The Ride

I awoke before my alarm clock. My cell phone was vibrating on the nightstand. I cracked open my eyes and thought about what day it was, where I needed to be, and what time it might be. I turned the phone over to see that it was Gary who I worked with. I immediately thought of the tragic news that he might be calling about at this hour.

I answered it, “Hello?!”

“Hey Meghan, it’s is Gary from work. Audit Dept. I work with you on the Gibson Project. Did I wake you up?”

“NO!” I shouted, trying to act wide-awake. My voice was quick and abrupt, I felt embarrassed. It was obvious I wasn’t really awake.

“Um, OK. Well, I’m sorry to be calling so early. I have a bit of a problem I was hoping you could help me with. My car won’t start and I was hoping you could give me a ride to work. I know you live close to me so I was hoping it wouldn’t be too far out of your way.”

My head was trying to process everything he was saying but I couldn’t so I merely responded, “sure Gary. Just text me your address and I’ll be by around 7 to pick you up. Does that work?”

“Sure Meghan, whatever time works for you. I just appreciate it so much. See you then.”

I rolled my body into a ball and turned over and let my feet hit the floor as my head hung down and my hair touched my legs. What time is it? I looked at my phone again and it was 5:30. My alarm began to chime. As annoyed as I was at Gary’s phone call it was time to get up anyway. I leaned forward enough to allow my feet to hit the floor and I stood up all in one motion. I felt so agile for 35 and 5:30 in the morning.

“Gary, Gary, Gary, wow. I can’t believe I have to give Gary a ride to work”, I said to myself as I looked in the mirror. How pathetic was my life that he called me? Why am I a geek magnet? Why did Gary’s car have to be broken? I showered and began my morning routine. The coffee maker beeped at 6:15 and I walked to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. I looked out the window as I took the first sip and saw the light fog that was resting on the bushes in the backyard. The branches were growing unruly and spilling over the fence into the neighbor’s yard. I was annoyed that Ben never got around to trimming them before his accident. I never figured out how to use the electric trimmers and could never make the bushes look groomed as beautifully as he could. Now the backyard looked like a jungle and I didn’t know what I was going to do. I determined in my mind that I would get the trimmers out of the garage this weekend, and at least try. Anything was better than the way they looked now. And the neighbors would surely be glad I was trying at least. They may even offer to help if they see me out there looking helpless, balancing the trimmers and chopping the hedges into nonsense shapes.

I walked back into the bathroom to finish getting ready. I now had a full cup of coffee in me and I was beginning to wake up. As I brushed my lashes with mascara, my subconscious spoke to me in a staggering series of questions. “What was Gary doing up so early that he discovered his car wouldn’t start? He didn’t say. Why DID he call you and not Steve or Matt? Sure they live farther away but they’re guys. When your car breaks down don’t you call a guy? He sounded like he was already ready for work. Does he usually leave that early in the morning?” I felt a little clammy and an uncomfortable feeling was in my stomach. I felt a little queasy. “No, no. I am just overreacting because Gary is a bit of a nerd. It had to be hard for him to call anyone and calling a woman was probably less threatening. Poor guy. He probably ran to the store to get milk for his coffee.” It’s nothing I said to myself. The guy just needs a ride, there’s nothing more to it than that.

I pulled onto Gary's street and noticed the congestion of cars lining the street. It was an older neighborhood with small garages which didn't seem to have any cars in them. There was nowhere to park in front of his house so I pulled into the driveway. Looking at my phone it was 6:59. I assumed Gary would be coming out immediately since he sounded like he was ready an hour and a half ago. I could see a light on inside through the window above the side door. It appeared that the side door led straight into the kitchen, as most older houses do. An image flashed in my side mirror and I jumped. It was Gary. My heart was pounding as I rolled down the window,

“jeesh Gary, you scared me. Come around, get in.”

“Meghan I was wondering if you could look at my cat. I don’t think he’s feeling well. I tried to go to the store this morning to get him his favorite canned food but my car wouldn’t start. He just doesn’t look right and I don’t want to go to work if I should be taking him to the vet. Do you mind?”

“Well, of course Gary but I’m not an expert on cat health you know. I mean if he doesn’t look right you should just take him to the vet” I said as I was now walking in the side door to his house. I realized it was a stupid question now as he probably needed a ride to the vet and this was his passive aggressive way of getting me to take him and his cat. I thought about my meeting schedule and what I would miss if I had to take the two to the vet this morning. Gosh, how did I sign up for this?!

The house was dark and I paused so that Gary could find a light switch in the kitchen.

“Gary? You looking for a light? Here kitty… Gary?" I could hear him fumbling around. How did he not know where the light was? Jeesh Gary.

"Meghan, I need to tell you something. I lied about the cat. I don't have a cat."

My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it as my clothes and my hair moved over my chest.

"Gary what's wrong? Are you OK?"

The light came on above me in the kitchen just as I saw a large knife going at my "ghhaa..ufff.garrr.."

Blood pooled on the floor below Meghan's feet as she collapsed onto the floor. Her hair quickly saturating. Her eyes stared straight ahead at Gary's feet as she took her last breath. Gary walked to the sink and rinsed the knife and put it into the dish drainer next to the sink. He wiped his hands on the kitchen towel as he looked out the window at Meghan's car, still idling in the driveway. He grabbed his bag next to the door which he locked behind him as he left, getting into Meghan's car and slowly pulling out of the driveway.

"You thought I was a nerd didn't you, Meghan?"