Motel meeting.

The motel was nothing special but we needed a break. We’d just driven 600 miles in one day from Detroit. It was late when we checked in. The owner wasn’t too pleased, we could tell, but he gave us a unit. Anyway we slept OK. We’re just getting ready to leave next morning, loading the car when this kid comes wandering up, girl about twelve, blonde. She’s well-dressed, T-shirt, white shorts, socks and sandals. We’re packing the car and she stands there looking at us. Vera gives her a smile and asks, ‘You OK honey?’ The girl just stands there shuffling her feet. She’s childish but kinda sexy in a way too. I don’t know why I thought that. She doesn’t look like she’s lost.

So we’re back and forth making sure we got everything and I come back out and darned if the kid isn’t sitting in the backseat! That’s when I start to think something ain’t right.

Then this suave looking cat shows up and he’s, I don’t know, something about him doesn’t fit. Looked like one of these European types you see in the movies. He’s wearing some kind of fancy smoking jacket. ‘Ah there you are Lo. Making new friends I see. My daughter. I trust she isn’t being a nuisance. Come along, we’ll get some breakfast.’ The girl looks at us like she’s waiting for us to help. ‘Come along Lolita,’ says the guy again, more firmly. For a moment she pays him no mind then she slides slowly out of the car and they walk off together. We’re driving away and Vera says, ‘Something wrong there. I have a bad feeling about that guy.’ Me too. But what are you going to do? Everybody knows you don’t mess with white folk’s business.