We drove through the evening and the only reason we stopped just west of Albuquerque, New Mexico was that I’d sprung a leak and needed to change as I hadn’t changed at our last refueling, or when we’d stopped for me to take over the driving. We all three decided that a short rest was in order to stretch our legs, and so that Destiny could take a little nap.
For some reason, Meek and I weren’t the least bit tired. Therefore, while Destiny was sleeping in the truck we took that opportunity to have some fun. We had gone walking and discovered that we were in an Albuquerque suburb known as Laurelwoods. We walked into a mini-grocery store and were keeping our eyes out for any of the flyers with our pictures on them; thankfully, we didn’t see any. We picked up some fresh fruit and a few sodas and were on our way back to the truck, when we ran into a local police officer.
Meek and I were on instant high alert, ready to make a break for it at the first hint of trouble.
“Well hello you two!” he said when he saw us walking toward him.
Now remember, Meek was in drag and we both looked nothing like our normal selves however we were still worried that we’d be found out.
I have to give props to my boy Meek. He did the best acting job I have seen in my life.
“Oh man is that a real gun? Hey Jimmy look at his badge isn’t that the coolest.”
I couldn’t believe how girly Meek sounded. I went along with him and tried to keep from looking like I was acting, “Yeah, it looks like the one daddy got me for my birthday but mine says Deputy on it.”
“What are two fine kids like yourselves doing today?” he asked with a big smile.
Meek held up the paper sack he was carrying, “Momma needed some things.”
He mussed up my hair as he sent us along our way.
“Dude you totally pulled that off.” I told Meek when I was sure we were far enough away from the cop.
“Yeah, but I almost pooped my panties when I saw him.” Meek said.
I busted up laughing over that.
“That reminds me,” I started to say, “when we get back to the truck I need to change again.”
Meek put his arm around me and said, “Alright Jimmy.”
“Yeah, where did you come up with a dorky name like Jimmy?”
“I don’t know.” He said with a shrug, “You look like a Jimmy now.”
I laughed back with, “Okay, Mindy-Lynn Destiny!”
Yep, our Momma has a beautiful baby boy named Jimmy Destiny and an even more beautiful Daughter named Mindy-Lynn Destiny.”
“Oh so now I’m your BABY brother?” I laughed while putting a lot of emphasis on the word ‘baby’ to let Meek know I hadn’t missed it.
Giggling he said, “Well, we do look like brother and sister; shouldn’t we have the same last name?”
“I’m not arguing the last name… but do I have to be the BABY brother?”
Meek let my arm go, reached down and swatted my padded butt, “If the pampers fit!”
“HEY!” I complained and pushed him away.
He laughed and though I tried not to, I laughed as well.
We found Destiny and the truck right where we left them both. She was still sound asleep on the front seat, and using her purse as a pillow. It was getting late and the sun was already working its way down in the west. I supposed that in couple more hours it would be dark. We woke Destiny up, shared with her our bounty of fresh fruit, and told her about the run in with the officer.
Stuffing her purse back behind the seat and starting up the engine, we were once again on our way.
We continued driving west on Route 40 with me in the middle of Momma Destiny who was on my left, and Meek on my right.
Once on the highway again, Meek asked, “Mommy Destiny, what’s your last name?”
“Sweetheart, Momma Destiny doesn’t have a last name.” she said, “Like Madonna, Cher, Bjork, and Bono.”
“Don’t forget Sting and Eminem and Hitler!” I added.
Meek jumped in his seat and nearly shouted, “Hitler?! Uh, Adolf Hitler?”
“Oh, okay then not Hitler!” I sheepishly said and they both laughed at me.
I then explained to Destiny why Meek was asking and how we came up with the fake names of Jimmy Destiny and Mindy-Lynn Destiny.
“Now that I think about it; of course Destiny isn’t a last name.” I declared.
She patted my thigh and said, “Baby boy can you get Momma her wallet out of her purse.”
There was that Baby boy thing again but I made a conscious decision to I let it go without comment.
I turned on the seat and got on my knees to fish her purse out from behind the seat. Meek and I held it open for her to reach in and pull out her wallet because we both knew that a gentleman never goes through a woman’s purse, even if she says it is okay to do so. Without taking her eyes off the road, her hand came out and I wouldn’t have been surprised if she’d been holding a fluffy white rabbit. Actually, a fluffy white rabbit would have been cool. Sadly, instead she came out clutching a pink ladies pocketbook covered in rhinestones. Upon seeing it, I don’t know why I would have ever expected anything else to come out of her purse.
Without a word, she reached over, took hold of my left wrist, and placed it on the steering wheel. I mean, I’d driven her truck before, but this was totally different, for one thing I wasn’t behind the wheel and for another, I had to lean way forward to hold the wheel so I couldn’t see the road at all. At the same time that she put my hand on the wheel, she let go of it without any regard whatsoever. I sucked in a fast breath and held it as I was suddenly placed in blind control of the truck and all three of our lives while she used both of her hands to open her pink rhinestone encrusted pocketbook.
I had a moment of thought, which I think may have come out of my mouth, “Destiny? Momma Destiny?” I mumbled at a barely audible level, “Th-this is not ok! I mean I can drive, but I can’t see. Momma you got…”
“Alvin!” Meek whined like a cat that’d just had its tail stepped on.
An oncoming Peterbuilt, hauling a double trailer, blasting its horn because I’d allowed our truck to cross the double yellow line, forcing the semi onto the far shoulder to avoid hitting us.
A driver’s license was passed to me and I gleefully released the wheel to her as I finally allowed myself to breathe again.
I turned to look back at the lights of the tractor-trailer as they swerved back onto the highway.
“Is he alright? You think he’ll be alright?” I moaned worriedly as though I had just killed someone.
Meek plucked the card from my hand and examined it.
“Jerome Roberts” Meek read.
He held the license up and compared the picture to Destiny.
“Well?” Destiny asked.
Coming back into myself I joked, “This guy could be your brother.” to which Destiny heartily laughed.
“So, we will be Jimmy and Mindy-Lynn Roberts.” Meek proclaimed.
Destiny looked like she was going to cry as she held a trembling hand to her chest, “I am so proud.”
We continued to talk for a while until the night took Meek and me.