They could accept the ride offer or walk away. It would be their choice. Not mine. A little company wouldn't be a bad thing. Hell, I thought I was used to being alone. I was wrong. Northwest Colorado is a black hole. What was their angle?
"We just walked from Hot Sulphur Springs and need a lift. Can we crash in the back?" They sounded tired. I don't think their sandals were being kind to their feet. They must have gotten stranded out here. Their plans went south on them. These two women were not prepared for being out here on the side of the road hoping for a ride. They sounded harmless enough and looked to be low maintenance eye candy. Let's try giving them a ride.
"Sure, just push stuff around in the back till you got your space. Hop in." This was simple enough. Steamboat was a couple of hours away. They would be comfortable enough in the pick-up bed, I guess. They threw in their sacks and climbed in the bed from the bumper, over the tailgate. They flopped down and lay back against my stuff. They looked cooked. They looked desperate for a ride.
"Okay...I'm outta here." I got back in the truck and pulled back onto the highway. Kremmling was about 15 miles down the road.
US 40 continued west after Byers Canyon, through more high mountain meadows and pastures. The Front Range Mountain Range and Berthoud pass were far behind me. There was nothing special to see looking out the windshield and side windows. Who ever thought of the slogan "Colorful Colorado" had never been to this part of Colorado. The women were two huddled, disheveled bodies trying to shelter from the wind. The cab just rolled a spinning vortex down on top of them. Cruel engineering.
At the town of Kremmling, US 40 made a turn to the right and headed north towards Rabbit Ears Pass. Going south on SH 9 went to Dillon and I-70. The two women were looking miserable back in the bed. The wind was tearing at their clothes and they looked like the overhead sun was baking them, even though the air was still cool. They held tight to their hats so they wouldn't be blown off and lost. I figured I had to stop and check on them. Maybe they wanted to go south. The truck bed wasn't set up for hitch hikers. I felt bad for them. I pulled off to the side of the road and got out of the cab.
"Well, this arrangement back here sucks..." I said, stating the obvious.
"No...that's okay. We need the ride. We can do it. You can keep goin. Don't worry about us." They didn't want me to put them out on the side of the road. They'd probably been there before.
"Tell ya what. This isn't workin' for me. Let's go back to that gas station at the end of town. State Highway 9 can get you south down to I-70." They knew their luck had run out. They were getting dumped in Kremmling and had no idea when the next ride going west would come along.
"No...no thanks. We'll get out and hitch from here." They started to move their stuff and themselves back to the tailgate.
"Hey, wait. I'm not dumping you here. I just want to change things around so you're not so miserable. Leave your bags in the back and get in the cab." The expressions on their faces went from despair to glimmers of hope. They hopped down to the ground, grabbed their hats and went up to the cab.
"Thank you, sooo much, sir."
"Jim."
"Thank you, sooo much...Jim."
We all got back into the cab. The women smelled like the road. I turned the truck around and drove back to a gas station. I pulled up to a pump and an attendant ran out. I told the women to go to the rest room and freshen up from their miserable time on the road. They left with smiles. I told the attendant to fill the tank and check the tires, oil, hoses, etc. and wash the windshield. He put some air into a couple of tires, washed the windshield and pumped about three gallons of gas. He had a puzzled look on his face when the pump shut off.
"Hmmm...must be something wrong with the gauge. It said I needed more..." I turned the key on and the tank showed full. I had him look to verify it showed full.
"That's weird..."
"Well...let me get some sodas for me and my girls. Sorry about the gas gage. I'll meet you inside." The attendant washed the headlamps and turn signal lenses, chammied the windshield and topped off the tank. He worked his butt off for nothing. But the women had a chance to use the restroom without being hassled. They came back into the office and were very nice to the young attendant. They gave him a hug. He didn't mind my stopping in at all after being fawned over by the women. We gathered up the soft drinks, some snacks and went back to the truck. The women waved appreciatively to the young man who serviced my truck. He smiled and waved back.
"You guys look a whole lot better. Feel better?" I asked. The brunette next to me leaned in and kissed me on the cheek.
"You are very kind, sir."
"Jim."
"I'm Sandy, Jim." Said the brunette.
"Sandyjim?" I shot back.
"Just Sandy." She said with a chuckle and rolling her eyes up.