My Chevy Van

I took off, getting back onto I-40/US66 West, heading for Gallup, NM, where I figured we'd stop for lunch. As I drove, we talked, discussing our plans for the future. Glory told me she wanted to eventually work her way through the west coast states before visiting the Northern states. I told Glory how I was looking to make a career in software development once I started my job at Northrop in Northridge. We passed through Grants, Milan, Blue Water, and Continental Divide, enjoying each other's company, conversation, and the rapidly warming day.

As we talked, I kept glancing over at Glory, thinking how beautiful she was. I also loved her carefree personality. Despite the things that have happened to her, she was such a cheerful person. I envied her free spirit, not bound by a nine-to-five mentality. I wondered how it might be to have a relationship with her as I drove. I already knew the sex was fantastic, and we were willing to try different things. It wouldn't take much for me to fall hard for her if I hadn't already done so.

Eventually, our conversation wound down, and I used the silence to think about how I could fit Glory into my life. I had to admit I was rushing things, but I couldn't help myself. Glory was such a fascinating character, and I figured it would take years, if it were even possible, to figure her out completely. I would gladly spend those years with her to do so. I kept glancing toward Glory, and I could see a pensive look on her face as she looked out at the passing scenery. I imagined/hoped she was having the same thoughts about me I was having about her.

Finally, we reached Gallup, and I took the exit to get on historic Route 66, which would take us through downtown Gallup. Since neither of us had ever been to Gallup before, it was pretty exciting going through downtown and seeing the rustic buildings, some appearing made of adobe. We came to the El Rancho Hotel and Restaurant and decided it would be an excellent place for lunch. I pulled into the parking lot, noting the wagon wheels and other paraphernalia of the old west displayed outside the hotel.

We went in, and as we wandered through the lobby to the restaurant entrance, we both saw the Help Wanted sign tacked onto the front of the hostess desk. At that moment, I realized this might be the end of the line with Glory traveling with me. When she got in my van last night, I had said I was heading to California, but I realized Glory never said where she was going. Glory probably didn't know where she would stop until she found an appropriate place, but the thought she might decide it was now hurt my heart. I guess I had just assumed she would want to go to California with me, but, on reflection, that was probably unrealistic.

The hostess flashed us a smile and led us to our table, rattling off their daily specials as we went. We sat down and picked up the menus to see what they had to eat and drink. I watched Glory and saw her looking around as though apprizing the viability of staying here and working. As she did, I thought about having to leave here without her. I realized I had no hold on her, and all I would do was hurt her if I tried to hold onto her. I was so enthralled with her because of her free spirit; it would be a tragedy for me to crush it. I resolved that when she was ready to stay anywhere, I wouldn't make it any harder than I was sure it would already be for her to stay.

I sighed, getting Glory's attention, and she tilted her head like she was saying, "What?" I smiled and said, "So many good selections to choose from, hunh?"

Glory smiled wickedly at me and asked, "See anything you like?"

I locked eyes with her and said, "God, yes ... and I'm looking right at her."

Glory blushed, and the blush went down her throat and onto the tops of her breasts. My heart clenched from the knowledge I had that effect on her. At this point, I figured she was working through her feelings for me. I quickly changed the subject by asking, "The Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Platter sounds delicious, doesn't it?"

Apparently glad for the distraction, Glory replied, "Yes, it does, but it's kind of big. Would you like to share one?"

"Yes, I would," I said, agreeing with her assessment.

We put our menus down. As if that was a signal to our waitress, she bounced up to us and, almost breathlessly, said, "Hi, I'm Peggy. Are you two ready to order?"

Glory answered her by saying, "Yes, Peggy. We're ready to order."

Peggy asked, "What would you like to drink?"

"I'll have unsweetened iced tea," said Glory.

Peggy looked at me, and I smiled and said, "I'll have the same, Peggy."

Peggy beamed at us, seemingly glad we used her name. I'm sure Peggy had her share of customers who treated her like part of the furniture, not acknowledging she was human, too. I knew we'd get excellent service from her since we treated her as a person.

"What would you like to eat?" Peggy asked distractedly, looking at Glory. Apparently, she had just noticed Glory's somewhat exotic hairstyle.

Glory smiled at Peggy and said, "We're going to share the Biscuits and Sausage Gravy Platter, Peggy."

Peggy gathered herself, smiled, and said, "Good choice. That's really too much for one person to eat. I'll get your order put in and be right back with your drinks."

With that, Peggy bounced off, and Glory and I shared a smile at Peggy's enthusiasm. We just sat in silence, looking around and taking in the décor. Peggy was back shortly with our drinks, and we thanked her. We silently toasted each other before sipping our drinks.

I idly remarked, "So, I saw the 'Help Wanted' sign out front."

Glory smiled and said, "Yes, I saw it, too. It's tempting, but I want to go a little further with you if you don't mind?"

I smiled back and said, "Oh, I don't mind at all."

"Good," Glory returned. "I'd hate to be stuck here without a ride."

"Oh?" I queried. "What's wrong with this town?"

"Looks too much like a tourist destination," Glory said earnestly. "There are too many opportunities for players to make my life miserable." A sad look came over her place as she continued, "I know it sounds contradictory, but I prefer a more stable environment to drift around in."

There was silence as I pondered what Glory had just said. It made sense to me that while she was a wanderer, she would want to do so in a stable environment because that was what Glory ultimately desired. Still, she wasn't ready to settle down in one just yet. It made sense that interesting can get old after a while, especially when your lifestyle is transitory.

Peggy returned with our order, and, at first, I thought she was carrying a serving tray with several dishes on it. When she sat it down, I realized it was the platter with our biscuits and sausage gravy. "Oh, wow," I exclaimed to Peggy, "That's a huge platter!"

"That's what everyone says when they first see it," Peggy said with a smile. "Hardly anyone ever finishes it, either."

Glory said, "I doubt the two of us will finish it, either."

Peggy left, and Glory and I dug in, exclaiming how good it was. As hungry as we were, we couldn't come close to finishing it. Defeated, when we couldn't eat another bite, we sat back, feeling stuffed. I felt terrible we were wasting so much food.

Peggy returned and offered to box it up for takeout, but I declined, saying we were passing through and had no way to carry leftovers. I paid for lunch, and we took off, both of us wanting to stop at one of the trading posts along US66 to shop and walk off our lunch. We found Richardson's Trading Post about a mile away, its storefront taking up nearly a block. I parked, and we went inside to look around.

They had almost everything you could imagine a tourist stop would have, focusing on Native American crafts and trinkets. Glory and I oohed and ahhed over everything as we spent about an hour going through the store. I especially liked looking at the workmanship of the turquoise jewelry. We both ended up buying postcards. I've been buying postcards during my trip to send to my brother Jim to let him know I was still alive and making progress toward California. I didn't know to who Glory would be sending her postcards. I just figured she wanted a cheap, easily stored memento of her journey around the country. We paid for our purchases and left, ready to continue our trip.

I got back on I-40/US66, and we headed west, planning to make Flagstaff for dinner. Our conversation was somewhat subdued since I was sure we would part ways in Flagstaff. We soon came to the New Mexico/Arizona border. We saw the signs indicating we were traveling through the Navajo Nation.

As we made our way west through the sere Arizona landscape, we passed the Petrified Forest National Park, went through Winslow, and saw the signs for Meteor Crater. I would have loved to visit if we had more time, but it was getting toward dinner time. We went on, and as the sun was getting low in the evening sky, we saw the signs for Flagstaff coming up on us.

We got off the highway onto Historic Route 66 to find a place to eat and for me to get gas. We came across Miz Zip's, a restaurant with a Texaco station beside it. I pointed that out to Glory, and she nodded, so I pulled off, deciding to gas up before going in to eat.

As the attendant pumped the gas, I looked around and saw the L&L Motel down the road. The Vacancy light on the sign indicated they had rooms available. I noticed Glory was looking around, and I could no longer ignore the idea we'd soon be parting ways. I was happy for Glory but a little sad for myself since I had enjoyed this day more than any other day during my trip.

Once I paid the attendant, we pulled over to the restaurant and got out. When I saw the Help Wanted sign posted on the door when we entered, I knew this would be it. I noticed Glory intently looking around as we entered and walked up to the Hostess desk.

As the hostess led us to our table, Glory struck up a conversation with her, asking questions about the area and events that were going on. I stayed silent and smiled, not wanting to ruin this moment. I remembered my vow not to try to dissuade Glory from parting, so I gave her an encouraging nod to continue when she looked my way.

When we were seated, Glory got a serious look on her face. I knew what was coming, so I didn't negatively react when she said, "This looks like a nice place to stay for a while."

I smiled, reached across the table to take her hand, and said, "Yes, it does. It seems to be growing into quite the metropolis."

Glory smiled, relieved I wasn't going to protest her decision. She said, "Thanks, Sam."

Our waitress came up to us, and we ordered our drinks. While she went off to get them, we perused the menu. I ordered the bison burger made from ground buffalo meat and crinkle-cut fries. Glory ordered a beef brisket sandwich and waffle fries.

While waiting for our food, we talked about current events, both of us trying to ignore for the moment that when we finished eating, we would be parting. Like me, I discovered that Glory had voted for Richard Nixon in 1972. We both thought President Carter, while earnest, was not doing a great job as President. We talked about Senator Ted Kennedy primarying an incumbent President, indicating that even the Democrats weren't happy with Carter. We both agreed that the treaty being worked on in the Senate to give away the Panama Canal could bite us in the ass one day. We'd be in real trouble if the Soviet Union managed to get control of it.

When our waitress returned with our food, Glory struck up a conversation with her, asking about places to live in the area. After an animated discussion, interrupted by our waitress having to take care of her other customers, Glory seemed satisfied she'd found a place to stay for a while. I smiled through this, not wanting to make it hard for Glory. After all, this was her life, and I felt honored Glory had allowed me to participate in it, even if it was only for a day.

Finally, we finished eating. I covered the bill despite Glory's protestations, saying I had really enjoyed traveling with her and wanted to show her my appreciation for the companionship. We sat there in silence for a bit, lost in our thoughts, not wanting it to end. Finally, I decided to make it easy for Glory and stood up and said, "I need to go tinkle before I hit the road."

I headed toward the restroom, wondering if I'd see Glory again before leaving. On the one hand, I hoped she would wait for me, but on the other hand, if she didn't, it would make it easier for me to leave. I entered the bathroom, and before I got two steps toward the lone stall, I heard someone come in behind me.

I turned, and it was Glory, who had her back to me, locking the door. She spun around, and without anything needing to be said, we clinched, and our lips crashed together. We both started moaning as our mouths opened, and we pressed into the kiss, our bodies tight against each other.

I knew we wouldn't have much time as we both started grinding our pussies against the other's thighs. I backed Glory up until her back was against the wall. Our hands went to each other's ass, pressing our pelvises together to increase the friction. Our breasts crushed together as we both writhed, arching our backs and humping each other madly like each of us had an itch you couldn't scratch.

We were both gasping as I quickly reached the edge, grinding my pussy against Glory as though I was a safety match and she was the matchbox. Like a match successfully struck, I exploded into my orgasm, my legs nearly giving away as I broke our kiss. Glory was right with me, and we shuddered through our orgasms together, keening as quietly as we could, our arms wrapped around each other to hold each other up.

We were both breathing hard, gasping, "Oh, God," over and over. The realization we had just said goodbye hit me, and as I slowly got my breathing under control, I held Glory tight, not wanting to let go. Finally, we had to break before someone broke down the door to get in and see if we were okay.

We separated and took turns using the toilet. I repaired myself before I unlocked the door and slipped out of the bathroom. Luckily, no one was waiting to use the bathroom, and no one looked at me askance for what had just transpired in the bathroom. I slowly made my way to the entrance, waiting to see if Glory would follow me. My eyes burned with unshed tears thinking about leaving Glory behind. But it was her life, and I had to respect it. I vowed again to let her go. I had done it with Virginia and survived, and I can do it again with Glory. But, God, it hurt like Hell.

Glory soon came out of the bathroom, looking none the worse for wear. I waited at the door while she asked the hostess for a job application, promising to be back in the morning with it all filled out. When she walked up to me, I could see she was steeling herself to say what we already both knew, that she was staying. I smiled, trying to make it easier for her.

We exited the restaurant and stood in the parking lot as Glory said she could get a room at the L&L Motel just down the road. I knew she was concerned that without any reassurance that she'd be okay, I wouldn't leave, so Glory told me not to worry, that she was used to this because it was her life.

Even though I had already decided I'd let her go when the time came, I made one last offer, my heart in my throat, "You know, you could come with me to California."

Glory looked at me, and I could see the sheen of unshed tears in her eyes as she pondered the question I was actually asking. Finally, she said, "Sam, what we had here was great, and although your offer is more tempting than you could possibly imagine, I'm not ready for that yet."

A long silence ensued as we both pondered our futures. Finally, I heaved a sigh, smiled, and said, "If you ever make your way to Northridge, look me up?"

Glory smiled back at me and, telling me the lie I needed to hear, said, "I may just do that."

With that, I stepped up and hugged her hard, wanting to memorize the feel of her body against mine. Glory returned my hug, but we broke it before the hug got too awkward or drew unwanted attention. Without any more words, I turned to get into my van.

As I buckled up, I watched Glory walking away into the twilight, her backpack slung over one shoulder, her ass swaying and bouncing. My heart felt heavy as I put the van in gear and took off, heading to my new life in California ...

***

When I awoke, the van was already getting hot from the sun beating down on it. I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and crawled out into the front seat. Looking around, I could hardly tell it had rained cats and dogs last night. Except for a few puddles rapidly drying up, the dry desert soil had soaked all of the rain up like a sponge. I started the van and pulled up to the station to go inside and use the facilities before taking off for Barstow.

After taking care of my morning toilet, I topped off the gas tank and asked the attendant about a place to get breakfast. He directed me to a small cafe on Business I-40, just a half-mile away. When I got in the van and started it up, I noticed a postcard tucked into the pocket of the engine hump. I pulled it out and determined it was one of the postcards Glory had bought in Gallup at the trading post. I turned it over and saw Glory had written:

Dear Sam, I enjoyed meeting you. I will never forget you or what we had together. Take care, Glory.

I teared up and held the postcard against my chest as I thought about Glory. I vowed to save it and never forget about Glory. After a beat, I heaved a sigh, dashed the tears out of my eyes, and tucked the postcard back into the pocket.

As I pulled out of the fueling plaza, I looked around to see if anyone needed a ride. "Yeah, right, Sam," I chided myself as I headed down the road to the cafe, the bright sun beating mercilessly down, "There are women everywhere wanting to get in your van."

As I headed for the restaurant, I chuckled at myself and vowed to find someone to spend the rest of my life with who would hold me and love me as I would hold her and love her once I settled into my new job. Until then, I'll have the memories of my time with Glory to keep me going ...

Afterword:

I was listening to the "'70s on 7" channel on Sirius XM when I heard the song 'Chevy Van' by Sammy Johns. I was looking for a way to tell the story of what happened to Sam after graduating college and ending her relationship with Virginia (depicted in "No More Perfect Kisses"). That song sparked the idea for this story.

I have put a link to the YouTube video of this song on my bio page.