Page 14 of Cruise Control

“Tried, didn’t all fit. Be glad. I was seriously considering a fifty inch 3D television. Wouldn’t fit in the basket. Or Sharona, now that I think of it.”

“And what,” she started laughing as she reached into his pile of stuff, “may I ask, is this?”

He grabbed the pink hoodie from her. “I don’t know, it speaks to me. I like it.”

“You do realize I will make fun of you every moment you are wearing it,” she laughed. He gave an overdramatic gasp.

"Someone as sweet as you? Make fun of me!?No,I wouldn't believe it."

*

AFTER THEY BOTH GOTall their stuff in bags, they loaded them into Parker’s cart and he pushed it outside. They got into a good natured argument over the comic he'd been reading – Paige wanted to read it in the car, but Parker insisted that since he'd bought it and he'd started it first, he got to finish it before anyone else read it. She kicked the shopping the cart.

“That is so stupid, who knows when we’re gonna stop again? You won’t be able to read it for hours. I can read it while you drive,” she pointed out. He shook his head.

“No way. Don’t you know the rules? It’s like a newspaper or a magazine – you can’t just take the magazine when someone else has already started it. You have to wait your turn,” he explained. She kicked the cart again.

“That’s stupid. You sound like a kid who won’t share his toys,” she said. He laughed.

“Are you serious right now? You’re the one who is demanding a comic book and kicking my shopping cart,” he told her. She laughed before playfully glaring at him and kicking the cart one more time.

“You drove me to this. I’m about to hold my breath until you -”

“Stop.”

Paige stopped. He was standing completely still and scanning the parking lot, his head tilted up. She glanced around them. They were almost to their car at the very back edge of the parking lot. No other cars were around them. Against the edge of the property sat some old looking container vans, and down from them some Winnebagos. She didn’t see any people.

“What are we looking for?” she asked, confused. He shook his head and started pushing the cart again.

“Did you smell that? I thought I smelled something,” he mumbled, craning his head around.

“What kind of smell? I don’t smell anything,” she commented, reaching for a bag when they stopped next to the car. He motioned for her to stop.

“No really, I can totally smell something, breathe deep,” he ordered, tilting his head back again.

With a sigh Paige put her hands on her hips and tossed her head back, breathing deep through her nose. This time, she could really smell what he was talking about; there was a breeze rustling through the parking lot, carrying the scent. She looked at him in surprise, still sniffing the air.

“Wow, that’s actually pretty strong,” she said with a laugh. Parker smiled at her.

“I got an idea, hurry up, let’s get this stuff put away,” he replied, yanking open the driver’s side door.

He began shoveling stuff into the back seat. Once their mountain of stuff was in a pile in the back, he locked the doors and hurried away from the car. Paige hesitated for a second before rushing after him. He was moving towards the container vans, still sniffing the air.

“What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re gonna do what I think you’re gonna do, I don’t wanna die in a Mississippi Walmart parking lot,” she hissed.

“Calm down, it’s broad daylight. I’m willing to bet ...” he whispered, his voice trailing off as he came to the first van. He slowly crept along it till the end and peaked down the other side. There was no one there, but the smell was stronger. Another container van sat across from the first, and he immediately walked towards it. They found what they were looking for on the other side of it.

“Oh my god,” Paige blurted out with a laugh.

Two boys around the age of fourteen squatted on the ground, looking up at Paige and Parker with shocked faces. Between them a baggie filled with what could only be marijuana lay on the ground, a packet of rolling papers shoved into the bag. The bigger of the two boys had a crudely rolled joint between his fingers, more than halfway smoked. Paige couldn’t help but laugh again. She'd been worried about actual druggies, and here it was a couple of teeny-boppers, skipping school to sneak some joints. Probably their first time.

“Gentlemen, what’s going on here?” Parker asked in a nice-salesman type of voice. Smaller kid continued looking like he was gonna pee his pants, but bigger kid apparently decided to toughen up. He grabbed the baggie from the ground and surged to his feet.

“None of your business, piss off,” the kid snapped in his thick Mississippi accent. Parker raised his eyebrows.

“Whoa, buddy, let’s be friends now. I’m cool, you’re cool, let’s try to make a deal here,” Parker suggested in his “nice” voice. Small kid slowly stood up as well, but still looked nervous.

“I don’t wanna be your friend, creeper, get out of here,” bigger kid ordered, his voice getting louder. Paige scowled.

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