Work In Progress 12

Though the destination when we left Illinois was supposed to be Waco Texas we ended up in Bowlingreen, Kentucky.We were in a trailer park behind the lost river truck stop where my mom cooked. I enrolled at Warren Central High where I was acing it except for Algebra which I was failing.One night the night cook was sick and they walked down to ask my mom who was two sheets by then to come in to cover.She flat said no.They asked if I could cook.Mom laughed and said if you didn't care how it tasted.So that is how I entered the work force at 15.I went to school,slept did homework whatever till 10 when I went to work till 6 a.m.One day I was sleeping on the couch and my mom woke me to ask me to wash the dishes so she could cook dinner.I said yes and went right back to coma land.I woke to her hitting me with a belt.I said no We are never going to revisit that b.s. and I left.That was the fourth and final time my mom administered corporal care.So I went to work that night after drifting around and crashed in a junk car ,a 59 black Cadillac parked close to work.After a few days a day shift waitress asked me if I wanted to come to her house and I did.She had a truck driver boyfriend named Marty who was on the road alot.My mom said it was a matter of time before he tried to manhandle me.I told him what she said.He replied the only way I would ever hurt you is to kick your a## till your nose bleeds If you start messing up.They were good to me.Marty taught me how to prepare a steak properly.His girlfriend that looked like a speed freak gave me clothes she had shrunk out of.I am ashamed to say this but I threw myself at Marty . He refused, kindly and wisely I might add ,to play catch. One day shortly before school let out for the summer I was walking to marsha and Martys when I was offered a ride by this guy who came into the restaurant all the time.He would order peaches and cottage cheese and stare at me.He was 19 to my 15. As I obviously(no kidding)knew him ,I took him up on his offer of a ride.Which evolved into drinking beer which ended with me running off with him to Tennessee.The bird was out of the cage with no flight plan. We walked into his parents house.Sitting at a quilting frame she lowered on ropes from the ceiling was his mom sporting a great big shiner.Mom this is the girl I am going to marry he said before charging off to confront his dad.This confrontation involving some profane bluster that his old man paid no regard.His mom frowned.