Making a disgusted noise, Ruth got to her feet and huffed, then strode toward the house.
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine!” he shouted to her retreating back.
* * * *
George adjusted his huge backpack on his shoulders and squinted at the late afternoon sun. Joplin, Missouri lay behind him.
I hope I can get a ride to Tulsa tonight. The first tendrils of doubt about his brilliant plan crept into his mind. A two-lane highway stretched out ahead of him through the Ozarks. Deep shadows under the trees gave the forest an eerie forbidding feel. It seemed everyone had gone into Joplin for the night, since no cars were visible on this abandoned stretch of road.
Where is everybody? I thought this was America’s Main Street. George steeled his nerve, shook the doubt from his thoughts and began walking.
Several cars passed him over the next hour but none stopped. As each one ignored him, his curses became louder, viler and higher-pitched.
Don’t panicIt’s gonna be okay. Someone will pick me up. He repeated those words over and over in his mind.
The first stars were appearing overhead when a Chevrolet Impala convertible with the top down pulled to the side of the road in front of him.
“Where you headed?” the driver called as George ran to the car.
“L.A.” he said out of breath.
“I can take you as far as Oklahoma City, but then I’m turning south to Dallas.”
“That’d be swell.” George dropped his backpack into the back seat and climbed into the passenger side. “I’m George.”
“I’m Louis.” The handsome driver gave him a bright smile. His face was surrounded by long brown hair and a short beard. He pulled back onto the highway and accelerated.
“Nice car you got here.”
“Thanks. I picked it up at the dealer just last week.” Louis reached down to turn up the radio. The Beatles, singing Hard Day’s Night, blasted through the speakers, even drowning out the wind noise and the sound of the tires on the pavement.
“I love these guys,” George exclaimed.
“Me, too. This is their latest hit.”
“My mom hates it when I listen because I turn up my radio loud!”
They shared a laugh. George sat lower in his seat and watched the darkening landscape, thankful he didn’t have to hike it. A few minutes later, they crossed into Oklahoma.
“I wasn’t sure if I was going to even make to Tulsa tonight. Thanks again for the ride,” he shouted over the din.
“Yeah, about that,” Louis said, turning down the radio. “You heard the phrase ‘No hips, lips or fingertips. No free ride’?”
George shook his head, confused. “I got money to help pay for gas.”
“Do I look like I’m poor?” Louis snapped.
George was taken aback. Why was he so mad all of a sudden? No one ever turned down money. “Then what do you want?”
Louis scooted his seat back a notch. He unzipped his fly and pulled out his cock, stroking it. “Get to sucking it.”
“Are you crazy?” George couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “I’m not sucking that! I’m not a homo.”
“Suck it or I dump your ass out right here. It’s a long way to Tulsa if you’re walking. Think about that.”
George glanced out at the dark terrain, at the tall trees on either side of the road. No light other than the occasional on-coming car could be seen. Which was more frightening? Being abandoned out here in the middle of nowhere with no civilization in sight? Or putting his mouth on another man’s dick?
“Either put out or get out,” Louis snarled.
George didn’t understand what motivated him to shift his position toward Louis. Fear of the dark unknown territory? Fear of being abandoned? Or was it the allure of forbidden sex? Fuck! Yes! There’d been a brief moment, of excitement, of anticipation, when Louis pulled his penis out. George felt a renewed rush of adrenaline surge through his veins.
He’d never seen another man’s erect penis before. In the dim light from the dashboard, it looked big. He leaned over hoping the doors and dash would hide him from anyone who could possibly see him. With his face only inches from Louis’ rigid manhood and his mouth open, ready to take the plunge, he hesitated. Louis grabbed a handful of hair and shoved him down on his cock. George was caught off-guard and couldn’t react in time. The dick filled his mouth and pressed against the back of his throat, gagging him.
Keeping a tight grip on his hair, Louis forced George’s head up and down, moaning loudly over the roar of the wind. George struggled against Louis’ hold but couldn’t free himself, no matter how hard he tried to push away.