A Way West

  Chapter Eighteen

  The two couples spent the next couple of hours walking around the town of Butte. They didn’t do much talking for a change. Pete mostly said, “Fuck I hate those dykes!”

  So the other three tried to keep quiet, knowing there wasn’t anything they could say to make him feel better. Jeff and Monica loved the town though. How could they not? It was surrounded by the most beautiful scenery they have ever seen. Mountains! They had both been dreaming about them for so long and now they were finally in them. Ottawa was the furthest thing from their minds. Mountains! They are really in the mountains!

  “Fuck! I really hate those dykes!”

  Issy had enough, “Alright already Pete, forget about them. I am sure the dumbass bitches will ditch the car soon enough. Now that it’s reported stolen it’s going to be found. It’s probably one of the only cars like that in the whole state so they won’t want to keep it for long. So let’s relax. Hey if it was Jeff who lost his bike I am sure you would spend the whole time telling him about all the good things to be thankful for. Biggest thing is it’s the first time you’ve ever had a gun pointed at you, and guess what? You coulda died!”

  “Okay pumpkin you’re right. Let’s head back and check with the cops one more time.”

  Twenty minutes later the frustrated foursome are back on the street with no new news about the Mustang. Issy looks to Jeff, “So we’re getting a room I guess, you guys joining us I hope?”

  Jeff sees that Monica is nodding yes at him, so he tells Issy, “Of course Issy, what are friends for? We wouldn’t dare abandon you guys. I still have lots of money left, so let’s have one last party together, since you’re probably grabbing a bus tomorrow.”

  “Ya let’s get us some real booze this time. I didn’t think much of your Canadian beer but tonight I am drinking some good old Canadian Whisky!” Pete is sounding like his own cheerful self again.

  Jeff liked the sound of that, “Ya let’s all get sloshed for our last night together!”

  Issy rolls her eyes at Monica, “It looks like we’ll have our hands full tonight girl. Oh well it’ll be nice to blow off some steam before we all begin our new lives.”

  Monica rolls her own eyes, “God help us!”

  They find a motel only a half mile from the cop shop. The guys let the girls hang out in their room while they go track down some booze and food. Both girls decide a bath sounds real nice.

  Both guys like the sound of Rye and Coke, with a little beer and a pizza, to go with it.

  When Pete and Jeff get back to the motel room Monica was still in the bath, Issy had finished hers. Pete grabs a plastic cup that is on the dresser and pours himself a stiff drink and adds a, “Fuck I hate those dykes!”

  Issy is drying her hair with a towel, “Enough already, have a couple of drinks, roll yourself a joint and try to forget about them stupid bitches. I know you love that car but even if you never see it again life goes on. And life is good and going to get better. Hell, you are going to have a large collection of cars someday.”

  “Haaa!” Pete howls, and hands Jeff his own stiff drink, “Ya got to love my pumpkin, she’s always keeping me real. Ya baby! I am going to show them dykes, my next car will be even sweeter!”

  Jeff sits on the edge of a bed and sips his drink, “Whoa! It’s a bit strong. Give me another shot of Coke in it.” He’s holds the cup up to Pete.

  “No way dude, it will put some hair on your skinny chest. We are here to par...tay!”

  Issy is getting comfy on the other bed, “Slow down you two, let’s get some food in us first. How about the same pizzas again, seeing as you didn’t pick anything up? They went down real good last time.”

  About an hour later they had finished their pizzas and Pete was rolling a joint. He’s sitting on the bed at Issy’s feet, using the new pizza menu this time, to hold his weed. He looks at Issy, “Well pumpkin if we’re taking a bus tomorrow that means this is our last night on the road. So you’re going to have to help me finish off this bag. I still have about four joints left.” He looks at Jeff and Monica sitting on their bed together, “Hey Monica, how about letting Jeff have some fun tonight? It’s mine and Issy’s last reefers ever, so I think it’s only right my man Jeff here gets high with us. Because starting tomorrow the four of us are going to take on the world!”

  Jeff is liking that idea, he gulps down some more of his most recent stiff drink and looks over at Monica. Monica is almost finished her first beer. “No way Pete, Jeff hasn’t smoked in a long time, he’s not about to start again now.”

  Jeff gulps the rest of his drink and gets up to make another. He looks back at Monica, “Would you like a drink of Rye and Coke baby?”

  Monica surprises the other three, “Sure what the hell, but not a strong one.”

  Pete passes the lit joint to Issy, “Now that’s the spirit Monica. This party has officially begun!”

  As you can well imagine the scene now quickly deteriorates, or improves, depending on your perspective... In Pete’s perspective, everything is going great, and getting better by the minute. In fact, despite all their current conflicting conditions, everything is fan-frickin-tastic!

  _____________________________

  Well I am finally done. My coat looks fabulous. It was so intelligent of The Great Sphinx to enable us cats to groom ourselves. It has taken me over an hour but I now look marvelous. It was so tiring being awake all last night fighting those uncontrollable urges that I don’t understand in the least. I am so glad that is over. I do believe I will retire to my food chamber now and proceed to fill my cavernous stomach, I am famished. Oh no! What now? I don’t feel so well. “Aakk!” Aakk... “Haacck!” Haacck!... “Aaackk!” Aaackk... “Gga” Gga... “Ptuu!” Ptuu! Ahh that’s much better.

  “Juniper! That is disgusting! At least you have the decency to spit your hairball on the kitchen floor instead of messing my living room carpet with it. I swear I won’t be sad when I see the last of you.” Victoria grabs a paper towel and scoops up the slimy hair ball and throws it in the trash.

  Riiiiingg… “Hello... Yes, I will accept the charges.” Victoria says into the phone.

  “Hi sis!”

  “David? What are you doing phoning me collect?”

  “Well, I’m in jail actually. Those bastards at Children’s Aid had me arrested for harassing them. They wouldn’t answer any of my questions or investigate a single one of my complaints, so since I kept telling them my true feelings about what I thought of them they had me thrown in jail.”

  “You were calling them those foul names again, weren’t you?”

  “Well ya sis, they are fucking bitches.”

  “David, I am so glad mom isn’t still alive to see you land in jail like some common criminal.”

  “Relax Victoria, it’s no big deal, and I’m sure not going to back down now from trying to reform their piece of crap organization.”

  “Oh, Lord help me!” Victoria replies in disgust. Just then Tony comes into the kitchen. “Here it’s your Uncle David.” Victoria hands him the phone and promptly exits the kitchen.

  “Uncle Dave? What’s up?”

  “Oh, hi Tony. You’re not going to believe this but I’m in jail out on Innes Road. Those scum bags at Children’s Aid had me arrested for harassing them.”

  Tony sits down, “You’re kidding. What assholes!”

  “Hey don’t worry about me kid. This is only going to strengthen my resolve to make some real changes to this whole pathetic system. I’m nearly finished that book I told you about and I’m putting all this new shit in it. I am writing it out in pencil and will be mailing it to my buddy Moe. When it gets published those assholes at Children’s Aid will regret doing all this shit to me big time!”

  “That’s the spirit Uncle Dave; you have the truth on your side. And I’m going to do everything I can to help you to change that evil Children’s Aid. I work in a law office now and am going to be a lawyer someday.”

/>   “That would be awesome Tony, you should hear all the bullshit that I am learning about how fucking twisted this whole justice system is. From the cops to the judges they are all pretty useless, but they all just claim they are just doing their jobs. None of them are helping anyone except themselves to their big fat pay cheques. This whole thing seems to be one big multibillion dollar government make work program.” Tony stands up, “Okay Uncle Dave I’ve got to go but you hang in there and keep me posted. We will win this war someday I promise.”

  “Okay kid thanks, I’ll call back in a few days and let you know what’s happening.”

  _____________________________

  “Peter Peter Pumpkin Eater had an Issy and couldn’t keep her.” Monica does this little sing song while dancing around, taunting Pete standing beside her.

  “Ha! I love eating my pumpkin!” Pete jumps on the bed and crawls on top of his pumpkin pretending to eat her all over.

  Issy laughs out loud pushing him away, “Stop it, you’re tickling me!”

  Jeff is reclining on his bed. He gulps the rest of another drink. He gets up and grabs Monica, and swings her around. All four of them are laughing. Monica stops laughing, “I don’t feel so good.” The other three laugh louder.

  Pete starts rolling another joint and looks at Jeff, “I think maybe your girl has had enough rye. You better get her a beer.”

  Monica flops down on the bed. “No, I think I better just lie down for a bit.”

  Jeff makes himself another stiff drink. He sits by Monica on the bed and rubs her back with the hand not holding his new drink, “Hey baby would you mind if I have a couple of puffs of this joint?”

  Monica manages to mumble, “I don’t care, just leave me alone.”

  Jeff looks at her and then looks at Pete and shrugs his shoulders. Pete gives him a triumphant smile and a thumbs up. Issy groans and puts her pillow over her head.

  Jeff inhales deeply and is quickly overcome by a big head rush. He blows it out and rubs his face. “Wow. That fucked me up!”

  Pete howls, “Haa! Atta boy Jeffy! Here have another one.”

  Jeff has another one.

  A little while later Jeff is helping Pete and Issy smoke Pete’s last, and biggest joint. Issy watches Pete finally toss the remainder of this one in the toilet. “Okay boys, that is it. We are all going to quit together once and for all.” She declares, almost confidently.

  Pete raises both arms in celebration, “Sure pumpkin sounds good to me.” Jeff is rubbing his face once again, “Ya sure that works for me.” Monica has no comment as she is snoring softly, oblivious to their little pact.

  Jeff wakes up. His head is throbbing. He looks around. Pete and Issy are in the next bed sleeping soundly. Monica is nowhere in sight. He goes to the bathroom. She isn’t there. He splashes water on his face, and relieves his bladder. He lies back down on the bed wondering where she went. He thinks about last night and wonders if he made a big mistake.

  At this very moment, Monica is at a drug store buying some Extra Strength Tylenol. She has the worst headache of her life. She is soon in a gas station’s washroom washing down three of the pills. Monica stares at her blood shot eyes in the mirror. What went wrong so fast? One day ago she was the happiest girl in the world. Now she doesn’t know what the hell to think. She should have known that it would be drugs that burst her happy little bubble. She walks out onto the sidewalk and finds a bench to sit down on.

  Wow it sure is beautiful here. She’s so confused. She barely remembers what happened last night but she does know that she saw Jeff smoking drugs with Pete. She knows for sure it was because they all got drunk but that is no excuse. It’s strange how meeting Issy and Pete was the best thing that happened to them on this trip, but also for sure the worst thing. Her pounding head seems to subside a little so she goes for a walk.

  She soon comes to a coffee shop advertising an internet cafe. She checks her cash left in her pocket...seven dollars, forty cents. What the hell. She goes in and buys a coffee and a double chocolate donut and sits at one of the available computers. She looks around at the few other customers. Two guys who look like businessmen are each sitting by themselves with their coffees seriously studying the newspapers spread out in front of them. The only other table occupied has two girls close to Monica’s age chatting about something very funny apparently.

  Monica is the only one using one of the four available computers. She clicks on the Internet Explorer icon on the screen and goes right to Facebook. Christine’s not on, and no message from her. Damn! She checks her email next. Only one is waiting and it’s from her mom.

  From: Victoria Martinelli,

  To: Monica Martinelli,

  Monica,

  I pray that you are safe. I worry about you constantly. I miss you terribly. You father isn’t mad at you anymore, and I know he worries about you and loves you very much. Your silly cat is eating properly finally but seems to miss you. She spends most of the day staring out the window waiting for you to come home. I am very excited that your brother has finally seemed to have found a purpose in life and likes his new job. I am so relieved he is going to school in the fall. Now my life would be perfect if you would come home and go to school as well. Your birthday is in two days and I am so upset we won’t be together for it. Please let me know if I can ever help you in any way. I love you and miss you so much. Your Mom.

  Monica started to cry softly as she started to read. She reads it one more time with her tears increasing. She gets up to grab a napkin. She sits down and blows her nose. She begins typing.

  Dear Mommy, I am so glad that things are good at home. I miss all of you terribly. It’s great to hear that Tony has finally smartened up. Don’t worry I am safe and still having a real good time. We are in the mountains finally and they are even more beautiful than I imagined. I promise I will phone you as soon as we get to Jeff’s cousin’s farm. I think we’ll be there in two days. I have made a really good friend with the American girl I told you about. You would really like her. She is smart and very sensible. I am sad we have to leave them soon to go to our separate destinations. I promise I still plan to go to university, probably next year. I will make you very proud someday. Give Juniper a big hug for me, I miss her terribly. Talk soon. Love Monica.

  Monica closes out the internet, after checking back on Facebook and seeing that Christine is still not there. She has the last bite of her donut and last sip of her coffee and gets up to pay the small internet bill.

  Back out on the sidewalk, she once again marvels at the incredible scenery of the surrounding mountains. She is so torn. She wants to stay, but she wants to go home. She slowly heads back to the motel. If she stays, she will be able to go skiing in the mountains this winter. Her ski equipment is back home of course and she would have to get it shipped out. She could use some new boots though, and has no way of paying for them yet. She will have her cat with her soon in British Columbia but who knows when she will get to see the rest of her family? And Christine? She loves Christine like a sister. Sure Issy is turning out to be a great friend but she’s going to be hundreds of miles away. And Jeff? She loves him as much as ever but she can’t stand the fact that he is a drug addict. They say once you are an addict you are always an addict. She will never be able to trust him in that way. If she goes home and goes to university she could always be with Jeff later after he goes through rehab or finally proves to her that he has finally put it behind him.

  Sure he didn’t smoke for more than a year until last night, or has he? And he now drinks more alcohol than ever. That means he’s an alcoholic now too. What is a girl to do? She stops to watch a couple of small girls playing on a slide in a small playground. She wonders where the parents are. Small town life seems so much different than life in a city. If she goes home she can always come back out west later. Her biggest advantage still is that she knows she is so young. There is lots of time.

  And what about this new exciting charity they are plan
ning? If that does come about, which is doubtful, she can work on it just as easily back home as out here. This whole trip has been an eye-opening experience. She just knows no matter what she decides she is going to have an exciting eye opening life. But she must decide what to do right now. She heads back toward the room after waving bye to the happy little girls. They wave back and laugh and climb the slide for another carefree ride down. She doesn’t know what to do.

  Then a solution suddenly comes to her.