Midas Touch (13 page)

Laura extended her hand and Sandra playfully shook it.

“We’re doomed to friendship for life,” Laura said.

“That’s me,” Sandra sighed in mock severity. “Always the friend, never the lover.”

“No dramatics, Tater. That kiss didn’t exactly knock your socks off.”

Sandra shrugged. “True,” she admitted.

“So, will you stay or not?” Laura asked.

“I’ll have to pick up some more clothes and let Margaret know how to reach me, but I’ll be back tonight.”

“I’ll fix us something delicious and healthy for dinner. We’ve got to get you in top form,” Laura called, as Sandra climbed into the Jag and started the motor.

0

Getting away from Margaret proved much easier than Sandra had anticipated. She simply told Margaret she would be spending two weeks with Laura, who was an old college friend and left Laura’s telephone number. Not until she was halfway across the city did she realize that Margaret probably thought she was having an affair. She mentally pictured the bike and said,

“Maybe I am.”

Anxious to get started with her lessons, Sandra headed back to Dee’s. She made one quick stop, at the Department of Motor Vehicles, to pick up a study guide for a motorcycle license.

She pulled her Jag around to the side of Dee’s shop and went in with the items Dee insisted she buy.

You came back,” Dee called, when Sandra walked in.

“You’re going to think I’m a permanent fixture before you get rid of me,” Sandra hollered back.

“Can I ask you a question?” Dee asked as they walked into

her tiny office.

“Sure.”

“Why do you want that bike so bad?” She hesitated. “I don’t mean to be rude or anything, but you don’t look like the bike type.”

Sandra’s eyebrows arched. “And what is the bike type?”

“Touch”,” Dee replied, and sat down at her desk. She motioned to Sandra to take a seat on the couch next to the desk.

“Is the bike for weekend recreation, general driving or what?”

Sandra sat and stretched out her legs. “I plan to travel on it.”

“Cross-country?” Dee’s interest peaked.

“I don’t have a particular destination, I’m just going to go.”

A look close to jealousy crossed Dee’s face. “Dang, that would be great. How long do you plan to do this?”

“A month, maybe two.”

Dee seemed to consider Sandra’s response. “How are your mechanical skills?”

“I can pump gas, and I’ve been known to add oil to a car on an occasion or two.”

“Ever changed it?”

“No.”

“Can you change a tire?”

“No,” Sandra answered, starting to feel inadequate.

“Come on.” They left the office and walked through the showroom to the garage.

“Connie.” The short, thin woman, who had waved at them earlier, turned from a bike she was repairing. “This is Sandra.

She’s going to be coming in for riding lessons for the next couple of weeks.”

Sandra noticed the blank look Connie gave Dee.

Dee continued without explaining. “She’s planning on doing some traveling on her new bike, the Honda Valkyrie, and she needs some basic mechanical know-how. Could you spend, oh, say an hour a day, giving some basic pointers? You know. Minor emergency things she might encounter on the road.”

“Dee?” Connie began.

Dee held up her hands and stopped her. “We’ve worked it all out. I’ll explain later. Can you spare her an hour a day for the next two week?”

“Sure. I can show her as I work.”

“Great. She’s all yours for an hour.” Dee slapped them each on the shoulder and left.

Connie assessed Sandra’s clean slacks and silk shirt. “Why don’t you watch today and wear something old tomorrow?”

Eager to begin, Sandra nodded.

For the next hour, Connie explained the basic operations of a motorcycle as she continued to work on the carburetor she was rebuilding.

Sandra listened and watched with an intensity she’d never shown for any other lecture.

Connie answered Sandra’s questions with quick easy assurance. Before Sandra realized it, Dee was back waiting for her.”Ready for your first ride?” Dee asked.

Sandra felt her mouth go dry. She could only nod.

“Well, come on.” Dee tossed her the helmet Sandra had purchased earlier.

Sandra caught it and turned to Connie. “Thanks, Connie.

See you tomorrow.” Connie nodded and waved.

Dee led the way to the front of the building. Sandra’s breath caught at the sight of what she already considered her bike sitting there.

“I figured you should know what you’re working toward. It might give you an extra bit of incentive to get you through the rough spots and sore muscles,” Dee said. Sandra pulled on the helmet as Dee threw a long leg over the leather seat.

“Hop on,” Dee instructed as she patted the seat behind her.

Sandra trembled with excitement as she slid her leg over the seat and settled behind Dee.

“Hang on to me and don’t make any sudden moves,” Dee said. “Let your body become a part of the machine and move with it. Ready?”

“Yes!” Sandra’s heart pounded so hard, she wondered if she might be having another attack.
God,
she thought when the powerful motor roared to life.
If dying feels like this, take me now!

Dee took them through a maze of side streets until they reached IH-35. She headed south, and as the city traffic fell away, she opened-up the throttle. Sandra Tate fell head over heels in love with the powerful machine between her legs. She turned her face to the warm afternoon sun, wishing she could rip the helmet from her head. She wanted to feel the wind in her face and hair, but she knew Dee would not approve, so she closed her eyes and held onto Dee, scarcely breathing. She wanted to absorb every nuance of this moment. She needed to be able to recall every detail. These memories would sustain her until she could ride this beauty by herself.

Sandra almost cried in disappointment an hour later when they rolled back into the parking lot of Dee’s shop.

“What do you think?” Dee asked as she got off and removed her helmet.

Sandra took her helmet off and smiled brightly. “After that ride I think I need a cigarette.”

Dee laughed loudly. “It’s a thrill all right, but I wouldn’t say it was better than sex.”

It’s better than any sex I’ve ever had,
Sandra thought, her body still throbbing with the sensations of the bike.

“So, we’ll see you tomorrow morning then?”

Sandra nodded and reluctantly climbed off.

The next two weeks were rougher than Sandra could have ever imagined. Dee started Sandra off with a small scooter. If Dee was satisfied with Sandra’s performance each afternoon, Sandra would find a larger, heavier bike waiting for her the next day.

Unfortunately, Dee was never satisfied with Sandra just being able to keep the bike upright and going. She insisted Sandra learn how to perform a wild series of slides and maneuvers through an obstacle course of cans and boxes she and Connie created in the lot behind the shop. Dee gave Sandra a key to the shop. Sandra

practiced from early morning until she was too exhausted to pick up the bike.

“Try it again,” Dee called when Sandra failed for the fifth time to negotiate the course. Sandra struggled to lift the heavy bike.

This morning Sandra had found a much heavier bike waiting for her. Its weight and more powerful motor were giving her trouble.

Exhausted, Sandra wondered what Dee’s obsession was. She had nothing to gain by Sandra’s failure to ride.
Unless she gets her
thrills watching me make a fool of myself,
she grumbled to herself.

“Anytime today, Sandra,” Dee yelled.

“Fuck off,” Sandra snapped as she used her sleeve to wipe the sweat from her eyes.

Without warning, Dee was in front of her. “Listen to me.”

Her face was red with anger as she jabbed Sandra’s shoulder with her finger. “This isn’t some toy you can take out and play with.

Do you have any idea how many people die on bikes every year?

They die because they don’t know how to ride, or they’re careless or because some moron in a car doesn’t take the time to look for them. You’ve got one more day to successfully negotiate this course. If you can’t do it by one o’clock tomorrow, our deal’s off.

Do you understand that?”

“What the hell’s your problem? Why do I need to know how to slide and all this stuff anyway?”

Dee spun on her heels and stormed away. A moment later, Sandra heard the bike that Dee rode roar to life and speed away.

Sandra walked the bike back to the door where Connie stood watching her. “Connie, what’s with her? Why should she care whether I can do all those slides or not?”

Connie pulled a cigarette from her pocket and lit it with a match. She leaned against the doorframe and carefully blew out the match. “If I tell you, can you keep your mouth shut?”

“Sure.”

“Three years ago, Dee sold a bike to a woman who didn’t know much about riding. The woman had a license, and had even owned a bike, but she bought a bike bigger than she could

handle. Four days later, a gravel truck pulled out in front of her.

She panicked and tried to stop too fast. She lost control and was thrown from the bike. She died the next day. If she could have maneuvered the bike into the slide Dee’s been showing you, she’d probably still be alive.”

Sandra nodded. “I can understand her feeling bad, but it was ultimately the woman’s choice to buy the bike. Dee shouldn’t feel guilty about selling it to her.”

“The woman was her kid sister.” Connie pushed her cigarette into a can of sand that sat by the door. “What she’s trying to show you could save your life.” Connie turned and went back to her workbench.

Sandra crawled back onto the bike and started it. She was still practicing two hours later when Connie yelled to tell her it was time to stop for the day. She had not been able to complete the course even at a slow cruise.

“I want to stay and work a while longer.”

“No. You’re already exhausted. Go home and get a good night’s sleep. It’ll be here in the morning.”

“Tomorrow’s my last day,” Sandra protested. “If I don’t get it right by one o’clock, she won’t sell me the bike.”

“Why is that particular bike so important to you? There are hundreds of bikes on the market.”

How could she explain to Connie that she had fallen in love with the Valkyrie? That riding it had made her feel alive. She shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t think I can explain.”

Connie continued to watch her before nodding. “Never mind, I think I understand. Bring the bike on in and go home.

You’ll be fine tomorrow. You have the necessary skills. You just need to loosen up and relax.”

“Will Dee be all right?” She had not come back to the shop.

“Yeah. She called earlier to check on you.” Connie grinned and said, “Personally, I think you both need to loosen up.”

Sandra and Laura sat on the porch enjoying the warm southern breeze. An easy silence settled between them. The distant chirps of crickets and an occasional snuffling from Laura’s three horses, in the corral behind the cottage, added to the night’s charm.

“I could get used to this,” Sandra said, stretching her legs out in front of her to gently push the swing.

“I’m going to miss you when you leave,” Laura said.

“Liar. You know you’re already longing for peace and quiet.”

“I won’t miss you bouncing around the house at six-thirty in the morning,” Laura admitted and smacked Sandra’s leg.

“Do you ever think of getting married again?” Sandra asked, studying Laura’s profile in the semi-darkness.

“No. I don’t think I will. Marriage is too complicated. Women end up giving up more than men and at this point in my life I’m not willing to give up anything.”

“Not even for Mr. Right?”

“Mr. Right is a fairy tale. He fits in right between the Easter Bunny and Santa Claus.” Laura hesitated. “If I could find a person who truly loved me and would respect my dreams, I might consider dating. But until someone can kiss me and knock my socks off, I’ll remain single.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever had my socks knocked off,” Sandra said with a frown. “I must be doing something wrong.”

“It’s probably not what you’re doing as much as who you’re doing it with. You’ve just never met the right woman.” Laura’s voice took on a mock sultry purr. “Just wait, darling, until you ride into town on that beautiful beast of yours. Women will trample each other to get to you.”

Sandra’s shoulders slumped. “At the rate I’m going I’ll probably run over them.”

Laura laughed and rumpled Sandra’s hair. “That’s not the way to knock their socks off.”

The following morning Sandra woke to the soft pattering of rain on the window. “Oh, no,” she cried and scrambled up to stare out the window.

“What’s wrong?” Laura grumbled, still half asleep.

“It’s raining!”

“Good. We need rain.”

“Not today,” Sandra moaned and fell back on the bed.

“The obstacle course will be twice as difficult in the rain.”

“So reschedule.” Laura turned onto her side and pulled a pillow over her head.

Sandra laughed out loud.
Of course. Why hadn’t she thought
of that?
She would call Dee and cancel today’s ride. They could reschedule it for next week. She would have to wait a few more days before she got her bike, but it gave her more time to practice, and it delayed the chance of failure.

Sandra waited until seven to call Dee at the shop. She was practically dancing with relief as she filled Dee in on the new plan.”No way,” Dee announced, bursting Sandra’s bubble. “At

some point you’ll have to ride in the rain. So you may as well get used to it. This will be good practice for you.”

“Wait a minute.”

“A deal’s a deal, Sandra. If you can’t handle the course, you don’t need the bike. I have to pick up some parts for Connie and make a delivery, so I’ll see you at one sharp.” Dee hung up before Sandra could protest further.