Memphis Girl - Part Two
by Van Warren
So what I remember of the concert was that I kept looking
at this mystery girl sitting next to me, actually I was continuously talking
to her, the same way I talk to cars when I'm trying to get to Memphis. Didn't
want to lose her even for a second. I pointed out to her that the wah-wah
pedal was responsible for what she was hearing, the undulations at least.
I think she could hear me above the sound and whatever made her stumble
up the stairs, I got close to her ear just in case. The James Gang finally
played, who cares, my fortunes had suddenly shifted.
After the concert, everybody was going to crash at Carol's dad's place.
Carol, the pretty girl with the cute nose, didn't live with her real dad.
Her step dad kept a second apartment in Memphis, like all step dads do.
It was a little apartment, but there was plenty of room for us all to sit
in a circle and talk before reefer madness set in. This girl I had met,
well I had to find out her name. We had talked an awfully lot, at least
I had, for not knowing it - her name that is. She tore the cardboard off
a pack of Jiffy Pop, that shows planning, the munchies are coming - prepare.
So I asked her as nonchalantly as possible, "What's your name, anyway".
She said, "Lynn Mumblestat" I said "Lynn what?" She
said "Lynn Mumblestat" At least that is what it sounded like.
I didn't want to press the name thing to hard, seeing as this was our first
"date". She looked even more mysterious now than ever, and the
Jiffy Pop was starting to rise.
Well I don't remember the popcorn, but I distinctly remember kissing her
a bit later. The lights in the apartment had gone down like a late fire.
I pulled a sleeping bag over our heads and went for kiss. It was fun. Courtney
and Rodgers had been up to similar antics. It was one fine evening, but
it, as all things do came to an end. We all woke up in varying degrees of
dishevelment. It was clearly time to go shopping. The six of us piled into
Carol's purple bug and headed out.
Everything in Memphis is bigger than life and the mall was no exception.
Now my mom's birthday was Sunday and this was Saturday. If my lie had been
found out, I needed to at least have a birthday present in my hand to cover
my tracks, but one that didn't cut too far into the record/food/misc. budget.
Lynn and I went to the candy store and settled on a basket with mom's favorite
candy. Lynn was a good advisor. This was the perfect gift. Could be backup
in an emergency too.
We headed out to the highway, there was a light drizzle. We got out under
an overpass and I recall this, "parting is such sweet sorrow"
sort of feeling. Courtney, Rodgers and I stuck out our thumbs and it wasn't
long before a UPS truck pulled over ahead of us, his brake lights flashing,
"All Aboard". Now a UPS truck is a cool ride, but it was a standup,
meaning no sitting, at least for me. I think Rodgers got to sit down. Beats
walking, but better rides can be had. The UPS man, second fastest man in
the shipping business, got us about halfway there and it was time to hustle
another ride. No overpass/umbrella this time. We were starting to look like
wet puppies when a some guy about 20 - years of age that is - pulled over
in a Lincoln Continental. Rodgers got the front seat, he was always high
class. Courtney got in the rear first and I had the passenger side rear
seat, a fateful detail that turns out to be very important later.
The music in the Lincoln was as first class as the car. Rodgers made the
preparations and we listened to Deep Purple or some such as we cruised the
last part of the way. This was living right.
As we came into Little Rock, the sun had set, but the rain had not, continuing
to make the wiper blades go back and forth. The guy said, "I can get
you as far as Markham" as we rolled down what was left of University
Avenue a big intersection in a not so small town.
We were in the next to rightmost lane, the rightmost lane has to turn right
because of the lightpost island. Courtney was eager to get out, he must
have been thinking his mom would get after him too. He says to me, "Open
the door." so I did. As I did, a big appliance truck sheared off the
door. It was very clean. That door was history. After a while it occurred
to me I was too. I was moving slowly, probably from prolonged confinement.
I hadn't gotten around to stepping out yet. The scene had that interplanetary,
"We have arrived uh-oh" feeling. Now I knew mom would find out.
A policeman came. I got a ticket and I wasn't even driving. I always got
the ticket. After the ticket and the door, I walked home. Then I a bigger
disaster struck, the gift for my mom got left in the back seat of the Lincoln.
Memphis always got even in the end.