by Mark Bentsen
“But some painkillers would be nice,” she added.
“I’ll second the motion for painkillers,” Luke rolled over and slowly sat up on the side of the bed. “I only had three glasses of wine and I feel like hammered shit.”
“I think you had more than three glasses. And you had a few beers before the wine and several more with that pizza. You always have a hangover when you mix beer and wine. It’s your own fault.”
“No it’s not. It’s Robert’s.” He slowly stood up and staggered toward the bathroom.
“Who’s Robert?”
“Robert Mondavi. He’s the one that made that wine,” he said as he stepped into the bathroom and closed the door.
He cranked up the hot water and within a minute steam filled the room. The hot water felt good pounding on his shoulders. Years ago someone told him that sweating would cure a hangover, so he always tried it. But, it never worked. Ten minutes later he walked out of the bathroom and saw Bonnie trying to button her shorts with one hand. Luke stepped over and buttoned them for her.
About that time, her cell phone rang. She answered, talked a minute, then folded it shut.
“Who was that?”
“Rita. She was just checking on me. She also told me how to get to the clinic.”
“Can she get you in?”
“It shouldn’t be a problem, but I’ll just have to wait a while. When I told her I was starving, she said to try dry toast and juice.”
“Okay, let’s get something down at the café and then head out?”
Luke opened the suitcase and rummaged around for something to wear. “I guess we won’t be taking that hike we planned for today.”
“Yes, we will,” Bonnie said firmly. “There’s an easy hike up by Many Glacier. I’m not going to let this stop me from having a good time.”
“That’s my girl,” he said, pulling out a white polo shirt and a pair of brown shorts.
***
They left the mountainous terrain driving north out of St. Mary toward the rolling grasslands of southern Alberta. Half an hour later, they came to a lone brick building at the Canadian border—the Chief Mountain Border Crossing. The two story building had a flat roof with big square windows on the bottom floor and tall windows all around the second floor. As they got closer, the road widened into three lanes, two of the lanes led to detached booths with glass windows on all sides.
The road approaching the building was deserted with no other vehicles in front or behind them. Orange cones blocked the two right lanes so Luke eased the Sebring up to the window of the booth connected to the building. He lowered his window and rolled to a stop as the sliding glass window opened. An agent in a dark brown uniform peered down at them.
“Good morning,” Luke said, trying to smile through his hangover.
The agent didn’t smile or return Luke’s greeting. Instead he reached out and said, “Passport and drivers license please.”
He appeared to be in his mid-thirties, pointed chin with a dark brown moustache that hung over his lip. A black nametag above his pocket said his name was Sharp.
Luke handed him both passports and driver’s licenses. Sharp took them without making eye contact. Twice he looked up, comparing them to their photos. After a silent minute, he asked, “What is your destination?”
Luke answered, “Cardston.”
“Purpose of your trip?”
“We’re going to the doctor.”
“Are you sick?”
“My wife is.”
The agent looked through the car at Bonnie, then back at their passports. “Where did you get this car?”
“We rented it in Calgary.”
“Could I see the rental contract please?”
Luke pulled it from the glove compartment and handed the papers to the man. Again he compared names on all documents, and returned them to Luke.
“Are you going to Calgary from Cardston?”
“No, just to the doctor, then back to Glacier National Park.”
Sharp’s gaze moved to the backseat. “Are you in possession of any fire arms?”
“No.”
Luke checked the rearview mirror and saw no one on the long straight highway behind them. The agent didn’t seem to be in any hurry and to Luke it seemed like the guy was bored and killing time.
“Do you have any pepper or bear spray?”
“No, why? Is that against the law?” Luke chuckled, thinking that was a crazy question to ask two people on their way to the doctor.
The agent ignored Luke’s question. “How much cash do you have in your possession?”
“I don’t know, about four or five hundred, I guess.” Luke was growing curious about all these random questions, but the agent seemed to be trying to think of more questions to ask.
“Is the purpose of your trip to buy drugs?”
“No. Like I said, we’re going to the doctor.”
“Are you in possession of any illegal drugs?”
“No, sir, we are not,” Luke said defensively.
Without looking at them he said, “One moment, please.” The agent slid the window closed and went into the building where Luke saw him walk to the adjacent office and start speaking to another agent. He showed his colleague the passports and licenses, occasionally looking at Bonnie and Luke as he talked. Finally the agent came back, returning their passports and licenses.
“Please pull into the parking lot next to the building,” he said pointing ahead. “Park in space number three. Go up the stairs and into the first door on the left, room 202. An agent will meet you there.”
“Could I ask—” was all Luke could get out before the window was closed and the agent walked away.
“I wonder what in the hell this is all about?”
Bonnie shrugged, equally as puzzled.
They did as they were told and found a long counter dividing room 202. The door behind the counter opened and a hefty female agent, whose nametag read Driver, came in. She looked like a professional wrestler, as tall as Luke, but heavier. Her hair was frizzy blonde with black roots. “I need to see your passports and driver’s licenses,” she said.
“Is there a problem?” Luke asked.
The agent held out her hand and said, “I need to see these documents, please.”
Luke was tired of being treated so rudely. “Did we do something wrong, or do you treat everyone like this?”
Glaring at him, she tilted her head and stuck out her hand. “Sir, do you have the documents I requested?”
Luke held her gaze briefly, then looked at Bonnie, whose expression told him not to mess with her.
Luke handed her their passports and driver’s licenses. She took them and as she turned to leave, said, “Take a seat.”
Luke was in no mood to take a seat. He remained standing, watching the door she left through. After a minute of waiting, he began to pace.
Bonnie tried to soothe him. “Luke, this is probably routine.”
“Oh, bullshit! We haven’t done a damn thing wrong. I told that guy outside you were sick and needed to get to the doctor, for God’s sake.”
After a long five minutes, she returned. “Can you tell me you destination today?”
“I already told the guy out there,” Luke said, pointing toward the booth where the first agent questioned them.
“Well, now you can tell me,” she sneered.
“My-wife-is-sick,” he said, slowly enunciating each syllable. “We are going to the doctor in Cardston.”
“Which doctor are you going to see?”
“We don’t have an appointment. We’re just going to the Cardston Clinic.”
“So, you have no appointment?”
Luke rolled his eyes, and spoke as if he was talking to a child, “That’s what I just said. We don’t have an appointment. My wife didn’t plan on getting sick. It just happened.”
Her eyes narrowed and she continued. “Do you intend to buy prescription drugs to resell in the United States?”
&nbs
p; “What in the hell are you talking about? I have no intentions of doing anything like that.”
Driver, obviously annoyed, stiffened her lip, and continued, “How much cash do you have?”
“Like I told that guy out there, about five hundred dollars.”
“American or Canadian?”
“American.”
“If you need more than that, do you have any backup money?”
“What the hell is backup money?”
She sighed. “Sir, just answer the question. Do you have a way to obtain more money?”
“You mean, like credit cards, ATM cards?”
“Yes.”
“Yes, we have credit cards and ATM cards.”
“How many credit cards do you have?”
“Two.”
“Have you ever been charged with a crime?”
“What? Have I... NO! I have never been charged with a crime.”
“Do either of you have any outstanding warrants?”
Luke rolled his eyes. “No, we do not have any outstanding warrants.”
“Have you ever gone to court?”
“Years ago, I did.”
“When was the last time?”
Luke rolled his eyes and said, “The last time was the only time. Probably around 1983.”
“And what were you charged with?”
“Speeding.”
She ignored his answer. “Do you plan to buy any drugs while you are in Canada?”
“I already told you. Why can’t you understand?” Luke had never been known for his patience, and he had finally reached his limit. Speaking one word at a time, he repeated, “We-are-going-to-the-doctor. My wife is sick. Is it a fucking crime to do that?”
The agent’s face turned beet red. She rocked back on her heels and took a deep breath and stepped away from the counter, drilling him with her eyes. “Sir, you are not in the United States. You are in Canada and you are required by Canadian law to answer every question we ask you. Do-you-understand?”
“I am answering your questions. But what I don’t understand is why you are treating us like this. We’re tourists, not terrorists, for God’s sake.”
Luke held her stare until she finally said, “I’ll be right back.”
The door slammed as she left the room. Luke turned toward Bonnie and said, “I’ve just about had all the bullshit I can take.”
“Luke, it looks as though they are just about finished. After all, what else can we do? I’m sure they’ll let us leave in a minute.”
He leaned against the windowsill with both arms outstretched and closed his eyes. His head was killing him. Nothing made him feel worse than a wine hangover, and this confrontation had his blood pumping so hard he could feel every heartbeat in his temples.
Bonnie quietly walked up behind him about the time he lost it.
“This is bullshit,” he screamed as he pushed away from the window and spun around.
Not knowing Bonnie was behind him, his arm caught her under the chin and his forearm whacked her across the face. It knocked her back into the row of folding chairs. The chairs overturned and scooted across the floor as Bonnie lost her balance and fell. Trying to break her fall, she put out her hand, her weight fell on her injured thumb, and she screamed out as she met the floor, face first.
Just before they collided, the door behind the counter opened and Driver and Sharp stepped in just in time to see Luke knock Bonnie to the floor.
“Get away from her,” she shouted.
Luke ignored her and knelt down by Bonnie, who had rolled onto her side. Blood oozed from her lip and she held her injured thumb with her other hand. Her face contorted from the pain. Sharp ran up behind Luke, grabbed the back of his shirt, and jerked him away from her.
Luke fell onto his back and rolled over. To Sharp he said, “What the hell are you doing? Let me help her.”
“Stay where you are,” Driver said, positioning herself between Luke and Bonnie with her hand on the handle of her pistol, as if she might draw it if Luke didn’t follow her instructions. To Sharp, she said, “Cuff him.”
Luke stood up as Sharp pulled out his handcuffs and grabbed Luke by the forearm.
“I’m just helping my wife,” Luke said, jerking his arm free. “It was an accident.”
“Coley! Get in here,” the female agent screamed toward the open door behind the counter. Standing between Bonnie and Luke, she held her arm out with her palm toward Luke, indicating he’d better stay where he was.
Luke looked around her to see Bonnie grimacing, tears welling in her eyes.
Another agent in a brown uniform busted into the room. He looked from side to side to assess the situation. He was Luke’s height with bulging biceps and broad shoulders. His dark hair was clipped Marine-short and he had a tightly cropped moustache.
“Help Sharp get cuffs on him,” Driver said, not taking her eyes off Luke.
Coley and Sharp came from opposite sides, grabbed Luke’s arms and pulled them behind him.
“It was just an accident,” Luke said as he felt the handcuffs snap closed on one of his wrists.
He yanked his hand away from Sharp, whose head spun around, hitting Coley hard on the chin.
“Son of a bitch,” Coley said touching his chin where Sharp’s head hit him. Blood oozed from a spot where the skin was now crimson red. Sharp pounced on Luke, pinning him face first against the back wall. Coley moved over to help Sharp get Luke’s hands cuffed behind him.
After they settled down, Driver helped Bonnie into one of the folding chairs.
“Listen to me,” Bonnie said, her voice quivering. She held her throbbing thumb and tried to explain, “He didn’t do anything. We accidently ran into each other, and then I stumbled back and lost my balance. When I fell down I couldn’t catch myself because my thumb was already injured.”
Sharp said, “We could hear you arguing down the hall.”
“We were not arguing,” Luke said adamantly. “We were discussing all the stupid questions you were asking us.” He glared at Driver, and then exchanged looks with Bonnie.
The agent’s attention was on Bonnie. She saw her bleeding lip, her cheek was red where Luke had hit her, and her arms and legs were covered with scratches from her fall the day before. “Coley, take him across the hall,” Driver said.
Blood dripped from Coley’s chin onto his shirt as he dragged Luke across the hallway and into a smaller room. Luke stood across the room watching as Coley pulled a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbed at his chin. When he took the handkerchief away Luke could see a bloody patch of skin the size of a dime where Sharp’s head had scraped the skin off his chin.
Sharp and Driver were left in the room with Bonnie. Sharp stood over her as Driver pulled a tissue from a box on the counter and sat down beside her. She started to dab at the blood on Bonnie’s lip.
Her mood became compassionate. “You don’t have to cover for him. We can get you the help you need.”
Bonnie gave her a puzzled look and said, “What are you talking about?”
“We saw him hit you.”
“That’s not what happened,” Bonnie said. “He didn’t do this on purpose. It was a simple accident. Then I lost my balance and fell.”
The agents exchanged a disbelieving glance. Driver said, “Mrs. Wakefield, he hit you. We saw him do it.”
“Not on purpose he didn’t,” Bonnie said, adamantly. “It was my fault. I walked up behind my husband and he didn’t know I was there. When he turned, we collided and I lost my balance. It was an accident.”
“Look at you,” the woman said looking at her bruised cheek and scratched arms and legs. “Are you going to sit there and tell me he didn’t do this to you? I could see the hostility in that man before I left the room. No woman has to put up with an abusive husband.”
Bonnie knew they weren’t going to believe her regardless of what she said. She was ready to go, “I don’t care what you think you saw, that’s not what happened. Can we go now?”
> Driver sighed, and said, “If that’s what you want to do.”
They walked across the hall and opened the door. To Luke she said, “You’re free to go.”
Sharp turned Luke around and unlocked the handcuffs and without a word Luke followed Bonnie and they walked briskly down the hall and out of the building. They got in the car and didn’t speak until they were accelerating away from the building.
“Bonnie, I’m sorry,” Luke said. “I didn’t know you were behind me. Are you okay?”
“I’m okay,” she said dabbing her puffy lip with a tissue. “I know it was an accident. I think they were looking for trouble from the time we drove up.”
“I wonder what their problem was,” Luke said as they crested a hill and the building disappeared behind them.
Chapter 3
They discussed the episode for a few minutes and finally Bonnie said it was time to forget it. It wasn’t going to ruin their trip, much less their day. Luke agreed and as they talked about the hike they planned to take that afternoon, their attitudes gradually improved.
As pastures gave way to doublewides and used car lots, they passed a sign welcoming them to Cardston, home to thirty-five hundred “Friendly Canadians.” In the middle of town they turned left on Second Street and saw the Cardston Clinic in the middle of the block. Luke parked diagonally in the last remaining space across the street from the clinic.
They crossed the street and opened the door to find a waiting room with about thirty chairs, almost all occupied. Bonnie noticed that many of those waiting appeared to be Native Americans and she remembered seeing a big sign in a pasture before they got to town that said, “Welcome to the Blackfeet Nation.” It made her curious about the local culture.
Bonnie turned to Luke and said, “Looks like it might be a long wait. Would you go back to the car and get the guidebook for Alberta, and that paperback I’m reading? And it’s kind of cool in here so would you also bring my UT windbreaker?”
While Luke went back to the car, Bonnie went to the window with a sign above it that read: Check in Here.
The receptionist, a dishwater blonde with a gold tongue piercing, handed her a clipboard. “Please fill out this new patient form and bring it back when you’re done.”