North of the Rock

by Ian Jones

  ‘That’s Rita,’ Gilbey told him with a big smile. ‘She did the day shift, so she’ll be off soon, I’ll get her to join us.’

  They sat and sipped their beers for a while, and then Rita appeared next to them. She was still in her uniform, such as it was; frayed denim miniskirt and a short sleeve check shirt tied up at the waist. Gilbey ordered three Budweisers then slid off his stool and John followed them over to a booth at the side, sitting down next to Gilbey with Rita opposite. She stared at John openly and he looked back. She was slim and pretty in an unconventional sense, long dark hair with some bright red streaks in, and emerald green eyes. A little older than he had originally thought, early twenties he realised. She was smiling, showing small white teeth. The bartender placed the bottles on the table and she picked one up, nodding.

  ‘Thanks Gary,’ she said and the bartender nodded back.

  ‘No sweat,’ he told her, walking away.

  ‘Can we get some chicken maybe?’ Gilbey asked, and the bartender nodded again.

  Rita switched her attention to Gilbey, looking at him affectionately.

  ‘So?’ she asked.

  ‘So,’ Gilbey replied. ‘This is my friend John. There has been some interesting shit gone down since he set foot in the town, and I think you can fill in some gaps.’

  ‘When did you get here?’ she asked John.

  ‘Just yesterday. I haven’t been here long at all.’

  Rita laughed delightedly.

  ‘I love that accent! Where you from, sugar?’

  ‘London. England.’

  Rita sighed and looked around wistfully.

  ‘I’d love to go to London. I really would.’

  ‘So what’s stopping you?’

  She raised her eyebrows.

  ‘What do you think? Money. I heard it’s real expensive in Europe.’

  ‘Nah, you can do it cheap. The flight is the killer, but once you’re there stay clear of the West End and the tourist spots. It’s like any city, just like New York.’

  ‘I ain’t never been there neither.’

  John looked at her, seeing the small town girl that she really was, and liking her immediately.

  ‘You always lived here?’ he asked her.

  ‘Pretty much. I was about five I think, when we moved. I was born in Fort Stockton. My daddy used to work up at the airfield. Which is the airport now.’

  Gilbey raised his bottle and touched it gently on hers.

  ‘To your daddy. He was a real good man.’

  Sadness washed over Rita and she looked down. John felt he should say something.

  ‘Hey, look I can help you with a trip to London if you really want to go. I know a few people, some cheap hotels, that sort of stuff. If you want to, you should go.’

  She looked up, and smiled again.

  ‘Thank you. Hell, I’m going to be twenty-four in six months, and I ain’t never been out of Texas!’

  ‘Shit girl is that right?’ Gilbey asked. ‘Yeah, you need to do something about that.’

  ‘I got plans Gilbey, trust me. I ain’t staying around here. My friend Shelley lives out in Tucson now, and she can get me a job there in the bar she works at. I just need a bit more cash saved and I’m out of here.’

  ‘Aim high girl,’ Gilbey told her, smiling.

  ‘Always,’ she replied, smiling widely back. ‘Like I said, I got plans.’

  Gilbey got down to business.

  ‘Now John here seems to be the centre of attention for some folks around here, and looks like your buddies the three wise men are involved.’

  Rita shuddered.

  ‘Hell, they are NOT my buddies. Jesus. I work for them sometimes is all.’

  ‘That’s why we wanted to have a word with you. I thought you might be able to explain a couple of things.’

  ‘Sure, ask away. I don’t know nothing about them, but I got no problem talking.’

  ‘So what do you do for them?’ John asked.

  ‘It’s no big deal. They throw these parties, they invite some guys and they hang out, and I go and pour drinks and be nice to them.’

  ‘How nice?’ Gilbey asked, concerned.

  ‘It ain’t what you think Gilbey. Jesus. I mean that shit goes down for sure, there are these other women there, always. But me and Katy have been the last couple of times. It’s easy. In fact, they want me for one this Friday.’

  ‘So what happens at these parties?’ John wanted to know.

  ‘Well, they have them out at the Country Club. They have these rooms there, all nice. And I think the men they invite stay out there. So me and Katy got to wear these little like maid outfits, you know. And we just do what we are asked. But there are these other women, like they are older than us? And yeah, I reckon they are hookers alright. They disappear with the men. Sometimes a couple go with one guy. Hell I ain’t stupid, I know how the world works. I seen these guys taking these blue pills, I know what those things are.’

  ‘But you don’t have to do that shit?’ Gilbey looked annoyed.

  ‘No, least nobody asked me. But last time, one of them asked Katy though. He was all over her. It was like it was expected, but the guy was a sleaze, and Katy avoided him. But her rack’s much bigger than mine.’

  She looked down at her chest.

  ‘And Katy’s real pretty too. So nobody looks at me.’

  John shook his head.

  ‘No, you’re real pretty. Don’t do yourself down, and you don’t want to be doing that stuff anyway.’

  Rita looked at him, green eyes glowing.

  ‘You think I’m pretty?’ she asked.

  Gilbey gave John a sideways glance and sighed.

  ‘So, back to business. Where are the three wise men while this goes on? How many guys are you talking about?’

  ‘First time there was two, last time only one. Yeah Mr Barlow and Mr Abel are there, they run the show, I think the women give them freebies, but I don’t know, I mean it’s hard to tell what they do. They leave us alone. Like Mr Abel, he can be ok, kinda funny sometimes. Mr Barlow is a real prick all the time to everyone.’

  ‘What about Cane?’

  ‘Oh yeah, I forgot all about him! I seen him there, I think the first time, at the Country Club. But he wasn’t in the room with us. Never. Not sure where he goes. And he wasn’t there last time at all, least I didn’t see him.’

  ‘How do they get in touch with you?’

  ‘They just call my cell. Tiffany, she’s one of the women who is at the parties, like she’s in charge of us, she calls. I think she organises everything. They pay me, and hell I need it, I’d be happy to do more if they asked me. Actually, I’m at the plant tomorrow, but it ain’t the same thing. Like I’ve done that a few times too, they have these guests there, show them around and shit. I have to make the coffee and bring out the sandwiches. It’s not like the parties. It’s pretty boring, but at least I don’t have to wear the maid uniform. But look; it’s all cash for me. I’m getting outta here, I need the dough.’

  ‘So these other women, they aren’t at the plant when you’re there?’

  ‘No, never. I don’t ever see them except at the parties, and I never seen them in the town neither. The plant thing, they call it meet and greet, some shit like that. I’ve been doing that for a while now, I think that’s how I got asked to work at the parties.’

  ‘Do you know any of these men who are at the parties? Ever seen them before?’ John asked.

  ‘Not really. I seen one of them at the plant once, and then he was at a party that night, the first time. I get the feeling they are like, VIPs or something.’

  John and Gilbey looked at each other. Who was coming to these parties?

  ‘Can I ask a question?’ John wanted to know, talking to both Gilbey and Rita.

  ‘Fire away, ask me anything,’ Rita replied quickly.

  John smiled. ‘How come there aren’t any soldiers here?’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Well, you got an army base, what thi
rty-odd miles from here. Normally any town near a base is real busy in the evenings with soldiers out spending money. But not here, and I hear it’s a big base.’

  ‘It’s fucking huge,’ Gilbey stated.

  ‘I don’t know,’ Rita replied. ‘Like Gary, he’s worked here forever. It’s funny you ask me that question, cos he told me a while back that they used to get loads of soldiers in here, every night. But not now. I don’t know why.’

  ‘It’s weird,’ John said.

  ‘Now you mention it, it is weird, I never thought about it,’ Gilbey agreed.

  The other waitress appeared with a tray of chicken and chips. It looked good, and they dug in, chatting about the town in general, Rita adamant that she would get out as soon as she could. It was clear that Gilbey had a paternal instinct, he encouraged her at the same time as warning her to be careful. They finished eating and sat back.

  Rita looked at her watch.

  ‘Thanks Rita,’ Gilbey told her.

  ‘No sweat.’

  She drank the last of her beer.

  ‘You boys staying?’

  ‘Maybe have one more,’ Gilbey told her.

  Rita stood up, and blew him a kiss.

  ‘I’m off, I can get a lift with Stacy, nice talking to you,’ she said and walked out, the bikers all watched her go.

  John laughed.

  ‘Interesting. There’s like a whole other world here.’

  ‘Right,’ Gilbey replied seriously. ‘I sure would like to know who gets invited to these parties. Like, why would they come, I guess the drinks and hookers are a sweetener right? There has to be a reason.’

  John shrugged.

  ‘So let’s find out.’

  They had another beer, and Gilbey wanted to get home and see Carrie. John paid the bill then patted him on the back and they walked out together. The red pick-up had gone. John got back in the car and headed off, the streets were deserted, and it was only nine in the evening. He parked up at the motel and walked up to his room, unlocked the door and walked in.

  Rita was sitting up in bed with the sheet pulled up.

  ‘Hello again,’ she said with a wide smile.

  John glanced outside quickly and then closed the door.

  ‘Rita, you really shouldn’t be here,’ he said.

  ‘Why not? I’m old enough, and you are the nicest and most interesting guy I met recently. In fact ever.’

  ‘Look that’s very sweet of you and all that, but I am way older than you, and Gilbey would not be happy.’

  ‘Gilbey wouldn’t care. He likes you, and anyways, it ain’t none of his business. Look, I don’t have much excitement in my life ok? I live with my mom, and she is, well, let’s just say she ain’t easy. I like you. And you said I was pretty.’

  ‘I meant it. You are pretty, but I’m not going to be here long. I will be gone, and soon, I’m not a dependable guy in things like this.’

  ‘Fuck. I ain’t waiting for you to ask me to marry you! It’s what adults do right? You married?’

  ‘No.’

  ‘Thought not. Got a girlfriend?’

  ‘Not really no.’

  ‘Well then. Consider this two people who met and thought what the hell. We ain’t doing nobody any harm.’

  John was struggling, and knew it. She really was pretty, and he liked her.

  ‘Jesus Rita, how the hell did you get in here anyway?’

  ‘Let’s just say Randy Andy downstairs now thinks I owe him a favour. In his dreams.’

  ‘I still don’t think …’

  But Rita interrupted him. She stood up and walked naked over to him, and put her arms around his neck.

  ‘Then don’t think,’ she told him quietly, and just like that the last of his resistance was gone.

  Chapter Twelve

  John woke up and looked over guiltily. Rita was fast asleep facing him, long dark lashes down over closed eyes. He smiled to himself ruefully. He had no regrets, but he didn’t want any complications.

  He got out of bed cautiously and had a shower and cleaned his teeth, then dressed in clean clothes which were basically the same as his outgoing ones. He moved around carefully and quietly, but Rita woke up anyway, and watched him with one eye open.

  ‘Good morning,’ John said cheerfully.

  ‘Morning.’

  ‘You can use the shower if you want.’

  ‘What time is it?

  ‘Early, just after seven.’

  Rita jumped out of bed.

  ‘I got to be at the plant by eight-thirty.’

  John heard the shower running, and went outside. He stood on the landing and looked out over Gray Rock. A bus appeared coming around the corner from the east–west road and lumbered past slowly going up the hill. He wondered if that was how Rita would get to the plant, she had told him she didn’t have a car. The door opened and there she was, wearing her Big Lil’s uniform but looking worryingly young without makeup on.

  He sighed.

  ‘Come on,’ he said, ‘let’s get some breakfast.’

  They went to the diner, John remembering Carrie worked there only after they had walked in. So it would get back to Gilbey anyway. Nothing he could do about that now. Idiot. Carrie gave them a knowing smile. The radio played country music. John ordered an egg and bacon muffin and Rita wanted the same. They both drank milky coffee.

  ‘So where do you live?’ John asked.

  ‘Just along from the stadium.’

  ‘Oh yeah? Which one?’

  ‘The new one.’

  ‘Right. North side then.’

  ‘Yeah, but only for a couple of years. We lived down in the south before.’

  ‘Why did you move?’

  ‘They went to see Mom, and offered her a new place, cheap to rent or something. By then most of the people we knew had already moved. I don’t really know but they said they wanted the housing in the south for the plant workers.’

  ‘Hmmm, that doesn’t really make sense, why didn’t they just put them in the north?’

  Rita shrugged indifferently.

  ‘No idea. I wasn’t asked about it. Mom jumped at it of course.’

  John finished his muffin and watched Rita eating hers.

  ‘So you really gonna get out of Gray Rock. Really move away?’ he asked.

  ‘Fuck yeah! Sorry! I mean yeah, definitely. I hate it here. Place is full of creeps, there is always some bad shit happening to someone.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘Oh you know, how they talk. Sometimes people just disappear. Just like that. Well, it’s what they say anyway.’

  ‘What people?’

  ‘From the south. I don’t know them. It could be bullshit I guess. But yeah, I am outta here. I just need a few hundred more, probably a thousand.’

  ‘Did you mean what you said? You never been out of Texas.’

  She looked at him.

  ‘No, never. My daddy died when I was ten, he was the dreamer. He always used to tell me where he was going to take me. He said I had to get school out the way first. We used to sit in the kitchen and talk about it, he had this big old atlas, it was the best time, we would make all these plans for hours sometimes. I used to love it. He would talk about all these countries with crazy names like he’d been to every one of them. Of course, he never had but he would tell me all the things we could do there. But life ain’t like that, that’s for sure. Sometimes he would have to go somewhere for his work in a truck, and I went with him on the long trips when I could. We went to Dallas, and Houston. It was great. We were going to go to New Orleans and Miami he said. But he got sick and that was that. My mom never thinks of doing anything like that. She just tells me I should be thankful. She wants me to marry and live here.’

  ‘I’m sorry about your dad.’

  ‘He was a real good man. Yeah, well. It was quick, one day there, the next gone near enough. I miss him, every day.’

  She sat and sipped her coffee, the same faraway look in her face he remembered from the p
revious evening when Gilbey had mentioned her father. The radio started playing a track with a heavy, grinding bass line. Rita looked up, eyes shining.

  ‘Man I love this fucking song! Reminds me of my daddy, he always used to sing it, always.’

  John recognised the track. Black Velvet, he couldn’t remember the name of female singer. Rita sang along and then slid out the seat and began to dance to it, squirming and weaving while she sang. Every single male eye in the place was watching, mesmerised. The track finished and she sat down. John clapped and laughed.

  ‘Well I would have paid to watch that,’ he told her.

  Rita blushed. ‘Stop it.’

  ‘How are you getting to the plant, do you walk there?’

  She jumped up.

  ‘Shit I forgot. Damn I got to get changed I can’t turn up wearing this.’

  ‘You look great.’

  ‘Thank you, but that’s not what I meant. They wouldn’t like it. Damn.’

  ‘Don’t worry, I’ll drive you. You need to go home first?’

  ‘Thank you.’

  John dropped a twenty on the table and they left, moving quickly back to the motel and getting into the Buick. Rita directed John down the high street, as they turned in they heard Gilbey getting to the diner. It took just a couple of minutes and John pulled up outside a small single storey ranch style house, in a street of all the same. Rita ran inside and was back out again five minutes later, now wearing a smart black skirt and doing up a white blouse. She looked great. As he pulled away she dug some make up out her bag and put it on using the mirror in the visor.

  ‘So, I ain’t working tonight. You want to do something?’ she asked him.

  Try and stop me, John thought to himself.

  ‘Yeah, I do. I got an appointment near Odessa this afternoon, but I will be back later. Fancy going for a meal? My treat.’

  She stopped applying lipstick and looked at him.

  ‘Really?’

  ‘Yeah, of course really. Why not? Where’s a good place to go?’

  ‘Hey, I never got taken out for dinner before. I thought you’d just say go to Lil’s.’

  ‘I wouldn’t do that. I like the place but you work there, so it’s not really a meal out for you. Any of the other bars or restaurants in this town any good?’