her fellow man and while Alex and her were pulling into a Osip owned fast food parking lot things tipped on how strong her feelings on hope within her fellow mans humanity slipped.
Alex and Karen were heading to a movie, something in 3D, you know one of those converted to 3D but not really 3D so they really should be allowed to call them 3D movies.
But first both of them needed something quick to munch on because movie food is too much money too much shit later.
Sans, here’s fast food; it not any kinder in the bathroom payoff but what can you do? When it comes down to bare facts they choose fast food because that is too much shit later but not too much money.
Did I use “Sans” properly?
The subject of my linguistic skills for another time.
Wait, that’s speaking and not typing right?
To move on.
Karen also spotted in the restaurant parking lot a pickup truck full of guys throwing empty and full cans of beer at a homeless lady sitting in the little area of grass outside the buffet house.
You know that little bit of land that decorates all restaurant exteriors. There’s meaning in there somewhere? I’m on deadline though so I’m not going to think about it too much.
Before Alex could even think about what was going on, more less say anything, Karen slammed her beat up Mini into park, and was out of the car screaming in the direction of the men in the truck.
Alex was barely out of the car herself as Karen stood between the truck full of assholes and their target of torment without saying word one.
‘What’s your problem?’ shouted a voice from inside the truck.
‘Yeah, the dirty bitch your mom or something?’ was one of his friends.
Karen locked in her stance like a basketball player readying to take a charge as two of the men leap from the back of the truck. She was actually naturally recalling some things Fox had taught her about what to do when in the build up to a possible physical confrontation.
Karen didn’t flinch as a few more of the men jumped out of the truck.
‘You a mute?’ shouted one of them.
Karen remained silent speaking only with an icy stare.
‘Someone give me a full can, new target.’
Alex ran up to the scene and stepped in front of Karen, ‘I don’t think so,’ putting herself now between Karen and the group of loud and stupid.
‘Bitches in twos.’
Karen, ‘A truck load of dicks and not even one ball in the group. Throw one fucking can, I fucking dare you.’
One of the guys reared back his arm to throw but from inside the truck, ‘Get back in the truck. These tits ant worth it.’
After the men climbed back into the back of the truck it peeled out and off out of the parking lot nearly throwing a few of the jerks out of the back as they all yelled obscenities directed at Karen and Alex on their exit.
Karen didn’t even turn around to the homeless woman. She had taken the anger on what she saw happening as such a personal pit of fury that in a way it no longer involved anyone but her.
That or it’s the difference between donating your money and working in a soap kitchen. With her I think it’s the former instead of the later.
She just power walked back to her car with Alex following behind calling the cops on her cell and giving them the trucks plate number and her own name and number.
After Alex put away her cell they stopped in front of Karen’s car, ‘The police wont do shit.’ Karen told her friend.
‘I know but if that was their work truck maybe they’ll get fired.’
‘I just haven’t had the best run ins with cops.’
Alex shrugs her shoulders, ‘Worth a try?’
Karen sighs and leans back against her car, ‘I’m sorry Alex. I’m a magnet to drama. Much of it of my own creation I’ll admit.’
‘We’re a lot alike there. Maybe we should skip the movie. My kid brother Brock is probably wrecking our apartment anyways with his friends.’
‘Yeah, I’ll go blow off some steam yelling at my kid sister.’
Yelling at Gail did not help Karen’s stress level. Even a little bit, did not help, even if Gail was being insufferable about knowing that Dr. Seuss invented the word “Nerd”.
Karen called her a smart ass but Gail’s response of, ‘Stop spitting the dummie sis,’ made her blood boil even hotter.
It means one losing their cool such as when Karen threw her moms Netbook at Gail.
That made Janet Busiek scream for both of her daughters to stop fighting and informed Karen her Netbook was now her mother’s new Netbook.
Gail left the room with a loud parting shot, ‘Toast your blooming eyebrows!’
Jeff giggled.
Karen, ‘What Chim-Chim?’
‘Your sister and her early 19th century insults.’ Jeff
‘Aaaah, I’m going to commit genocide to relieve some stress.’ Karen
‘Just not in my kitchen.’ Janet
Janet leaves the Busiek home by the kitchen door.
‘You can’t say genocide.’ Jeff
‘What?’Karen
Karen’s pacing back and forth in the kitchen was making Jeff nervous. Her being this pumped up usually caused problems for him.
‘If genocide is used in any other context but for what happen to Jews during World War II you will be called anti-semitic by the current political climate.’
‘One I don’t think you say it that way and two shut off that mind of yours. If you didn’t know it’s connected to your mouth.’
‘My mind has an idea to put calm into your life for a bit. Can my mouth speak?’
‘Speak Monkey Boy.’
‘Since you are threatening a “mass slaughter” of Florida Rednecks, how about a getaway to one of my family’s old stomping grounds?’
‘Outside Florida?’
‘Yep.’
‘Where?’
‘The Great Smokey Mountains National Park. You love National Parks and God if anyone needs to be with nature for a bit you do.’
‘Wouldn’t that be trading Rednecks for Rednecks?’
‘Hillbillies. There’s a difference. Let me explain…’
‘Fuckoff, shut up, and let’s start making plans.’
Later that night,
Gail was sitting in the floor in front of the living room TV so no one could watch the news and to center all attention on her as she throws a fit protesting the fact that she will not be included in the travel group to Tennessee that now includes Fox.
Fox Boggs since I hadn’t noted her last name yet.
‘I thought this short story series was going to be about me?’ Gail
I didn’t promise anything to her.
Karen motions to Jeff that her sister was crazy but stopped when her mom gave her a stern look.
The mom uncompromising look.
Gail, ‘The Smokey Mountains have more different cataloged forms of animal and plant life than anywhere in North America. I could write my Bright Futures paper on it.’
‘Now she’s pulling the education card. Sort of like the race card but with Billy Nye instead of Al Sharpton,’ Karen
‘And you call my thinking unnerving.’ Jeff
‘Did you know…’ Gail
‘Gail hush for a minute. You cannot go with your sister because…’
‘But…’
‘I don’t want her with us is why enough.’ Karen
Both sisters got a, you just interrupted me look. Those are beyond uncompromising and right at demanding.
‘While Karen is in Tennessee me, you, and your father are taking our own trip.’
Karen jumped up and got in her younger sisters face, ‘East Disney little sister.’
Gail sticks her tongue out at her older sister when she turned away from her.
Mom smiles at her oldest daughter and Karen’s smug smile drops because she knows her mother has something left to reveal.
‘Where are you going?’ Karen
‘Boston.�
�
Karen sits down slowly in the middle of the room, ‘I want to go to Boston.’
AUTHOR’S NOTE:
Finishing this issue of Tin Universe during the same month as NaNoWriMo was a challenge. Take into the battle Thanksgiving and many other not worth mentioning distractions and this was quite a challenge trying to get this Part One of The Hillbilly Jungle into any sort of shape.
This month reminded of me when I was writing a weekly chapter series back in my DiaryLand days which is also part of the inspiration of me wanting to do this series. That time and now are the happiest I have ever been as a writer and that includes those times when I’ve been paid for my writing.
Speaking of NaNoWriMo, this story was written as part of my 2010 NaNo winner. Matter of fact all of the Tin Universe series for the next couple years will coming out of what I wrote then.
With all that stuff which you probably has no interest in reading I hope you enjoyed reading Part One and will give the rest of this story and the series as a whole a try. I have big plans for the Tin Universe with more stories written by me and others.
Thank you for reading,
Brian C. Williams
[email protected]
Tin Universe Monthly #8 Page 2