We got along, nan and I. She actually liked me. I liked her, too. And I adored her mother. She would tease the hell out of me in a joking fashion whenever we saw each other. She thought I was a little out there, and I was. And she definitely thought I was fun to tease. Her laugh was hearty, and husky from smoking, and she laughed often. Her husband was a police officer, and he and I got along great. She had a younger sister Lori Anne. They lived on the opposite side of town. They were in the township, I was in the town.
I had been having problems with my boyfriend of six years, and he went to Florida. I was devastated, and could not be consoled. My mother told me if he really cared about me, he would get a job, and a place to live, and call for me. Three months later, her premonition came true. So, I’m eighteen, I have a green Chevy vega piece of garbage, and it’s a standard. I need to get to Florida, but I don’t want to drive alone. Now, I thought I was shy when I first met Maryjane. She turned out to be a hundred times shier. Anything I wanted to get her to do, I could. “You want to go get ice cream, Mar?” “No, I don’t feel like ice cream.” “Ah, come on, we can go to Baskin Robbins and get any flavor we want.” “No, I’m tired.” “Come on, Mar, maybe we’ll see somebody up town.” “No.” “Come on, you can get chocolate chip.” Ten minutes later, we were at Baskin Robbins.
I loved my Maryjane. I told her about my upcoming trip, and how I wanted her to go with me. She said she didn’t know how to drive a standard, I told her I would teach her. “Come on, Mar, we’ll have fun, you can get a tan, go to the beach, and fly home the next week.” Next day, Florida, here we come. When I got really tired, I had Maryjane drive, for five minutes. The car was bucking so much, I’d never be able to sleep. Years later, my friend finally mastered the art of the clutch and the stick shift. We did have fun. It was an adventure at eighteen.
