Chapter 15

Lou slid down behind the wheel of Sam's car. She found she could reach the pedals and see the mirrors as she was about the same height as Sam. Armed with Sam's credit card and a little knowledge of the rules of the road she pushed the button for the garage door opener and turned the ignition key. So far, so good. All she had to do was put the car in reverse and back it out of the garage. Feeling confident and assuming anyone could drive a car as easy as working a microwave she pressed the brake and moved the gear shift.

Teaspoon sat in the front passenger's seat as Kid found himself squeezed in the back between Billy and Jimmy. Lou mistakenly put the car in drive thinking it was in reverse. She took her foot off the break expecting to roll backwards out of the garage. When they didn't move she touched the gas and the car lunged forward, hitting Sam's bicycle. She hit the brake hard.

Teaspoon suggested, "I think we want to go the other way, Lou."

"I know." she replied frustrated. She looked at the letters on the gear and shifted to the R. "Reverse." The car then rolled back and out of the garage.

Billy asked, "Did Sam show you how to work this thing when you were here the first time, Lou?"

"No," she confessed. "I just watched her."

Kid stated, "I think you are backing up a bit crooked, Lou."

"I'm fine." she insisted and then as she reached the end of the driveway she felt the car bump into something.

Jimmy reported, "You just rolled into that box."

She put the car in park and opened to door to see what she hit and what the damage was. She found the bumper was resting against the mailbox and a slight scratch was on the paint. The mail box looked fine.

"Maybe she won't notice." Lou winced to herself.

The others also existed the car to asses what she hit. They milled about for a moment.

Kid asked, "You sure you can work this thing?"

Jimmy stated, "What me to drive? I bet I can drive it."

She huffed, "I can do it! Now get in the car." She slid back down behind the wheel and slammed the door. In short time she found out that operating a vehicle was not as easy as she assumed. She told everyone, "Buckle the seat belts."

It took a few minutes but they figured out the task.

Jimmy asked, "What are these belts supposed to do?"

"Keep you in the car if we crash." she informed.

Kid paused, "Wait! We can crash?"

"Not if we are careful." she assured. She gripped the wheel tight and managed to maneuver the car onto the roadway before the home.

Teaspoon asked, "Does that door go back down on its own too?"

She then pushed the close button, "I almost forgot to close it." The door rolled back down. She then placed the car in drive and gently hit the gas. She moved ever so slowly at first. Soon some local children on bicycles passed them as they drove the pass the homes.

Jimmy asked, "Can't we go any faster? Those kids just passed us and those contraptions."

Billy stated, "Kind of looks like that bye-cissal-es that Teaspoon ordered from that catalog. The one Lou fell off."

She informed, "They call them 'bicycles' here."

Jimmy sounded, "We're being passed by kids and I know these car things go faster. I saw it when Becky drove us here."

She gripped the wheel tight, "I have never done this before. I will go faster when I am ready. Until then…Shh."

Billy mentioned, "I can walk faster than this."

Teaspoon sounded, "Boys! None of us have ever operated one of these machines before. Lou has more experience than we do. So, quiet." He soothed, "Take your time, Lou."

"Thank you." she replied.

As Lou got used to the feel of driving she did increase her speed but refused to go over the speed limit. She found most cars passed to the left but some would dart in and out of traffic around them. Though she was too busy concentrating on driving she didn't remember Sam being passed as much but Sam also admitted to driving faster than the limit posted.

Halfway to Walmart and Jimmy suggested, "I bet I could work this machine."

Kid stated, "It's not the car that's the issue. It's the other cars that are around us." He motioned as a car went flying by the window. "See!"

Jimmy sounded confident, "I could handle those other cars."

Billy stated, "Hard to believe this is Rock Creek. It's looks so different."

Kid agreed, "Like another world."

Jimmy agreed, "Looks nothing like our Rock Creek."

Soon they came to the plaza. They were struck by the sheer size of the shopping center that was loaded with stores and local places to eat. Jimmy asked, "What's McDonald's?" he asked reading the sign.

"Terrible food." she shook her head.

"Burger King?" Billy read off a sign from his side of the car.

"More terrible food." Lou declared.

Kid asked, "Is there any good food here? I'm hungry."

"There is this one local place that makes a good burger and shakes." she recalled the place. "It's called Bernie's Burgers."

"Let's go there and get something to eat." Jimmy suggested.

They exited the highway and entered the side roads. Soon they entered the large plaza with Walmart sitting like a crown jewel at the far end.

"Walmart." Teaspoon read the sign. "Looks big!"

"It is!" she agreed. "After Walmart we can go to Bernie's Burgers."

Lou feared the odd looks they would get upon entering the store. She had managed to park the car a bit further away than Sam would for she feared hitting a car in the next space. Upon existing the car they began to walk towards the entrance. They spotted a long row of carts being dragged into the store like a snake slithering through the cars. They soon found everyone was wearing face mask and then Lou realized they didn't have any.

"Oh no," she winced. "I forgot they got this COVID thing."

Teaspoon asked, "COVID?"

"I'm not sure what it is. Some kind of disease that can spread in the air. So, everyone is wearing mask to protect themselves." she explained.

Teaspoon spied a few patron with bandanas used as a mask. He untied his bandana from his neck, "Time to mask up, boys." He tied the bandana over his nose and mouth. He felt much like a robber walking into a store with the bandana on. He used it to keep dust out of his mouth while on horseback or doing chores. The boys all used their bandanas as mask upon entering.

Lou had a bandana around her neck but spied the young man giving out free disposable surgical mask. She opted for the free mask as he handed to her. She graciously replied, "Thank you, sir." He was young and had dark hair and brown eyes.

He smiled at her, "Welcome." It seemed everyone in the future could tell Lou was a girl immediately and yet Teaspoon still had no clue.

Lou's worst fear soon melted as she then realized they fit right in at Walmart. Patrons arrived in an array of attire ranging from skimpy bathing suits to pajamas. Looking like a group of cowboys didn't bat an eye for the other patrons.

Billy gawked at a young, sexy blonde haired woman wearing a yellow bikini and was giddy as a school boy until his eyes landed on the old man, with a pot belly wearing a green Speedo that walked beside her. He turned away, closed his eyes and stated, "Lord forgive me for my sins and please let that unholy sight be gone when I open my eyes." He opened his eyes and the skimpy couple had disappeared deeper into the store. "Thank you Lord." he sighed.

Lou had gathered a cart and stood before the large display of fresh produce. She stated, "We need to get food and clothing. Nothing else! Sam won't appreciate a big bill."

Teaspoon assured, "We will just get what we need." His eyes looked over the huge array of food before him. He had never seen so much food in one place in his life that wasn't meant for a military troop. "There is enough to feed an army here." he mentioned.

"There is more!" Lou assured. "Food all the way to the back of the store on this side."

He gasped, "That's a lot of food."

Teaspoon decided to stick with Lou as they gathered the food they would need and the boys decided to go find some clothing in the meantime. The electronics department caught their attention as the large screens displayed a demo with bright colors and sharp sounding speakers. There was so much merchandise and much of it they had no idea what its purpose was nor how it operated. The boys managed to cover the entire store and explore every department. Upon finding some suitable clothing the boys gathered at the shoe department. They noticed many shoppers were wearing athletic shoes and thus the object of fitting in required footwear as well.

Jimmy found a pair of athletic shoes that were all black and didn't have laces but Velcro instead. He found the Velcro amusing. He brought the sneakers before Billy and Kid who were trying on many different kinds. "Look at these here shoes. No laces, not a buckle either. Just some kind of weird strap." He pulled the Velcro back hearing the crackling sound.

Kid looked upon the shoe, "What is that weird sound it makes?"

Jimmy smiled, "Don't know but it's fun. I think I'll get these." He asked, "What you get, Kid?"

"I found some undershirts and under shorts. I didn't find any long johns. I got a pair of them blue pants that everyone seems to like here."

Billy stated, "They are called jeans. I got a pair too. And I found these neat pants with big pockets. They call 'em cargo pants'."

"I found those too." Kid agreed. "I like all the pockets. What you get Jimmy?"

He held up some items that draped over his arm, "I found those denim jeans but in black and undershirts, socks, boxer brief underwear, not sure if I will like them but look comfortable, a belt, a few flannel shirts, pair of pajamas, slippers and a robe. If I have to share a bed with Billy, I'm wearing bed clothes."

Kid suggested, "Maybe we should pick up some things for Teaspoon and Lou since they are getting the food." He added, "We kind of have an idea what everyone wears here."

Billy agreed, "Might as well cause this is gonna be a long day buying all this stuff."

Kid stated, "I think we should grab a cart for the clothes."

Jimmy agreed, "My arms are already full and we need to get more." He added, "There is so much stuff in here. It's like nothing I've ever seen before."

Kid decided on a pair of sneakers and placed them back in the box. "That's for sure. Lou actually understated this place. I wonder why Sam hates it? It has everything you could dream of here and then some."

Jimmy suggested, "Maybe it's just too big? It's not like Thompson's store. It's kind of…" he looked about the store trying to figure out why the little store was more pleasant to walk into. "lacks…hospitality."

Billy had to agree, "It's not very welcoming, is it?"

Kid nodded, "Kind of like a cold shoulder."

Walking by the shoe department was the skimpy couple that Billy spied earlier. He shivered, "That makes me cold just looking at it."

Jimmy stated, "That old guy kind of ruins it."

Kid shook his head, "When Lou said they ran around naked here, she wasn't kidding."