Lost in the Woods

Happy Monday.  Life is returning to normal here.  This week is Ray's birthday.  He says he doesn't want anything or to do anything special.  He said life has been exciting enough lately and he'd just like to stay home.  While we were with the kids, there was an early celebration with cake and presents, so now he is saying it's just another day.  Yeah, but it's his day and I'll come up with something or other. Any suggestions?  lol

Lost in the Woods

The road kept getting narrower the further she drove.  The GPS had to be wrong – there was no way this road was going to lead to anything but more of the same.  Dodging the boulders in the road and the overhanging branches from the overhead trees had her nerves on edge.  There was no place to turn around so going forward was her only choice.  Her arms tense from holding the steering wheel so tight and her eyes focused on the road ahead, she never saw the animal that shot out from the woods and crossed in front of her. She swerved to avoid hitting the animal but lost control of the car, ending up in a rut and headed straight for trees.  She braced herself for the impact that never came.  Somehow, the brakes stopped the car with barely an inch to spare. 

Shaken to the core, her whole body trembled as she opened the card door and stepped out. Surprised that her legs didn’t buckle under, she took a few tentative steps to peruse the surroundings. The dense underbrush cut into her sandal clad feet preventing her from venturing too far.

She went back to the car and assessed the damage.  Other than a blown front tire, the car was in good shape – better than her. She reached for her phone.  She couldn’t find it.  Searching the floor in the front and back, and under the seat to no avail, she began to panic.  Her guardian angel must have been sitting on her shoulder because she spotted something shiny – she reached down and there was her phone.  Somehow it had wedged between the seat and seat belt buckle. 

There wasn’t a very strong signal  - she hoped she would be able to make a call.  Finally, the call to Triple A’s roadside service connected.  She explained the situation but when it came to telling them her location, she didn’t have a clue.  There wasn’t one thing she could use as a landmark.

 “Can’t you use my phone’s signal to pin point me?”

“Are you able to start your car?”

“I haven’t tried.”

“Why not try and see if your GPS can give me an idea?” 

After a couple of false starts, the ignition grabbed and the car came alive and she was able to approximate her location.  The next thing she heard was “how the hell did you end up there?” and then a quick “sorry”.

“Okay, we’ll get someone to you as soon as possible, but it might be an hour or more.  Are you okay until then?”

“Do I have a choice?”

“No need to be rude, ma’am.  We’ll get to you as soon as we can.”

“I’m sorry.” She clicked off the phone and sat back in the seat. 

The next thing she knew, someone was calling out to her.  Opening her eyes, it took her a moment to remember where she was.  Standing over her open car door, had to be the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.  ‘is this real, or am I dreaming?’ A baseball cap covered dark hair that curled at his neck, his face and toned arms tanned from the sun, a large hand with clean fingernails, reached in to help her out of the car. 

He introduced himself and asked for the keys to the trunk.

“Huh” she asked.

“The keys for the trunk, so I can get the spare and the jack.”

“Don’t you have that stuff on your vehicle?”

“No ma’am”.  That was when she looked and realized there was no truck, only a horse tethered to a tree on the far side of the road.

“You’re not Triple A.”

“No ma’am. Charlie and I were out for a ride when Chance came racing up to us, begging us to follow.   We decided we’d better see to the problem.”

Not seeing the other two men he named, she became a little frightened. ‘ Was she going to die out here in BFE?’

“I don’t see Charlie and Chance, where are they? Are they hiding In the brush?”

He let out a howl of laughter. 

“Ma’am, Charlie is my horse over there and Chance is my dog and yes he probably is crouched somewhere in the brush searching for a rabbit.”

“Oh,” was all she managed to say. Her face was the prettiest shade of red.

While he worked on the tire, he peppered her with questions.  He seemed friendly enough but she didn’t offer too much information.  When he replaced the tire, he got into the car and maneuvered it out of the ditch and back onto the road.

“There you go ma’am.” He said.

“What do I owe you?”

“Not a thing ma’am, but I suggest you call Triple A and cancel that road assist call.”

“I’ll do that but I would like to give you something for your trouble.”

“Ma’am, I don’t expect to be paid for helping out a damsel in distress.”

“So if I were a man, you’d charge me.”

“Ma’am don’t go putting words in my mouth.”

“I’m just asking a question.”

He tipped his cap and turned toward Charlie.  “Aren’t you going to answer me?”

“It seems like the better part of valor to just be on my way.”

He mounted his horse.  It was then she realized she still had no idea where she was or how she was going to get out of there.

“I’m sorry.  I was being cranky.  It’s been a helluva day and I’m lost. Can you help?”

“Are you willing to pay me for directions?” His grin gave him away.

“I’m willing to pay if the price isn’t too high.” She told him and smiled.

“How about a kiss and not a peck on the cheek kind of kiss?”

“That seems like an awfully steep price.” She replied

“You’re the one lost.”

She laughed.  “Yeah, I am.  I could just follow you out if only I could get this car turned around.”

“You are one stubborn lady.  I bet you give your husband fits.”

“I don’t have a husband.”

“Not surprised, you’re probably too ornery for most men.”

“You’re getting a little personal, aren’t you buster?”

“I told you my name was Rance Decker, not buster.”

“Oh, sorry, Rance Decker, you’re getting a little too personal.”

“What’s it to be, a real kiss or am I just going to take off and leave you to figure things out for yourself?”

“Somehow, I don’t think you’d do that.”

She heard him laugh.  “You think you have me figured out, do you?  I might just surprise you.  You’re right, though, my momma raised a gentleman but that doesn’t mean I put up with any guff, even from a pretty lady like yourself.”

“Doesn’t  your wife ever give you a hard time.” She asked, now on a fishing expedition of her own.

“I don’t have a wife and if I did and she gave me a hard time, I’d have to take her over my knee and show her who's boss.”

Her eyes widened.  “Did I hear you right? If I did, it’s not surprising you don’t have a wife.”

She watched a wistful look cross his face. “You heard me right and I don’t have a wife because I’m a widower.  My wife liked me fine, just the way I am.” 

“And did you take her over your knee when she dared to give you a hard time?”

“You’re darn right, I did.”

“Well, you are a lucky man, because most women I know would have you out the door in two seconds flat.”

“I think you’re wrong.  Until you’ve tried it, don’t knock it.”

She was about to give him an answer when they both turned at the sound of a truck lumbering up the road.

With that, Rance Decker turned his horse around, tipped his cap to her and the tow truck driver and took off across the field.

“I’m sorry.  Except for the fact that I’m lost, I don’t need your services.  That man came along and fixed the tire.  I called but I guess you were already on your way.  Can you tell me how to get turned around and back to civilization?”

“Sure.  If you drive down a little ways, you’ll come up on a clearing where there is plenty of room to turn around.  It’s how I plan on doing it.”

“Won’t the property owner be upset about using his land?”

“Sheriff Decker don’t mind.  Didn’t he tell you?”

“That man is Sheriff Decker.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She climbed in her car and decided she’d finish the conversation with Sheriff Decker, even if it meant tracking him down.  Being an officer of the law, she couldn’t believe he would go around advocating violence against women.  She’d give him a piece of her mind.

Do you think this story needs a part two or is this a good ending.  This is one place where your vote counts.  lol

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.