Modern Day Cavegirls - Bobbi's Tale

Bobby would probably give you an argument about it being a vacation capital or anything, but that's where you'll be staying for the next little while as you unwind. That's where I go to unwind. You'll get to stay and live in a place with awesome scenery all around. Just not a lot of tourists.

We couldn't do this there if it was winter. The place is a little famous as a ski destination."

"I hoped that you would be there," Malikah said," but I know that even if mine slows down your life does not, I guess."

He laughed, "No, it doesn't, I'm afraid, but I do know that you'll be in good hands. Bobby is my cousin."

As Malikah considered it, the quiet young man held out a bottle of water, "I think that you would be thirsty after your performance."

Malikah would have declined but the earnestness that she saw as his sunglasses slipped down his nose a little changed her mind and she accepted the water with a gracious nod and her quiet thanks.

Faisal gives you some help now?" she asked Damian, who smiled and nodded, "This is Miyaz. I'm teaching him the ropes."

"Miyaz," Mlikah repeated, looking at him a little more carefully as she picked up on a few of his features, "Where are you from? By the sound and from what I see, it is not Chicago."

"I am Saudi by my birth," he said with a warm smile, "Now I learn to be like Damian."

==================

Torrance Municipal Airport, CA

As they walked into the main hall, Damian took Malikah to a lounge. Somewhat surprisingly for almost eleven at night on a Friday, there was only one person there as they walked in.

Seated on a long couch next to an end table with a bunch of magazines on it was a person in a tan-colored summer-weight flight suit which was devoid of much in the way of markings of any kind other than a large logo across the back which read 'Quicksilver's Air Services'.

A blue baseball cap was pulled down low on a head of short light brown hair which looked to have a slight reddish tone to it.

They approached from the back and Damian chuckled as he looked over the person's shoulder at the magazine.

"Still too cheap to actually BUY a copy of People magazine, huh Bobby?"

The head snapped around and Malikah was amazed as the person stood up and after climbing right over the couch, threw her arms around Damian to hug him tightly enough to almost cause him to wheeze.

'Bobby' was a slightly tall and confident-looking woman with a peaches and cream complexion. Just her complexion caused Malikah to have to tell herself not to stare.

She hadn't seen the feature before; not like this and not from this close up.

The woman had a brilliant smile and bright aquamarine eyes. "Well if I'd known just how long you were gonna keep me here waiting, I'd have added the newsstand price of a copy to my fee.

You're late, Damian."

He looked at his watch and shrugged, "Three minutes."

"Hey, three minutes and I've already gotten through the gossip page," the woman laughed and then the grin disappeared as she looked at Malikah.

From Bobbi's point of view, the woman had an ethereal sort of beauty and it was obvious that there was little if any makeup to it at all. She was just ... Bobbi didn't know and couldn't have said right then, but she did have to make something of a conscious effort at remembering to breathe.

There was leanness to her and still she filled out her T-shirt some, but it wasn't so much that to Bobbi. The woman had dark skin almost making it all the way to black in this light and yet, ... her lips looked to actually have gotten there, depending on the angle and there was no sign of lipstick.

Her dark eyes were absolutely haunting in the way that they held Bobbi's in a lock once she'd looked at them. The moment lingered and Bobbi had to force herself away from it, beginning to feel quite foolish to have been staring the way that she must have been.

She stuck out her hand and chuckled, "Damian didn't tell me that I'd be flying a freaking model or anything. I'm Bobbi Sorrensson, unfortunately related to Damian, but I try not to hold it against him."

Malikah was still stuck.

She'd never seen lips that light or eyes which almost sparkled and glowed the way that the ones before her did. It was another second and a half before she could even begin to respond.

"I am Malikah," she smiled with a laugh at herself, "and I will tell you my last name, as soon as I can remember it, I think."

They both had to laugh, finding themselves in a bit of a moment. They even knew what it was, too. Neither of them had ever seen anyone like the one that they were meeting.

Malikah hadn't set out to do it, but the people who surrounded her were most often of Middle Eastern or North African extraction, if they weren't actually from those places. It had just worked out that way musically, other than two members of her touring band. She'd seen and met many, many white people before, but ...

Bobbi's problem - not that she considered it much of one since that was where her business and the money was - was that she was stuck in New Mexico most of the time. She'd never really had the conscious thought of it, but most of the folks that she dealt with were either white or of North American Indian or Mexican extraction. For the most part, the vast majority of the blacks that she ran into tended to be out here whenever she came.

She'd have managed it, but to think of a black person out where she lived would have required an effort. Mixed backgrounds aside, just over one percent of the people in Angel Fire were of North American Indian blood. Spanish or Latino backgrounds accounted for about twelve percent.

Blacks came in at just under two tenths of one percent.

That worked out to about two people in the whole damn place.

She'd never noticed that before and she thought about it, wondering why that was - and she came to the decision that, tourists aside, black people just had way too much sense to want to live in a little town way the fuck out near a bunch of mountains in the middle of nowhere. Hell, she thought, she did as well, but it was home and it was where she made her living.

Bobbi could honestly tell herself that she didn't hold anything against anyone in terms of their ethnicity. But right here, at this moment, she had a thought that her life and the nature of how she lived it could give her surprising moments such as this one, where she met somebody who was astoundingly beautiful and it hit her like a truck.

She wondered for a brief instant if she'd be having this sort of reaction if her business was based in a more populous area and she supposed not - or maybe it wouldn't be this evident.

But she did have one thought which was humorous to her as she glanced at Malikah again. It didn't matter. If she found herself living in Nigeria and she met this woman, she'd probably still be blown away.

The thought left her with a bit of a realization. When she was a kid, Bobbi had learned that she could like people and that her likes and dislikes had more to do with the person than the paint job, so to speak.

In the meantime, her travels before coming back home had brought her into contact with every 'flavor' of Americans, a few Canadians, some Brits, and a whole whack of Iraqis. Unless they were openly hostile in a war zone, Bobbi was pleased that she could still like people for their own sake. So it was a warm thought.

"If I know Damian," Bobbi said, looking over at him, "he hasn't told either one of us nearly enough to know what's going on."

"Well," Damian smiled, "Malikah is a performer, like I said, and she's just worn out these days. Her tour just finished like an hour ago and she called me to help her out of the rut. I figured that what she needed most was to just disappear. That's why I called you, Bobbi. I figured that you could just keep her out of sight and provide a little company as she unwinds a bit - "

"I guess that it depends on what you want me to do as far as unwinding goes," Bobbi said, looking at them both. "I live a pretty busy life myself and I don't have much time for making drinks, if that's what you had in mind. I'm busy flying my ass off all over the Southwest most days."

"I do not need drinks of any kind," Malikah said, "I just want some peace in a place where no one comes to ask me or tell me what they need or what I must do."

"Fair enough," Bobbi said, "But I think I'm also supposed to sort of keep an eye on you to make sure that you're uh, ... unwinding, I guess. I wouldn't mind a bit of company if you think that you wouldn't mind sitting in an aircraft with me for ten flights a day, and I sure could use a little help at it too now and then, ... unloading and loading, mostly, but not much of anything heavy. Most places have people to do that for us."

"It would be different for you," Damian said to Malikah, "You told me that you wanted time to get to know who you are again and in a plane in the air is a good place, I'd guess; good scenery and time to think."

Mailikah shrugged with a smile which put Bobbi instantly at ease, "Why not?"

"Oh thank God," Bobbi exhaled, "I thought for a minute there that I'd have to leave you with my kid sister. Not exactly the kind of thing that I'd think of in terms of relaxation. I love the girl to death, but I know that she'd probably annoy you with questions and not know that she was doing it."

She thought about it for a second, "And that's if I can even find her. She's out spraying crops most of the time."

"Spraying crops?" Malikah asked.

Bobbi nodded, "You don't want to know much more than that. I mean, you could probably spend some of your time with Janey - but I don't imagine that you'd like flying a hundred miles an hour ten feet off the ground and then pulling straight up to turn and go back the other way - all day.

Anyway," Bobbi smiled, "before I forget again, We've gotta get going. We have to fly some meds out to the Jacarilla Apache Nation tonight, so we've got a bit of a way to go before the work day's done yet and it was on my way anyway.

Come on, uh, Malikah. We can get acquainted in the air on the way. I'll take one of your suitcases if you like."

As Malikah bent to move one of them over to Bobbi, the braids of her long hair slid over her shoulder and hung far down with the motion. Bobbi caught it and grinned, "Whoa, I love that um, ... warrior princess look that you've got going on."

As Malikah straightened, Bobbi kept grinning, "Really nice, Malikah. I wish I could do something like that, but the way that I live, I'm lucky if I get time to run hot water over a brush so that I can tame my bed-head most days."

She pointed to her ball cap, "This actually serves a purpose."

She looked over at Miyaz then and turned to her cousin, "And who IS this hot cutie, Damian? He doesn't say too much, but man, he really doesn't need to, does he?"

He held out his hand and Bobbi shook it, "I am Miyaz," Bobbi watched as his shy smile turned a little wider in hopeful friendliness, "Damian's associate."

Bobbi decided that she liked Miyaz right off the bat and she grinned, "Well, you just make sure that Damian brings you along the next time that he comes home for a visit.

I don't mean to be rude guys, but the meter's running on the meds in my plane. Gotta go."

She put the suitcase down and hugged Damian again, letting go just before he passed out. "I told you about Janey, right?" she whispered and Damian nodded once, "Good. She needs you. I just can't get there enough. Give her my love too."

As Bobbi picked up the suitcase again, she smiled, "Only you would say that. Gawd, I love you Damian."

They said goodbye to Damian and Miyaz as they walked out through the doors with Bobbi keeping an eye out for vehicular traffic as they made their way to the flight line. "So Damian said that you're a rock star or something like that?"

Malikah shook her head, "I just began to make music in the way that I learned when I was a girl. I grew up in a very small place in Algeria. When I got here, I learned to do it right and also to record it. I have two albums out and the third is almost ready to offer to a record company, since I may change who I am with soon.

After the first tour, I learned to add more western instruments to my music and from that, I have become FAR more popular. It happened so quickly. In fact, I could even say that I am a little too popular, since I never have any time for me anymore. I must always go here and be there and I am finding that if nothing changes for me, then soon I will want to go back to Algeria, where it was the other way around and nobody spoke to me very much."

She looked over, "I hope that I do not sound like a spoiled celebrity.

If I am one at all, it is also something which I have never sought. Damian told me that you live in Angel Fire. I have never heard of it, so it is my hope that it has never heard of me. I can see that you have not and I think I like that, Bobbi."

Bobbi grinned," That doesn't mean all that much, Malikah. I'm too busy to have any time to listen to much of any music.

Besides, I'm uncultured. If I DO listen to any, it's usually just country music.

I'm glad to find out where you're from, though. That accent was driving me nuts trying to figure it out. I've been to the Middle East, but I've never heard anything like that. Now that I know, I can just enjoy it."

The remark surprised Malikah, "You - you enjoy my accent? I have been trying to get rid of it."

Bobbi shook her head, "Don't you dare. It's part of who you are. I find that you're quite likeable - amazingly so. Well, to me, anyhow. I have a feeling that some of that comes through in your music and how you perform it, maybe. I don't know that, obviously, since I've never seen you before or heard your music, but that's what I sort of sense about you.

And I really like to listen to you talk."

She saw the way that Malikah was looking at her and it made her laugh. "Well it beats listening to cowboys all to hell."

She looked off in the other direction, "Here we are. Your limousine awaits."

Malikah stared for a second and then she laughed, "This is more like the sort of airplane which I used to see at home. Not this exact thing, I am sure, but very similar."

It was Bobbi's turn to stare for a moment, "Really? I don't know anything about Algeria, other than I think there's the Sahara Desert out there somewhere, isn't there?"

Malikah nodded, "That is why I saw airplanes like this one. I didn't like the ride in the monster that I rode in when Damian brought me here. I think that my eyes stayed wide with fear the whole way. I have still not gotten used to flying that way, and I fly everywhere while on tour.

At least most times it is on smaller jets, but I think that I like to see propellers spinning. I can understand them and it makes me feel better about flying. The other kind ... just noise and I am riding in a whale."

Bobbi put down the suitcase she was carrying as she opened the door, "Well things happen a LOT slower on this one and unless it`s night time - like now - you can see way more scenery. Hand me your other suitcase and we can get going. I've already filed a flight plan, but I want to check on the weather in case I need to amend it or anything.

Here, you can climb up and get in."

After lifting the suitcases up and then sliding them forward a little, Bobbi climbed up after them and closed the cargo door. She pushed them to a spot where she had tie-downs and secured them. When she looked, Malikah was standing looking around at everything.

"I should just find a place to sit?" she asked, pointing to the handful of seats.

"You can, if you'd like," Bobbi nodded, "but if you don't mind, you can come sit up front with me as long as you don't touch anything up there. Where we're going there are mountains and our flight plan will take us over ten thousand feet to get over them.

You never think of these things in a larger, pressurised plane since the system is automatic over seven thousand feet, but this one's not pressurised, so we'll be breathing oxygen from little hoses around our necks. If you sit up front, it'll be easier for me, and I know that I'd prefer that since it's easy to talk to you and I'd really like to, other than when I'm on the radios, or taking off.

Or landing," she grinned, "But I find that most people don't have much to say then anyway."

"Little hoses?" Malikah asked.

Bobbi nodded, "It's not an issue at ten thousand and below, but much over that, your vision can be affected a little, and we're flying at night. If you fly much higher, say eighteen thousand and even lower than that for a lot of people, hypoxia becomes an issue and without either pressurization or oxygen up where airliners fly, you can die. We're not going really high anyway, so it's just a safety thing.

Do you remember the little emergency demonstration that the stewardesses did on your flight to the states? Remember the hoses in the ceiling?"

She smiled, "We won't be using anything even that complicated. It's just a little hose that ends up under your nose. This isn't NASA or anything."

"Then I will sit there with you," Malikah laughed a little, "I have never ridden in the front of an airplane before."

"Ok," Bobbi nodded, "and thank you.

I don't know anything about your music or this fame that you don't seem to like all that much - though I think that I can sure understand it. I know that I'd never have the guts to get up and sing for people, even if I could - and I can't.

At least not until after about six beers, or um, ... well four, anyway."

She stepped over to a flight locker and opened it. "I think that we're about the same size or not far off. I might have an inch or so on you for height, but I think that's about it. I've got a clean flight suit here if you think that you want to relax. For just slouching around, there's not much that beats a flight suit - well, that's any form of clothing. Let me know if you're interested and I'll turn off the rear compartment lights while you get changed."

Malikah looked over, "Changed?"

Bobbi nodded, "That's the secret unless it's cold. I'm only wearing underwear under this. You don't have to or anything, but what I do for a living makes me something like a truck driver, and sometimes the things we move are a little dusty."

Malikah smiled and said "Maybe later," which Bobbi took as her being polite in declining, but she didn't mind at all.

"Ok," she said, "Please come forward and sit here," she said, indicating the right seat. "I'm gonna be a little busy with the radios and stuff for the next little while."

Malikah nodded and sat down, looking at all of the switches and dials while wondering how anyone could know what it all was for and harder still, she supposed, know where something was located when it was needed.

Bobbi turned a few things on and then she listened to the weather information for a minute. But that was for the greater Los Angeles area and there was something in there about a moving front, so she called for the weather where they were going to be flying to see if there had been any updates.

Based on what she heard, Bobbi elected to re-file her flight plan as IFR - by the instruments and under the gaze of air traffic controllers. She called that in and decided to use the time to get the oxygen sorted out for her guest.

Malikah watched as Bobbi made a few notes on a pad of paper and then switched the frequency of one radio. She opened a small compartment door and drew out a thin hose which reminded Malikah of the sort of thing that she'd seen used for aquariums. Bobbi produced a little plastic bag and tore it open. Taking the contents out, she fitted a piece of something to the hose and draped it over Malikah's shoulder.