Will was driving his car on the highway, as he always did on Saturday before he met his friends at a bar where the drinking session would last till 10 in the night. Then he would go home... home, was it home? Four walls and a TV and a refrigerator did not make a home. Living alone at 35 ... how could he be at home. He had a woman for some time, just living together, till she made it clear she preferred a bigger city. When he refused to move from the town where he had grown up, she moved on. He had a house and had his own garage where he took care of all types of bikes and cars brought to him by regular customers who were mostly his longtime friends. Now he lived comfortably, driving different vehicles and never out of cash or fun.
As Will drove his car whistling a tune, he saw a woman by the roadside wanting to hitch a ride. He stopped and thought the blue jeans and black shirt did justice to her body but he couldn't see her eyes as she sported sunglasses. He tried to guess her age as she got in and sat by his side.
"I am going into town..." he said.
"Any town is fine with me. I wanna stay in some place where I can good food too. I won't be here for long, never stayed longer than two days in any town. Can you find a place for me?" she said in a calm and composed tone.
He nodded. This was not an ordinary woman. She was used to travelling alone and staying where ever she wanted. Must be a hippie but she was alone and he could call her a hobo but for her neat dress and nail-polished fingers. She must be one of those who went away for some time in search of peace and, when the world proved to be more cruel than home, would go back. He wanted to tell her his house was big enough to accommodate her, but would she find something amiss if he did so? What the hell, a woman travelling alone would be ready for anything, including an invitation to stay.
"You can stay in my house, if you don't mind," he said boldly.
"If you have no family, no dogs or cats, I don't mind giving it a try," she smiled at him.
"None of those. I run a garage and that is it."
"That's cool. I love bikes and cars. Anyway it is for some time. How much should I pay you?"
"We can decide that when you leave."
"Ok, Let me buy something to eat, I'll stock up for two days."
He stopped his car near a store and she went in. While waiting he called his constant drinking partner and told him about his encounter with the woman.
"I tell you something. You be careful with these types. They will be lady-like and all that and the next morning, you will find her missing and many things in your house, too. I will watch out if I were you." he finished.
He thanked him for his sober advice (drunken advice would come between 7 and 11 p.m.) and was sure the news would spread among their circle that he had a woman staying with him. That was okay as he didn't mind being talked about, in fact he liked to be linked with women; one of the advantages of being unattached.
She came back carrying two bags and placed them in the back seat and they left for home. As he parked in front of his house, she exclaimed: "That's a nice place."