Written By Brad Harness
The crickets chirped loudly that evening as the sun set just past 9pm.
Jordan combed his hair, creating a part in the centre. It was quite different from his part on the right side of his head he had used all his life.
Now that his hair was dark brown rather than reddish, he concluded that he also had to get a hair cut to complete the transformation.
But that’s enough for tonight, he thought. He grabbed a Coke from his small supply of food in the diminutive mini-fridge in his motel room. The Red Pheasant hadn’t disappointed him yet. In fact, his neighbour was still stretched out on her long-chair on the porch. Jordan sauntered over to her, Coke in hand, and asked, “Mind if I join ya?”
She looked up from her book that she was reading and eyed him up and down. “Well, I recognize yer voice but you look different than this afternoon…whatdya do to yerself?”
He pulled up his chair - each motel room had one out front - and arranged it next to hers.
“Jordan” he announced, holding out a hand.
“Roxanne” she replied, shaking it gently.
He gazed out at the setting sun. “Sure is pretty, ain’t it?”
She nodded, then asked, “Where are you from, Jordan?”
He took a sip on his Coke. “Ohio” he replied. “You?”
“Michigan. Just down here visiting family, but when I got here, they was gone!”
“Is that a fact…!” he snorted.
He went on. “I came all this way for a business meetin’ an’ turns out the manager’s over in Florida for a week or two. So I got some time to kill” he smiled, sipping his Coke further.
He turned towards her and studied her closely. “I don’t see no weddin’ ring on yer finger, Roxanne…are ya single?”
She frowned at him. “Are you on the market, Jordan?” Then she looked at him and saw no ring, either. “No wife?”
“Nope…not no more. You here for a while longer or jus’ fer tonight?”
“Oh - I might be stickin’ ‘round for a few more days…if I got a good reason…” she answered sassily.
She was drinking a tall glass of lemonade and rearranged her fine pair of legs on her long-chair for the benefit of her new acquaintance.
“How ‘bout you, Jordan? Gonna be here a while longer?”
“Without a doubt!” he exclaimed.
NEXT WEEK: PART 8
