Untitled Craptacular NaNo Novel 2007
an excerpt

“Great, how about I come pick ya up in twenty? We’ll grab a bite at a drive thru and head to the theatre?”
“Awesome! I so can’t wait. I want to see that movie so bad!” I wonder how I could fit a few more sentences with exclamation point endings into my reply. Not succeeding I leave it at that.
“Not excited are we? You are so predictable.” Dawn’s voice sounds amused. I know her well enough to know she is most likely grinning from ear to ear at me.
“But you love me anyway. I’ll see you soon. I need to wrap things up here.”
I pressed the end button on my mobile and crammed it into my back pocket. I sped up my working and by the time Dawn rolled up to the front of my store, everything is set for the night. I grab my purse from my office as well as a set of keys and let myself out the front door.
Dawn drives a stylish convertible and since it’s a balmy June night, the top is down. I waved at her and finish locking the store up before skipping down the steps and climbing into the car.
“So you are lonely already? When did the plane take off?”
“Hey you know, I don’t give you grief. Can’t a girl hang out with her friends?” I was not about to buy Dawn’s pout for a minute so I answered with a roll of my eyes.
“Right. And I’ve got some great swampland you can build on.”
“Oh ha ha ha. Swampland. I see how it is.” She may sound upet, but her grin speaks a whole other story.
We have known each other for years. She is the sister I never had but always wanted. Last year she married the love of her life and became one half of the most disgustingly sweet newlywed couples you could possibly meet. He happened to be a nice guy and wildly successful, so that is good. If he ever mistreated her, I would have to do a whole list of unmentionable things to him.
We may only be in town and driving slow, but I must admit, I love the feel of the wind in my hair. I drive a beat up Volkswagon Beetle from only about a million years ago. Dinosuars drove my car. No, I’m serious, the woman I bought it from was most definitely a dinosaur. I loved that Beetle though. It had already lasted me one decade and looked like it would last another easily, even if it did look like a disaster on wheels.
Relaxed in the bucket seat, I slide my eyes towards Dawn. “So yeah, I can’t believe you called me already. That’s cute. I still think you should have gone with him.”
“We talked about it, but I have some things I really need to be local for. You know how it goes.”
I sure do. What doesn’t Dawn do in the community? I am sure there is something, but I couldn’t guess what. The woman invented busy and was working towards a nomination for poster child for over-scheduled. Unlike some, she thrived on her overloaded schedule. She flounders when she finds herself with free time.
“How are things going? Haven’t seen you for a couple of weeks. I know there was that gala event up in DC you were preparing for.”
“Don’t ask.” She rolls her eyes and flicks her perfectly styled hair over her shoulder. “What a nightmare. I hate politicians so much sometimes. Talk about a bunch of cry baby drama queens… er kings. Well, you know.”
Don’t I ever. The one bad thing about living in this area of the nation, too many of those politicians lived here. OK, all of them. It is like invasion of the crazy people. And I swear they never work so they like to go crawling the area. And that is when they end up in my small town. Unfortunately, we have yet to find their kryptonite. Crucifixes and garlic won’t keep a politician at bay. I keep hoping for the miracle cure.
“That good, eh? Nice. How you don’t smack people is beyond me.”
“One of these times, I’m dragging you with me, Jams. If for nothing else, the moral support in dealing with those people. Good grief.”
She knows my stand on that. I do NOT do large groups of people. No way, no how, not going to happen. “Over my cold, dead, body. I can’t believe you would even say that to me.”
She pulls into the McDonald’s drive thru. “I know. But, hey, let me make it up to you.”
She knew my weakness. Greasy meat. Yum. The greasier the food, the more happy it made me and the less happy my doctor would be. Let’s do this girls night in style. “Gimme the works, Dawnelia. I skipped lunch.”
She places the order into the choppy and staticy drive thru speaker and we pull around. She whips out a shiny gold card to hand to the cashier. He doesn’t look a day over ten and a pound over 70.
As we pull up to the second window to await our bags, I just look at Dawn and sigh. “You know, I swear that these places are hiring younger and younger people every day. How old was that kid? Surely they are breaking some kind of child labour laws.”
“I’m more worried about his weight. He needs a milkshake. It’s McDonald’s for crying out loud. You’d think he could get a milkshake or cookies. Apple pie? Something. I’ve seen less starved looking people on those commercials at Christmas time for the little Ethopian kids.”
“No doubt. Not my problem though. I happen to like the food here and it likes my hips.”
We both laughed as the bags are handed out to us. I greedily accepted mine and dug into the largest cheeseburger that McDonalds had. Mmmm, special sauce trickles down my throat and hit my belly. I washed the manna down with a swig of chocolate milkshake and took another bite. Dawn, on the other hand, managed to not only drive but eat her hamburger like a civilized person. No grease or ketchup to mar her perfect make up job or pressed linen blouse.
Everyone has their place in society. I know mine and I know Dawn’s. Why she feels the need to slum with me on occasion is beyond my comprehension, but I am glad she does. She floats with the upper crust and always appears perfect. Unlike some, she is completely friendly and bubbly, which I believe is the reason for her success. I am the klutz introvert that shuffles through life attempting to be unnoticed at all costs.
She continues to drive while we chow down in silence. The radio plays the latest pop hit from some American Idol one hit wonder, serenading us. The half a mile to the theatre goes by quickly, but I manage to polish off my cheeseburger as we enter the parking lot. I plow through the industrial size French fries, reveling in the greasy steamy potatoes goodness. Dr Atkins could have another heart attack watching me and I would just keep on eating. Fries are too good to give up for a ridiculous fad diet.