WE GATHER TOGETHER by Edward L. Woodyard

We Gather Together Chapter Sixty-Six

Scott McCulloch had used his GPS to find a franchise sandwich shop in Kimball, Nebraska. It was three short blocks off of I-80. As Scott drove into the two-story, two-block downtown of Kimball, the snow flurries stopped; it felt warmer and dustier in the flatlands than it had been in the mountains.

Scott wanted to keep driving, preferring to eat on the road since he wanted to get as far into Iowa as he could by dawn. He figured it would be another ten hours of driving through the night across the top of the Midwest; he'd let Maya and Kevin sleep if they wanted.

In the midst of working on her presentation, Maya had called the sandwich shop from the interstate when they crossed from Wyoming into Nebraska since everyone in the car had decided each was hungry and all agreed to avoid eating at fast food drive-ins and chain restaurants. Maya had wanted to put in an order to go, but the one person on duty, who identified himself as Dalton, said that he didn't want to make sandwiches and not have someone then not pick them up. Dalton told Maya that she would have to come into the store, telling her, "The sandwiches would be all that much fresher that way."

When they pulled off the highway to find the sandwich shop, Kevin had paid cash for a full tank of gas at the service station by the exit. He figured he would go with Scott and Maya as far as Chicago where he could see if he would be able to get a flight south from there, which would only happen if the transportation strike was over. If not, he might stay in Chicago for the holiday since he said that there was nothing in Florida making him anxious to get back there.

When Maya had heard Kevin discussing with Scott his possibly getting a flight from Chicago, it prompted her to think that she might do the same thing in order to get to New York all that much sooner. She felt it could also free up Scott to do what he needed to do or to go where he needed to go, whatever and wherever that was.

Scott hadn't been particularly talkative during the trip, but Maya knew he was in pain and turmoil about something. Just as with Kevin, for Maya, getting a flight from Chicago was all a matter of if the strike were settled. She decided to keep her thoughts to herself for the time being. She was thankful that Scott was taking her to New York. Furthermore, she was also becoming attracted to him, realizing that maybe she could help him in some way that might reveal itself if they continued to drive further together. She had learned from trips taken to Mexico during college that people have a tendency to expose themselves to others behind the wheel of a vehicle, especially over four days dedicated to constant driving.

The GPS had been correct in directing Scott to the sandwich shop. It wasn't even seven o'clock and the town was deserted, not a Chevy pickup or cowboy hat in sight. Scott slant parked directly in front of the sandwich shop. As the three of them got out of the Bimmer, Kevin remarked about the smell of alfalfa in the air. Scott noticed several grain silos hovering over the town to the north, then did some yoga stretches against the car; they were ones Wendy had taught him in order to keep him loose and relaxed, especially after sitting for so long.

Dalton watched through the large glass window of the shop as they parked and entered; Scott thought that Dalton had to be a local high school student. He wore a blue striped cowboy shirt highlighted with red roses, complete with snap-flap patch pockets; his blue jeans sported a thick leather belt with an oversized rectangular brass buckle of three mountain peaks. His nametag confirmed he was the same Dalton with whom Maya had spoken earlier. After he welcomed them and took their order for three Italian specials, Scott and Maya then hurried to the bathrooms at the rear of the shop.

When Kevin asked where everyone was in town, Dalton said that it was the night of the annual turkey shoot at the firehouse. "There's where you'll find most people tonight. You don't get to shoot a turkey, just win a frozen kind if your aim is true. I see you got one of them city cars. Don't see many of them cars here except like yourselves getting off the interstate. Most here don't counter to them since they be way useless for hauling hay."

Scott smiled to himself as he heard Dalton while exiting the bathroom, drying his hands on his pants since there were no paper towels in the dispenser. His blue jeans were coming to the end of a second day and he was wondering if they could survive a third one.

Scott glanced at his grandfather's wristwatch. "We have a time change here?"

"You might. Which way you headed?" asked Dalton.

"East."

"Changes at North Platte. Ogallala's still mountain time. We're mountain time here."

"Thanks." When Scott decided to set his wristwatch an hour ahead, Kevin eyed him curiously. Scott thought that maybe Kevin had never seen someone set and wind a wristwatch.

Scott pulled out his cell phone, "Let me have your cell number, in case." As Kevin recited nine numbers and spelled his last name, Scott entered the information. He then tapped a green circle on his phone which pinged Kevin's cell phone; Kevin saw that the call was from Scott and nodded to him.

While they observed Dalton make their sandwiches through the plate glass in the front counter display, Scott thought his being there in a sandwich shop was ironic since that was how he'd met Wendy, while waiting for a sandwich to be made. Only this time there was no music for him to dance to, just a TV on top of a soda case against a side wall, the picture screen on but with no sound. A middle-aged woman commentator was mouthing something while a news crawl reported that negotiators had retired for the night to settle the transportation strike; the crawl added that little progress had been made.

As Kevin was staring up at the TV, he listened to his playlist through his ear buds, tapping his feet to a song only he could hear. Scott continued smiling to himself; he doubted that the song was "Invisible Touch" by Genesis; that CD was in the car's glove compartment if he really needed to listen to it. If so, he could share it with Kevin.

Scott saw Maya exit the other bathroom, take out her cell phone and put it to her ear. She took the phone call outside. She mouthed to Scott that it was her sister. Scott decided to scan for messages on his cell phone; it would keep his mind from going to dark thoughts about Wendy.

He saw that his mother had called but had not left a voice message. However, there was a text from her, she hoping that he was all right and that he'd be with friends for Thanksgiving. She said that they would be thinking of him and that she had sent a text and e-mail to Aunt Emma, but she wasn't sure if Emma had a cell phone with her while she was on her cruise. Scott texted his mother back to let her know that he was fine and not to worry about him or Aunt Emma. He signed off with, "Love, Scott."

Dalton put three wax-paper-wrapped sandwiches on a short counter by a cash register and asked if anyone wanted drinks. Scott ordered a large coffee to go while Kevin and Maya took two Pepsis from the soda case under the TV. Kevin insisted on paying for his own sandwich and cola while Maya used a credit card to pay for the other two meals.

After signing the receipt, Maya grasped the bag with the sandwiches and chips from the counter as Dalton handed Scott his large coffee. Dalton wished everyone a good holiday and then sat in a wooden chair behind the short counter, taking out his cell phone to play Ocmo on it.

As Scott drove around the block toward the interstate, Maya unwrapped two sandwiches and handed one to Scott. With Kevin also chomping on his sandwich in the back seat, the tingling smell of pepperoncini soon permeated the inside of the Bimmer.