Page 44 of Road Trip
“You mean because of work stress?” she asked.
Among other things. “Mostly. Usually I can keep it together pretty well. I’m steady.”
“But now?”
I sighed. I couldn’t forget she was a counselor. “Now, my usual strategies haven’t been as effective. Distraction has been the best medicine.”
She frowned. “That’s only going to work for so long, babe.” She was right.
“Just a couple more days. Real life is going to come calling soon. I don’t want to think about it right now, or I’m liable to make drastic decisions I shouldn’t make without a clear head.”
She must have figured out she’d pushed me as far as I was going to go, because she studied me for a minute and then nodded as if to say she’d let it go, for now.
“I can think of other activities to get you out of your head,” she said with a ridiculously lecherous tone.
I coughed out a laugh. She hadn’t answered my question, though. That left a big question mark between us.
“Yes, I bet you could,” I said, figuring I’d just have to deal with it later. I didn’t like the uncertainty, though. “I know I could think of quite a few activities with you that would get me out of my head.”
“Excuse me,” a woman’s voice said just as I was about to grab Abra and drag her to a dark corner.
I turned to see some burly looking guys in denim vests with tattoos and piercings, the number of which actually put Abra’s to shame. I looked down to find a woman dressed in a polka dotted outfit and made up much like Abra.
“Would you mind taking a picture of us?” the woman asked Abra.
Abra beamed at the woman. “Absolutely! Damn, you guys look great!”
There were actually a number of people in their group. We were on the walkway heading toward the World Peace Pavilion, and they wanted to have the castle as their background. There were about five guys and six or seven women and girls. They were all wearing matching denim vests and all had spent quite some time under a needle.
Abra took a camera from the woman and took several shots of the group. They were getting a lot of stares from families passing by. Some were gawking like they’d seen celebrities, some were glaring and pulling their kids closer.
“May I ask about the vests?” Abra asked.
Polka dot woman smiled at her and looked at her friends. “We’re a social club,” she answered with a smile. “We’re a group of friends who meet up here at certain times during the year and do the park. We have an invitation process and if you fit in, you get to join. It’s great! I’m the chapter leader. I’m Maria.”
Abra took the woman’s offered hand. “Abra, and this is Kelly.”
The woman raised an eyebrow at me and shook my hand loosely. “Thanks for taking our picture.” She glanced at me again and then directed her next words at Abra only.
“If you’re interested in joining, message me on Facebook. Our page is Moon Marauders. We’d love to connect.”
Abra smiled at her and curled up to my side, pulling me away from them. I heard her swear under her breath.
“What’s wrong?” I asked her.
More cursing.
“I don’t know. I guess I just don’t like reverse snobbery. I know I can be like that sometimes, but I don’t need to join a group to do it.”
I frowned, thinking maybe she was being harsh. “I don’t know. They seemed okay. Except maybe for the two guys who were higher than kites. I just don’t get why someone would ruin the experience here by getting wasted. It’s so much fun without all that stuff. I mean, I get it, but I would just want to be present.”
Abra stopped for a minute. “People like me, who look like me, sometimes they walk around with big chips on their shoulder. They expect people to give them shit for how they look, so they go out of their way to be in your face, you know?”
“I don’t know. It didn’t seem like—”
“She made it clear that invitation was only for me. Did you notice how she turned her body away from you? That shit pisses me off. I look like this because it’s just me. My tattoos are personal. I’m not trying to impress anyone, nor am I trying to alienate anyone. They’re just for me, and I don’t need to join any special fucking club to enjoy this place.”
“I’m sorry that people have treated you unfairly. I for one am incredibly glad I have had the honor of spending this time with you.” I didn’t know what else to say, how to respond to her tirade. I wasn’t sure why she was so upset, but it seemed like her anger worked itself out fairly quick. In a few minutes she was listing all the places we’d yet to see.
