Читать книгу Where Is Wonderland Anyway - Karen Mueller Bryson - Страница 4

I found myself walking along Highway 41 with no particular destination but out of the state. I had lots of time for thinking. I remembered the first time my mama and I had to pack up in the middle of the night and get out of town. I was all of about seven. It happened a lot over the years. We’d be living with some rotten no good excuse for a man that my mama had picked up at a local tavern. My mama always said she wouldn’t be caught dead in a bar. I guess she thought calling the bar a tavern made it sound more lady-like. Every few months, I’d have myself a new daddy and we’d move our stuff into his trailer. It was good for the first few weeks and then they’d start fighting and before long me and my mama would be looking for a new place to stay. My mama always liked for us to move out at night. She told me once that was because she didn’t want any going-away presents, like a black eye, a cracked rib, or a broken arm. Those were the things she said that men always gave her to remember them by.

I never owned a watch so I didn’t know exactly how long I’d been walking. It felt like hours, especially in the heat of the afternoon sun. I noticed a gas station and small diner not too far up the highway and decided to make it a rest stop. I didn’t feel too hungry, but I knew I’d best eat if I was to have the energy to keep walking. I also wanted to get an idea of where I was and how much walking it would take to get to the next town.

The diner was called Bill’s Place. A sign out front read For the Best Meal in Floral City Eat at Bill’s. I walked inside. The place was small with only six tables, and four seats at the counter. The strangest thing was that I didn’t see any cars parked out front or people inside or out. I sat down at one of the tables. I didn’t feel too bad about taking a table for myself since no one else was there.

I didn’t mind a few minutes of quiet time. It was nice just to sit and rest my aching feet. But after a bit, I wondered if there was anyone there to serve me a meal. I got up and moved over to the counter.

“Hey,” I said, hoping for a response from somewhere out back. “Is anybody there?”

I waited a few seconds but nobody answered. I decided to try it a little louder in case whoever ran the place maybe didn’t hear me.

“Hey. Anybody back there?”

There was still no answer. Just then, being in that diner with no one else around made me feel like I was in one of those late night thriller movies I’d watch on the old black and white. I wondered if maybe some evil-doer had come in and robbed the place and the staff were all tied up out back. Or worse, they were all dead. It didn’t seem so important to me then to have that meal was I wanting.

I was fixing to leave Bill’s Place, when this crazy looking car pulled up to the diner. Out of the car jumped a young man with dark, curly hair. He was wearing an outfit that looked like something out of an old movie, maybe Gone with the Wind. The young man walked into the diner and looked at me.

“Pretty slow today?” he asked.

“I guess so. Don’t expect to eat anytime soon.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’ve been waiting here a pretty long time for a meal and you’re the only person I’ve seen yet.”

“Oh, you don’t work here? I just assumed you did. Bad assumption. Sorry. ”

“I’m here to eat. Just like you.”

“I wonder where everyone is.”

“I just hope they’re not tied up out back. Or dead.”

“You don’t really suspect foul play? Something rotten in the State of Denmark, perhaps?”

"Denmark? Aren’t we still in Florida?"

"It’s a quote from Shakespeare. Oh, never mind. Maybe they just stepped out for a moment. "

“It really seems like something strange is going on.”

“Well, I’m hungry. There must be other places to eat around here. So, I guess I’ll take off.”

It sure was nice having somebody to talk to. “Wait,” I said. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure. What?

“Are those old fashioned clothes you’re wearing?

“Old fashioned? No. Neo-gothic.”

“Oh.”

I wasn’t sure what to say after that. I didn't have a notion of what neo-gothic was and I didn't have very much experience talking with men, either, except for Billy, and we never did do too much talking.

Finally, I said, “So, where you headed?”

“California.”

“Wow. That sure is a long way away.”

“Yeah. I figure it’ll take me about a week to drive there but I’m in no hurry. I have a few weeks until the audition. I’m going to Hollywood to audition for a new film. I read about an open casting call in one of my magic magazines. They’re looking for a magician to star in the project. I figured, what the heck, I’ve got nothing to lose. It’s not like there aren’t plenty of children’s birthday parties in California. And this is a chance to finally be seen and maybe make a name for myself. I could be the next David Copperfield.”

“It sounds like you’re on your way to becoming a real live celebrity.”

“It’s a long shot but I’m going to give it a try. There’ll probably be thousands of magicians there for the audition.”

“I have a good feeling you’ll make something of yourself one day. My mama always told me I better listen to my hunches. They usually come true.”

“I hope so.”

“Sometimes, I’m not too sure I want them to. My hunches can be good or bad.”

I thought the magician was going to leave, but instead he asked, “So, where are you headed?”

I didn’t rightly know what to tell him. I couldn’t just say out of the state without arousing his suspicion, so I said, “I’m on my way to California, too.”

“Really? What a coincidence. There aren't any other cars parked out front. Are you hitching a ride?”

Now, my mama told me never to take a ride from strangers. She said, “There ain’t no such thing as a free ride. Them strangers will expect you to pay them one way or another.” And I knew exactly what she meant.

“I’m not the type of girl to hitchhike,” I said.

He looked surprised. “You’re not planning on walking to California?”

“That’s what I aim to do.”

“Do you have any idea how long it would take you to walk to the other side of the country?”

“Not really.”

“And how dangerous that would be?”

“I guess I hadn’t given it all that much thought.”

“I think you should ride with me.”

Part of me was hoping he would ask me to ride with him, but I was also kind of scared on account of him still being a stranger of sorts.

“That’s a mighty fine offer but I don’t have the means to pay you for the ride.”

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

"You sure do have a funny way of talking."

"You know what, so do you. Will you ride with me? I’d love the company.”

I didn’t give him my answer right away. I closed my eyes for a second to see if I’d have any bad hunches. Wouldn’t you know the greatest feeling of joy went through my entire body. “I think I will be taking that ride with you, if you don’t mind.”

“It would be my pleasure.”

He walked me out to his car. It was one of the strangest looking vehicles I ever laid eyes on. I could tell it was a new car, but it looked antique. Painted on the side was a big picture of a magician’s hat and a magic wand.

“Your chariot awaits, my lady,” he said as he opened the car door. “That’s all you have?” He pointed to my duffel bag.

“My mama taught me to be a light traveler.”

“Okay, then, light traveler. You know, I don’t even know your name.”

“It’s Alice. Ally for short.”

“I like Alice. It’s not a common name for people our age. I swear if I meet another Megan or Brittney, I’ll scream. I’ve never met an Alice before. It’s nice to meet you, Alice. My name is Lewis.”

“It’s nice to meet you, Lewis.”

He held out his hand and I shook it. It was a little more than just a friendly handshake but not too much more. I was surprised by the little tingle I felt all through my body when our hands touched.

“Shall we?” he said and we both got into his car.

“Are you still hungry?” he asked.

“I think I just got even more hungry if you can believe it,” I said.

“We’d better try to find something fast before we both pass out. I think this constitutes a food emergency.”

Bill’s Place was the only eating establishment we saw for quite a few miles. All we passed were pine trees and some old broken down trailers. Of course, it might have seemed longer because I was so hungry.

Lewis got to talking, though, and he told me about where he came from and how he got to be a magician. “When I was five,” he said, “my family moved from Queens to Florida. I was just starting first grade when we bought a house in Miami. It was awful. All of the kids at school made fun of my New York accent and called me names. My dad thought it would be a good idea to teach me some magic tricks that I could do for the kids at school. I guess he figured it would help me be accepted. The kids still made fun of me but I fell in love with magic and I’ve been a magician even since.”

“I hope you’ll show me some of your magic.”

“Now that’ll cost you.”

“I told you I don’t have any money.”

“Not money, I want you to tell me about yourself. Like why you’re on your way to California?”

“Well, I wanted to get out of the state and California was about as far away from Florida as I could get.”

“Just about. Why do you want to get out of Florida so badly?”

“Let’s just say I had some man troubles and leave it at that.”

“Okay. I didn’t mean to pry.”

We drove for a while and I got a chance to take a good look at Lewis. He had the appearance of a boy who was just becoming a man. He still had a smooth face, not too much hair growth yet. And he had the finest curls I ever did see on a man’s head. His hair was as dark as street tar that had just been laid. Now being that I was what you’d call fair-haired, I sure was attracted to Lewis’s dark features.

“Well, would you look at that?” Lewis said pointing up the road. “I think we’ve found us some grub.”

“I have me a big appetite right now,” I said.

“How does McDonald’s sound?”

“I’m not going to complain about that.”

“McDonald’s it is, then.”

Lewis pulled up to the drive-in window and both ordered a couple of burgers and some pop.

“Do you want any fries with that?’ Lewis asked.

“No. I don’t much care for French fries,” I said.

“Me neither. See how much we have in common?”

“I suppose we do,” I said.

Lewis kept driving while we ate our supper. It felt good to have a full belly again. I could see that it would be getting dark soon and I wondered if Lewis would want to stop and have a rest. And if we did make a stop, what would the sleeping arrangements be? I had never slept beside a man before, except, of course, for Billy.

"It's getting pretty late,” Lewis said. “Maybe we should think about finding a place to stay."

"You read my mind. I was just thinking the same thing.”

“Well, I am a magician.”

“I just want you to know I don't have much money to put toward accommodations. But I sure don't mind sleeping in the car."

"Don't be silly. I don't want you sleeping out in the car. It wouldn't be comfortable and it isn't safe. I don't mind sharing a room with you, Ally. I have three sisters. You'll be like an honorary sister. And I'll make sure we get a room with two separate beds. Okay?"

"I suppose that would be okay."

"Then it's settled. The next decent motel we see, we'll stop for the night."

It wasn't too long before we found us a Discount Inn and decided to stop. Lewis kept his promise and ordered a room with two beds. I was glad to see he was a man of his word. My mama always said that a man of his word was the type of man that was hard to come by. Before I met Lewis, I would have had to agree.

Lewis let me have the bed closest to the bathroom, which I thought was right gentlemanly of him. He took the bed nearest the window. He had a large black suitcase and when he opened it, I was surprised to see the suitcase was nearly full of his magician stuff.

"You sure have yourself a suitcase full of unusual items," I said.

"These are a few of my props. I'm bringing them for the audition. Just in case."

I sat myself down on Lewis's bed while he unpacked some of his things. "Would you show me one of your magic tricks?" I asked.

"Sure. This is a good one." He took the magician's hat and a colorful handkerchief from his suitcase. "Would you mind getting me a glass of water?"

I went into the bathroom, filled a glass with water, and brought it out to Lewis. He took the water and poured every last drop of it in his hat. Then he covered his hat with the handkerchief, took a magician's wand from his suitcase, tapped the wand on the side of the hat, said "Out Damn Spot! Out I say!" took the handkerchief from the hat, flipped the hat over, and put it on his head. He didn't get the slightest bit wet.

"Where did the water go?" I asked.

"It's magic. It vanished."

"Come on, Lewis. You can tell me. What happened to all that water?"

"A magician never reveals his secrets. Besides, it's getting late. We should be getting to sleep."

"One more trick?"

"Maybe in the morning."

"I'm holding you to that."

"I said maybe. Now let's get some sleep. To sleep, to sleep, perchance to dream, for in that sleep of death what dream may come."

"Goodnight, Lewis."

"Goodnight."

I found it kind of hard to sleep that night. I believe it was in part because I was nervous sleeping next to Lewis. He had put most of my fears to rest when he told me he was going to think of me as a sister. But then again, I didn't ever have a brother to know what that would feel like. Since my mama died, I noticed an empty place in my heart that never seemed to get full. I thought maybe when I had a man of my own, that empty place would feel smaller. Of course, the likes of Billy made the empty spots feel all the more empty. Having Lewis as an honorary brother was starting to make my heart fill up again.