Remember When, Tome 1

There were a few other towns I passed by on the way home. What the locals called the old road, Highway 99, drove right through the middle of them. If I had more time, I’d take that route as it brought back a lot of memories seeing the towns that had barely changed at all. I was lost in nostalgia and surrounded by harvested rice fields when I saw my exit just ahead. As I drove over the overpass, I thought back to the time a few of us kids rode our bikes out here and coasted down the side. Those were the days, back when we were too young to worry about anything other than what adventure we’d have that day.

I stopped at the four-way stop and checked both directions, even though I knew it was clear. Being a holiday weekend didn’t mean the town was any busier. The main bar in town—well, really the only bar—was just on my left as I drove down the main street headed for home.

“Hey, pull over, motherfucker,” I heard yelled from the front of the bar.

I looked in the direction of the voice and saw a group of people leaning over the railing on the upper level. I waved and turned back to the wheel just as Link Stanton stepped in front of my car.

“Fuck!” I slammed on the brakes and was thankful I hadn’t been driving at more than a crawl. He tapped the hood of my car with his knuckles and sidled around to the driver’s side, wearing the same shit-eating grin I remembered from our childhood.

“What’s up, asshole?” He grinned, and just like always, I couldn’t stop myself from smiling back as I rolled down the window.

“Hey, Link, just going home for the holiday.” I eased my car forward a little, letting him know I was leaving, but he didn’t let go of where both his hands leaned on the window.

“Join us for a drink, just one. Come on, we haven’t seen you in forever.”

“I was just here at Easter.” I liked coming to visit, but there was definitely a limit to how much small-town gossip and interaction I could handle. After I’d moved away to attend cosmetology school in Sacramento, I’d found I quite liked going to the grocery store without everyone knowing me.

“Yeah, but you didn’t come out and visit everyone. Now come on, there’s a shot with your name on it.” He tapped the top of the window and walked backward toward the bar. “Don’t keep me waiting.” He winked before turning around, and without a second thought I pulled over and parked.

“Fuck, why didn’t I just keep driving?” I grumbled to myself as I grabbed my phone and tapped out a message to my mom. I was expecting them to be asleep by the time I got home, but if I didn’t tell her I was stopping along the way, she’d be pissed.