The Ghost of a '57 Chevy

Don found his voice. Looking right at her he replied, "I can't imagine a more lovely view."

She laughed and came over to him and flung her arms around his neck. They came together in a long kiss and when they separated slightly both were breathing a little fast. Breathlessly Jenny whispered, "I want you. Take me now."

"Here? Someone might see."

"So? I don't care. Do you?" She backed up to the corner of the balcony and placing her hands on the railing on either side, she leaned back, arching her back and spreading her legs slightly.

Don's mind stopped functioning in his normal, logical fashion. "No. No, I don't." With that he moved up to her and in seconds she had arched even further back as they coupled and began to strain hard against one another.

For ten minutes or more they fucked hard, not caring who might see or hear. Fortunately no one did and when they came, both hot, sweaty and breathing hard, they couldn't help but laugh at the sheer joy of what they had done. Slowly, hand in hand, they moved back inside and slid into the bed, cuddling closely, wide smiles on both of their faces.

Another day they were out hiking. After several hours, the trail had gone through deep forest but had emerged onto open slopes above a valley containing a small stream at the bottom. As they neared the bottom of the open area a line of dark clouds topped the high ridge to the southwest. Both noticed the fast moving weather and could even see that heavy rain was falling from the dark mass.

They looked from the clouds towards each other. They had no rain gear and could see they would never be able to make it to any kind of shelter - even the trees of the forest - before it reached them. "We're going to get soaked," Jenny cried.

It wasn't cold, quite warm in fact. It wasn't the idea of getting wet that was alarming but rather the prospect of having to walk back in soaked clothing. Suddenly Don looked at Jenny. "Take off your clothes."

For just a second she looked at him. Then he added, "It's probably going to be a quick shower. We can stuff the clothes in the plastic bag we had the lunch in and push that into the backpack. Can even stuff our shoes into that, too."

A smile broke out on her face and she eagerly began to unfasten her shirt. In seconds both were completely naked and Don was pushing their clothing into the plastic bag which had contained their lunch and stuffing it and their shoes into the pack. Less than half a minute after he finished the edge of the hard shower struck, pelting them hard and leaving them soaked within seconds.

Both seemed to find it funny and broke out laughing. Don grabbed both of Jenny's hands in his and the two of them began to swing around, leaning back, holding each other up with their hands, like children playing ring around the rosy. They tilted their heads back and caught raindrops in their mouths.

For several minutes while the rain continued to come down hard they danced around, laughing hard. Then they suddenly stopped and froze, looking at each other. With no spoken words they came tightly together, hugging closely, kissing. The hug and kiss turned into something else and in a very short time they were rolling together in the clover covered ground as the rain continued to fall.

They made love for what seemed a long time and when they finally let themselves pull apart, the rain had stopped and the sun had reemerged. For several minutes they lay on their backs, holding hands, and watched the few remaining clouds disperse as the hot August sun began to dry them. Fortunately, although Jenny's hair was a fine blonde and quite long, it dried straight instead of frizzing.

A little later, now dry once more, they once again dressed and, hand in hand, started the long walk back. But all the way along they would suddenly break into giggles and frequently have to stop and spend a little time in some serious kissing.

Although they acted like lovers, both knew they weren't really in love. However, this in no way reduced their enjoyment of the odyssey. Both were aware that this was a one time adventure but that in no way made it less exciting.

The next Monday night they stopped at another small motel. Both knew that this would be their last full day. However, neither felt really sad or unhappy at the thought. It had been a fabulous time and both had enjoyed it immensely.

They pulled into the same gas station where he had first met Jenny. While he filled the tank, she walked around, admiring the car. As he took the receipt from the pump, Don said, Look, I know we're going to split up here." She started to say something but before she could he added, "Let me buy you one more lunch first."

She hesitated only a few seconds and then agreed. "All right, but then I have to go."

They climbed back into the car and drove until he spotted a small restaurant around a corner where he parked the Chevy in the lot at the side. Inside he found there were only five tables and only one of these was occupied. Just a small town family-owned place. But when their food came, it was quite good.

The feeling during the meal was much the same as it had been for the last week - not at all a wake even though both were quite aware that they would both soon be going their separate ways. At last when they had finished Jenny said, "Don, we both knew this couldn't go on. You have your life and I have mine."

"Couldn't we stay long distance friends?" he asked with little hope.

She smiled at him. "We wouldn't really want that now would we? We'd eventually try to get back together and it wouldn't be the same. No, you stay Don and I'll just be Jenny Mae. But I can promise you I'll never forget this week. It's been fantastic - in every way."

Don broke in. "There is no way I could ever forget you. This has been a dream - much more wonderful than anything I could ever have expected." Then he shook his head. "But I expect you are right. It can never be the same again, so let's just keep it as it is."

"Right! Anything else would make it less than perfect. We'll go out and I'll leave and you won't try to follow me. Then I'll always just be your Jenny Mae."

Don paid and they stepped out into the hot August day. They turned to face each other and both reached to clasp the other's hands. "I'll never forget you, Jenny Mae," Don said. "And no one can ever match you. It's been incredible."

She smiled back at him. "And I won't ever forget you, Don. Or this wonderful week. I've had a fantastic time." Then she put her arms around his neck and pulled him into a hard kiss. The street was empty so no one paid them any attention as they stood there, locked in a tight embrace, for a long, long minute. Then they pulled slightly back, their eyes locked. Then Jenny raised one hand and lightly touched his lips with her finger tip. "Good bye, Don. I'll always remember." Then she turned and walked away. Don watched her until fifty feet later she turned the corner onto a side street. He took a deep breath - and then a second one - before turning in the opposite direction to return to the parking lot.

As he moved around the corner of the building he froze and his world suddenly exploded once again. The Chevy was gone! Only one car in the lot and it wasn't any he had seen. Even as he stood there staring, the other people from the restaurant came out and climbed into the car and drove away.

He couldn't believe what he was not seeing. Moving over to where he had parked the car, he suddenly saw the small soft sided case that contained all the things he had had with him. The cooler had been a foam one they had discarded that morning and everything else he had stuffed inside the case. Now it sat against the building wall, forlorn in the shallow shadow, right in front of where he had left the car. Looking more closely he saw that the dust on the dirt lot was undisturbed. No tire tracks. No footprints where he and Jenny had gotten out and walked around front. Just smooth, dry dust.

For long seconds he just stood and looked until finally he moved over and picked up the small case. Then he quickly made his way back inside. He found the older woman who had served them (and who probably owned the place) and said, "My car has disappeared. I had it parked outside in the lot and now it's not there."

She looked totally surprised. "I don't know what to tell you. I guess you should probably go report it. We don't have a police force in this town. Way too small for that. There is a state police post down the main street a little ways. They might be able to help."

He thanked her and left the restaurant, turning in the direction she had indicated. Five minutes ago the world could not have been more perfect. Now the car was gone, the girl was gone and he had no clue where either was. Could the girl have somehow been involved in the disappearance of the car? No, that was impossible. She had been with him every second and neither of them had known where they were going until they got there. Besides he couldn't imagine her being involved in anything like that. No way.

He almost began to think he had been hallucinating and that the entire last week had never happened. After all, it had seemed too wonderful to be true. Then he remembered there should be some proof in the form of the pictures he had taken and the papers on the car. He suddenly stopped and opened the side pocket of the case. Yes, the title transfer and other papers were still there. When he looked at his camera he saw that the photos were still stored there also.

He walked the short distance and found the state police post. When he went inside he found a desk manned by a uniformed officer. He went up and said, "I'd like to make a report. I think my car was just stolen."

The officer looked up. "You think your car was stolen?"

Embarrassed, Don replied, "Well, it was parked outside the restaurant down that way and when I came out it wasn't there."

"OK," the officer replied. "Description and license number."

"It was a candy apple red 1957 Chevy. It didn't have a license yet. I just bought it a week ago, but here is the title and transfer papers." He handed over the paperwork. "Oh," he added, "I can give you a picture of it."

He pulled out his camera and started to bring up a photo of the car but the officer stopped him. "Just wait a minute and let me run the registration." He typed something into the computer on his desk and frowned at the result. He typed something else and then a third time. Then he said, "Excuse me just a minute." He rose and entered an office door at the back of the room. In a minute or so he returned and said, "Could you step back here a minute. The lieutenant would like to ask you a couple of things."

He opened a gateway in the railing and led Don back to the office. Don went in and the officer behind the desk rose and said, "Hi. I'm Lieutenant Wiley. I understand you've lost a car."

"That's right. I just had it parked while we ate lunch and it was gone when I came back out."

The lieutenant had the paperwork in his hand. Then he said, "This is the paperwork for the car?" Don nodded. "You're absolutely sure?"

"Yes. Is something wrong with it?"

"It looks OK. It's just that there must be a mistake in the VIN number."

"No, I'm sure that's right. I checked it several times when I bought the car last week."

"Where did you buy it?

"It was at an old motel. The man running it had it for sale." He told the lieutenant the location. "What's wrong with the VIN? It is for a '57 Chevy, isn't it?"

The lieutenant sat back in his chair and looked at Don. "Yes, it is. And the car description matches what you've told us, right down to the color and engine. The problem, Mr. Carson, is that this particular car was destroyed in a wreck some thirty years ago."

Don sat back hard, a confused look on his face. "It can't have been! I've been driving it for a week and, like I said, I checked the VIN number several times. Here. I've got photos of it." He pulled out his camera and set it to show some of the pictures he had taken.

The lieutenant looked on as he scrolled through several photos, stopping at one which clearly showed the car with Jenny leaning back against the front fender. "Who's the girl?" he asked.

"She said her name was Jenny Mae. I just met her here in town last week just after I bought the car and we've been together since then. She couldn't have been involved. I didn't even know I was coming here until I showed up, so she couldn't have known anything about the car." He went on to explain that they had been together every second while he was here in town and she hadn't talked with anyone else.

For the next fifteen minutes Don told the story of how he had obtained the car and then later met the girl. Lieutenant Wiley mostly just listened, occasionally asking a few questions for clarification or to get some more skipped details. When he had finished the story the lieutenant said, "Well, we can put out a notice to watch for the car. It seems unlikely but I suppose there could be some kind of mix-up in the VIN number. Now, you said you have your other car out at that motel?"

"That's right. The man said I could leave it there as long as I wanted."

"OK. Suppose for now I drive you out there and you can pick it up." The lieutenant stopped at the front desk and gave some instructions to the officer and then he and Don went out to his car, an unmarked sedan. On the drive out neither said much but when they pulled into the motel lot, Don pointed out his car. The motel office was dark and closed and, in fact, the entire place looked completely abandoned.

Don unlocked his car and stowed the soft side case on the back seat. He started the vehicle to make sure everything was all right and then turned to the police officer. "Thanks for your help. I know the whole story must sound pretty strange and I have no idea about the VIN. You say that that car was totally destroyed?"

"Yep. Very bad crash, or so I've been told. I didn't see it myself. It was before my time." He stopped for a second. "You know, the officer who did work that case is retired but he lives only a few miles from here. A Joseph Sundae. You might want to stop by and see him. I expect he can tell you a lot more about what happened to the car. I'll give him a call."

"I would appreciate that, if you don't mind. I'm becoming more and more curious about this whole thing. Maybe it was possible to restore the car after the wreck, after all."

"I doubt that, but if anyone can tell you anything about it, it'll be Joe." He pulled out his cell and made a call. Don couldn't really hear what he was saying but when he hung up he turned to Don and said, "Joe says he'd be happy to talk with you. I'll show you how to get over there." He sketched a map on a piece of paper and handed it to Don. "We'll keep an eye out for your car but I wouldn't hold my breath. If it was stolen it's probably long gone from these parts by now."

Taking the map Don again thanked the officer for his help. "And thanks for calling Mr. Sundae. I'll head over that way."

The lieutenant smiled and said, "Sergeant Sundae. He'll appreciate it if you call him that. You're welcome and good luck."

The officer drove off and Don got back into his car. The whole thing was becoming stranger and stranger. Shaking his head, he started off, following the sketch map.

Twenty minutes - and two wrong turns - later, Don pulled into the driveway of a small frame house. It was by itself, set off to the side of a small road above a valley. No other buildings were visible anywhere. Don stopped the car and got out. Before he could get to the front door to knock, a man appeared from around the side. "Hi. You Mr. Carson?"

"That's right. I'm Don Carson. I guess you must be Sergeant Sundae. Lieutenant Wiley said he was calling you."

That's right, but it's just Joe. I had enough of 'Sergeant Joe Sundae' when I was in the patrol. Everyone saying I was Sergeant Joe Friday - like on Dragnet - just two days behind."

They both laughed and Don said, "I guess that might get old. But did you ever think that you just might have been five days ahead instead? I'm Don, by the way."

This brought a smile from the man who looked to be into his seventies. Well, Don, Jim said you were interested in the old Cooper Case - the '57 Chevy wreck that killed that girl."

"I don't know about that, but I bought a '57 Bel Air that seems to have the same VIN number."

Joe looked totally surprised. "Impossible! Look, why don't you come around back and have something cool to drink and I'll tell you what I know about that car."

"Thank you. I'll show you the papers on the one I bought along with some photos. Afraid I can't show you the car itself - it appears to have been stolen a little while ago."

They moved along the side of the house to a table in the back yard beneath some tall oak trees. "Ice tea?" Joe asked.

"Thanks, I'd love some." They sat down and Joe poured them each a glass from a thermos jug sitting on the table.

When they were settled Don said, "I understand you were the officer who investigated the crash."

"That's right, but I was actually involved a little more than that. I knew the boy who was driving and was good friends with the parents of the girl who was killed. A pretty tragic story all the way around,"

"I'd like to hear anything you know," Don replied. "I've got time if you do."

Joe looked around. "Time is what I have. Nice to have someone to talk with. Well, let's see. It happened in July of 1985. The boy was Tommy Cooper and the girl was Jenny Bentley. Both of them were eighteen at the time. Tommy had bought the old Chevy two years before. It was in pretty bad shape but he put a lot of work into it and had it restored just like new. He and Jenny had been going together for most of those two years. His family owned an old motel several miles over that way." He waved in the direction from which Don had come. "The girl's father worked in the mine - that was before they closed everything down. Jenny was really quite smart and would probably have been the first in her family to go to college. Graduated near the top of her class. They were both good kids, but Tommy's family didn't think the girl was good enough for him. From the wrong side of the tracks, kind of thing. Actually there was nothing wrong with her family. I told you I knew them quite well. But Tommy's dad thought they were below him. I guess because he owned that motel he somehow thought that made him better. Anyway, both Tommy's dad and mom were against the relationship."

"When the two graduated from high school they wanted to get married. Jenny's family was for letting them, but Tommy's was absolutely against it. Well, the - I guess you'd call it a feud - the feud went on for a couple of months. As I was able to piece the story together later, the two kids decided to run away across the state line and just get married before anyone could stop them."

"That night they set out in the old Bel Air and headed up into the mountains towards the state line. But there was a bad thunderstorm that hit and on one of the hills a drunk came at them from the other direction. He forced them over to the edge - actually bumped the car - and the Chevy hit a slick spot where some oil had mixed with the rain. The result was that it rolled off the edge and down a thirty foot embankment and smashed into some big rocks."

Tommy was thrown clear of the car but was busted up pretty badly. He spent several months in the hospital before he could walk again. Jenny was killed outright." He stopped for a few seconds, a sad look coming over his face. "Since I was a friend, I had to tell her parents."

The car was a total wreck. Even the frame was smashed pretty badly. No way it could ever be straightened out. When Tommy finally got out of the hospital he was changed. Not interested in the car at all. In fact not interested in much of anything. He hung around for another year or so, mostly just existing. I don't think he really cared if he lived or died. He eventually joined the military and, if the stories I heard were right, volunteered for a lot of dangerous stuff. Whatever it was, he was killed after a year or so in the service."