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A Good Kind of Trouble I was driving north on Interstate 35 as fast as the governor on the blue Mack would let me, the 8 inch dual open exhaust pipes snarling with the Cummins powered song in my ears as I crossed the south Texas prairie land trying to make San Antonio to stop for the night. The air conditioner was doing its best to keep me cool in the 100 plus degree late July evening, and failing at its task. I’m John Murphy, and I have made the Chicago to Laredo run once a week for the past six months, and it sucked. The north end of the run wasn’t so bad, having grown up near Chicago until I joined the Marine Corps out of high school and spent 12 years traveling to such exotic places as Beirut and Mogadishu, where a sniper got lucky 9 years ago and put a round through my back before my squad mates sent him to his maker and 70 virgins, or whatever the fuck it is in his version of Heaven. The south end of this run was the one that was the worst. I would bring a trailer of auto parts to the terminal in Laredo, and spend two hours in the service lane while the maintenance people would replace the missing tail lights and once, four missing tires from the trailer going across the border to wherever in Mexico. Then I’d head north with my trailer loaded with engine blocks bound for Detroit or Toledo. The best part of this run is the sunsets in Texas, with the sun burning red against the desolation of the wide open ground, turning everything brilliant shades of red and pink before slipping below the horizon. After nearly a year recovering and rehabilitation, I answered an advertisement in the newspaper and went to school to learn how to drive these big rigs without hitting anything and the intricacies of the 11 hour, 14 hour, and 70 hour rules to stay legal in the logbook. I was hired by one of the large companies and drove a company truck for two years before deciding I wanted to drive for myself, not the man. So I bought this year old Mack and leased my services back to the large company for the convenience of finding the next load and the deep discount of upkeep on the truck. I’m not going to become a millionaire doing this, but that’s fine with me. I didn’t grow up rich, and I wouldn’t know what to do with a million anyways. It’s too bad Carrie hadn’t seen it that way. Carrie was the “one that got away.” We had gotten married right out of high school before I went to boot camp. Two years later, after she had cheated on me with the high school quarterback, we divorced. After 18 years, the pain of heartbreak was still there as fresh as ever, taunting me at night like my worst enemy. A red warning light on the dashboard snapped me back to reality. The charging system had just given out its last ampere for the batteries. With it getting dark, it wasn’t going to be long before the three batteries would be dead from the lights draining them. I grabbed my cell phone from the holder on the dash, and flipped it open to call the breakdown line. The no service indicator on the display was flashing. ‘Damn,’ I thought. I looked ahead through the windshield and saw an exit sign ahead. As I pulled onto the exit ramp, the engine died. ‘Damned electronics,’ I thought. I pulled to the side of the ramp and set the brakes. I got out of the cab and went to the side box to get the flares out. By the time I had walked to the end of the trailer, I was soaked in sweat. ‘This sucks,’ I thought as I set up the flares to warn other drivers. I walked back to the truck and grabbed a bottle of water and a cigar from the cooler. I sat down in the grass beside the truck and lit up. I had finished the cigar and stood up to get back in the truck when I saw the blue lights of a Texas Highway Patrol Crown Vic flash. I walked to where the car was parked. The driver stepped out and I could see in the fading light that the driver was female. As she walked closer to where I stood I could see that her face was beautiful and her brown hair was tied up with one of those elastic things. I could also see that even with the Escort Küçükyalı Kevlar vest she was wearing, she had a spectacular body. She asked with a Texas drawl, “Everything all right?” I replied with a smile, “Well, besides the batteries are dead on my truck and my phone carrier deciding that south Texas doesn’t need any service, I guess everything is all right,” Her laughter sounded melodic. When she caught her breath, she said, “That’s a good way to put it. So, do you need to call someone, or is someone coming to help?” “I need to call someone, Ma’am, unless you know someone that can fix this thing. That would be all right as well.” “I actually do know someone; I’ll give them a call.” “Thank you so much, but I need to let the company know what’s going on.” As she dialed her phone, she said, “Sure, no problem, we’ll take care of that,” After she called the repair truck, she handed her phone to me. I said, “Thank you, ma’am.” “You’re welcome. My name’s Katherine, but everybody calls me Katie. When you say ma’am, I want to turn around to look for my mother,” She said smiling as she held out her hand. I took her hand and shook it. Her skin was soft and I could almost feel her heartbeat in it. ‘Wow’, I thought. I said as I dialed my dispatcher’s direct line, “My name is John, but everybody calls me Murph, and I’m pleased to meet you. If your phone carrier charges you for this call, I’ll reimburse you for it.” “Don’t worry about it, John; I’ve plenty of minutes on my plan.” I was about to say, ‘I insist’, but Jeff my dispatcher picked up at the other end. I let Jeff know what happened and that there was help coming. Jeff told me it would be all right as long as the load was in the Chicago yard by 0300 Monday morning. I told Jeff it should be there by then, and hung up. I thanked Katie as I gave her the phone back, and then asked if she needed to see any paperwork for a report. She said that, unfortunately yes, she did. “That’s no problem, Miss Katie. You’re doing your job,” I said, and then went to the truck to get what she needed. As she was writing down the information, I asked her, “How long have you been with the Highway Patrol?” “I’ve been with them for 4 years after my enlistment in the Army was through.” I laughed and said, “The Army? I knew there was a flaw somewhere to you!” “Oh, let me guess: Marines?” “Hoo-Rah!!” She stuck her tongue out at me, and then laughed. “I must say, I’ve never seen a Marine that wasn’t full of themselves, and I still haven’t.” We told each other of our military experiences; her time in the Military Police, and mine in every dirty hotspot our commander-in-chief sent our military. I told her about being discharged after Mogadishu, and then asked her why she left the Army. Her mood darkened and she snapped, “I was tired of it.” I knew that I touched a raw nerve, so I let it drop. About that time, the wrecker from the repair shop showed up. Katie said hello to the driver, “Kenny, you’re too damned old to be on the truck.” “Well, Katie, I can’t trust the young pups I’ve got in the shop to not scratch my baby, so I’m out here. I’ll have you hooked up in a few minutes, sir, and then we’ll head for the shop, all right?” I told him all right. I turned back to Katie and said, “Well, I thank you for all your help, Miss Katie, even if you are Army.” She laughed and said, “Somebody has to have the superior intellect, Devil Dog, and it just so happens to be ME!!” She handed me a business card and said, “If you know how to use a computer for other than looking for porn, my e-mail address is on there. I assume the Corps taught you to read, correct?” “They even taught me not to scratch my ass or pick my nose in public, Pogue. You be safe out here, all right?” “You do the same, Devil Dog,” she said as she shook my hand. She got in her car and drove away. I got up in the wrecker and Kenny drove us away. As we drove south back to Laredo, Kenny said, “You got more smiles out of Katie in five minutes than anybody Kartal escort has in four years, Driver. I’m thinking she’s a little touched by you.” “Is she that tough, Kenny? She didn’t come across that way.” “I don’t know what happened when she was off in the Army, but she came back something was different, and not in a good way. I’ve known her for all her life. Hell, I’m her godfather; I’ve known her family for a long time. Something bad happened to her, and she won’t talk about it. I worry about her. She’s the daughter I never had. Look, you don’t know me from Adam, and I don’t know you either, but I’m asking for a favor, a huge one. She needs you, if only to talk to her. Talk to her, be her friend. I want the happy, sweet Katie I knew back. You understand what I’m saying? I love that little girl, but she won’t let me help her. I’m asking you to help her. No, I’m begging you. Please help her find herself again.” Kenny had tears on his face by now. I swallowed the lump in my throat and said, “All right, Kenny. I’ll try to help her. And my name’s John, by the way.” “God bless you, John. You’re a good man, even for a Marine.” We arrived at his shop and Kenny had one of his mechanics look over my truck. The mechanic said, “Your alternator is bad. It’s an easy fix, but we have to send to Dallas for the part. It won’t be here until tomorrow evening, though. I’m sorry, but it’s the best we can do,” Kenny said, “I’ll drive you to a motel, if that’s all right. Go get your gear, John; we’ll head out when you’re ready.” I called Jeff and told him the news, then grabbed some clothes, shaving kit and my laptop, and then Kenny drove to a motel. He waited until I was checked in and had my room key. “You know, Katie has tomorrow off. Be ready at 8 and we’ll have breakfast, okay?” “All right, Kenny, I’ll see you in the morning.” He shook my hand and said, “Thank you, John. You have no idea what you’re doing means to me and her family.” “Kenny, I’m not going to make you any promises, but I’ll do my best to help.” “That’s all I can ask, John. Sleep well, amigo.” “Thanks, Kenny. Good night.” As I walked to where my room was, I thought, ‘What the hell have you got yourself into this time, Murph?’ I set up my laptop and powered it up. After making the Wi-Fi connection, I opened my email program and sent Katie this: Dear Miss Katie: I thank you for your assistance this evening. I was worried that I would have had a long uncomfortable wait for somebody to finally assist me with the mechanical problem, so I am eternally grateful for your timely arrival. You are a shining example of our law enforcement community and I’m glad to have met you, even under the circumstances. Thanks!! Sincerely, John Murphy I sent the email and closed the program. I awoke the next morning at 6 and made some God-awful hotel coffee while I watched the news tell of more doom and gloom, which left me in a pissed off mood before I took a shower. After showering and getting dressed, I checked my email. There was one from Katie. I opened it and it read: John, I am pleased to have met you. If everybody I have made contact with through this job were as nice as you the job would be so much easier. Even if you are a Devil Dog. Katie I laughed, and thought. ‘Damned pogue, you’re silly.’ By this time it was 7:45, so I walked to the lobby to wait for Kenny. He showed up ten minutes later. “Morning, John. How was your room?” “The bed was lumpy and the coffee sucked. Other than that, it was like every other motel room I’ve ever spent an evening in.” “Well, then you wouldn’t mind spending another night here then? I spoke to Dallas before I came over and they don’t have your alternator in stock. I can have Jeremy rig up a different alternator, but it will take a while with the rewiring. Or I can order the part from Atlanta, but it will take another day to overnight it. It’s your choice, John.” “Ah, hell! Let me call the company to get my load. I’ll get the next one from the yard. Go ahead and order it Suadiye escort bayan up from Atlanta, Kenny. I’ll wait.” I called Jeff to set up the pickup. By this time we pulled up to the restaurant and went inside. Katie was already seated as we walked in. She was wearing a yellow polo shirt and tight blue jean shorts. I thought, ‘Damn!! She’s smokin’ hot!’ “Morning, Katie, how are you?” Kenny said as she stood up to give Kenny a hug. She said as she shook my hand, “Hi, Uncle Kenny, I’m fine. Well, hello John. So what is keeping you in our fair city, Devil Dog?” I said smiling, “And good morning to you, Pogue, your uncle here can’t fix my truck because the part has to come from Atlanta, so I’m here another day,” “So, you’re stuck here for a day waiting. Well, Devil Dog, you are lucky, because this is my day off. So you’re coming with me and I’ll show you around. And, no you don’t have a choice. I’ll teach you some manners yet, Marine. Just remember to not pick your nose in public, or scratch your butt, okay?” I said, “Yes, Ma’am, I won’t be an embarrassment to you, I promise,” We ordered breakfast and Katie and I discussed what we would be doing today. After we ate, Kenny said that he had to get to the shop and left. Katie and I walked out to her black 1968 Mustang Mach I. “Nice ride, Katie.” “Thanks. Kenny bought it for my graduation present and we worked on it that summer before I left for the Army.” She was smiling until she said Army, then her smile disappeared. I thought, ‘Great job John; you were doing all right until then, dumbass.’ We drove in silence until we got to Wal-Mart, where we bought items for a picnic. After we carried our purchases to the car I said, “I’ll be right back, I forgot something I needed.” I went inside and bought a white carnation and came back outside. When I got in the car, Katie said, “What did you do this for, John?” “I wanted to thank you for taking your day off to show me around, Katie. This is above and beyond your duty, and I wanted to show my appreciation.” I thought, ‘And to bring a smile to your pretty face.’ She smiled and gave me a hug. She whispered, “You’re a hell of a man, John, one hell of a man.” As I held her I could smell the scent of her shampoo and I could feel the warmth of her back. I thought, ‘I could hold her in my arms forever.’ Finally she broke our hug and said, “Let’s go, we’ve a lot a ground to cover.” She started the car. We drove to her house, a large two story brick one. I asked, “They must pay you pretty good on the Highway Patrol, huh?” “No, silly Marine; this was the house I grew up in. When Daddy died, Momma gave it to me before she moved out by Doctor’s Hospital.” “Oh, I’m sorry for your loss.” “It’s all right. He fought the cancer long and hard, but it won in the end. He’s in a better place now.” “I understand. My grandmother fought it until the end. It’s been twelve years and I still miss her.” “I miss him too.” —————- We carried in the groceries and she gave me a tour of the ground floor. She told me where to find a cooler to put the food in while she went upstairs to change. I put everything in the cooler and when I was finished I looked up just in time to see her come down the stairs in a long grey T-shirt. Her legs were long and slim, a vision of beauty. I could see a hint of her firm ass covered by the bikini. I said the first thing that came to my mind. “Wow.” She blushed and said, “Easy there, Devil Dog.” “All right, Pogue, I swore I’d behave. But you’re making it damned hard for me to keep my promise.” She walked to where I was in the kitchen and said, “I’ve been wondering why you call me Pogue.” “Well, Katie, when I was in Boot Camp, there was a DI teaching us recruits how to field-strip our weapons. He said ‘The manual says that the M16 can be field stripped in five minutes. The manual was written by an Army pogue, a Marine can do it in three!’” She burst out laughing and laughed until there were tears in her eyes. “Oh God, that’s funny! Damn!!” When she could catch her breath, Katie said, “There’s a pair of shorts in the cabinet in the downstairs bathroom that should fit you, and could you grab some towels to take with us please?” We loaded the car and drove a few miles to the lake and got everything out. After we ate, Katie spread out a towel and took off her T-shirt.