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“Yeah, that would be me, hop in we’ll go by the garage I have a few sitting idle needing their motors run. I think I have the perfect one in mind for you. You can just take it, use it while you’re here and pay me when and if you want to keep ‘em.”
Baldy headed into town with Sydney in the back of his extended cab as they crested the hill rolling into the town a couple steeples were the skyline for the tree lined streets. Homes were a mix of older farm homes at the edge absorbed into the town. A few slapped together post war homes and even a few newer constructed places. The brick schoolhouse had signs outside designating it as a community center now and Baldy waved at a few older women in workout gear heading inside.
A flash of playground equipment easily seen from the main road showed a park as well as the school with a few younger kids playing. Motorcycles were in many driveways and the one block downtown had the SMC garage taking up the end of the block. Only two pumps with a small convenience store and a few bays propped open as the sound of metal on metal and misfiring engines filled the street.
“Hey babe,” Baldy said and a young woman with her brown hair pulled up into a tight ponytail popped her head out from under the hood of a later model sedan. “Those keys for the hatchback in the office?”
“The police auction one?” she questioned then glanced over at Sydney and Mike. “I sent Kid over to Berrington to get a few parts I ordered from Klingborns in it, should be back in an hour or so.”
“What about the old Street Glide?” he questioned. “Did the carburetor get switched out?”
“That was one of the parts I sent Kid to fetch,” she said. “I was going to put it in after I got the timing reset on this.”
“You’re fixing that car?” Sydney questioned and Mike went to silence her.
“Well, it ain’t gonna fix itself,” she said. “You want to help?”
Sydney’s eyes got wide, but she tucked in next to Mike.
“Maybe another day,” the woman whose mechanic’s jumpsuit said Lil’ Bit offered.
“By the time you’re done at the clinic,” Baldy said. “We’ll have the hatchback here and we can sort it all out.”
“Sounds good,” Mike said.
“She needs a booster seat,” the woman stated, total mom mode engaged.
“Yes, yes, we’ll make sure to have a booster here,” Baldy said with a shake to his head. “Hey, the clinic is a few doors down.”
Sydney held tight to his hand as they made their way down the street. It was still early and he could tell the town didn’t do mornings. A few people were milling around and across the street the bar with only a small window in the door sported the name Roadside. The sign had a silhouette of a woman bent over like she was talking to a man in a truck. While it said drinks, food and dancing he was pretty sure they weren’t talking about line dances.
Stepping into the inviting clinic door Porsche sat behind the high desk working as a receptionist.
“I thought you worked across the street,” Mike said as he approached the desk.
“Yep, and here, and the school, and sometimes behind the cash register at the garage,” Porsche said. “Jack of all trades, master of none.”
She was the utility woman.
“Can you fix cars like Lil’ Bit?” Sydney asked as she stood tiptoed to be high enough to see over the counter.
“Beyond checking my oil, nope,” Porsche said. “But let me guess, Lil’ Bit tried to get you to change a tire?”
“No,” Sydney laughed. “But she did ask me to help.”
“Next time, say yes,” Porsche said. “She teaches all us girls around here to do basic maintenance, kinda like Red teaches us all First Aid. You gotta be prepared for anything, Syd.”
“Daddy taught me how to build a fire last year, but I haven’t got to try again.”
“I bet you guys could build one by the trailer, you all moved in there, right?” Porsche asked and Mike nodded as Sydney ran behind the desk. “How are you, Mike?”
“Syd, you can’t do that Ms. Porsche’s working.”
“Does your chair spin?” Sydney asked and Porsche spun in the chair.
“It sure does,” Porsche said leaning forward on her elbows.
“How did you guys get here?”
