I'm Kurupt, ho, you'll never be my only one, trick-ass bitch!
It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none
It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none
It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none
It ain't no fun if the homies can't have none
Ben Song is rising in the front seat of the blue 1992 Ford F-150, his wet back against the leather seat.
"It was probably Randy Butler who did this," says Bump. "He just wanted to get back at Fireball here for hookin' up with Nadine."
He knows that it is just a minor setback, just less than ten minutes before he can get dressed in Danny Roberts's clothes.
Then , just as the pickup truck turns from the dirt read leading from the lake to the two-lane highway with the broken yellow lines in the center, the three people in the car hears a loud pop, and the vehicle skids. Bump depresses the brake pedal.
"Now what?" asks Lenny.
They all get out of the truck; Ben can feel the asphalt surface of the highway on his bare feet.
They looks and see the front left tire completely shredded; the rim is touching the road.
"Odd finger changes the tire," says Lenny.
The three of them play odd finger, and once again, Ben loses.
"Are you guys cheating?" asks the leaper.
"How do you cheat at odd finger?" asks Bump.
The quantum physicist grabs the spare tire and the jack. He had done hands-on work before, when building the quantum leap accelerator, but never worked outdoors with most of his bare skin showing.
And then, Addison Augustine shows up, seeing what the leaper is wearing.
She touches the screen of the handlink. "You know, it wasn't really that hot in Elk Ridge on July 3rd, 1996," says the observer.
"We went swimming," replies Ben, turning the lugnuts. "Danny only had speedos. And someone- I think it was Randy- burned our clothes. And now we have to deal with a flat tire."
"Could be worse. You boys could have decided to swim naked." She smiles.
Addison hears the wails of a police siren, and she looks and sees a Chevrolet Caprice with emergency lights. A man in a uniform steps out.
"Danny Roberts," he says. "What are you doin'? Hoping that some cute girl will be drivin' on this highway?"
"Just having a very bad day," answers the leaper.
Oooooooooo
Nadine Ketchum checks her watch as she stands right on the front porch of her family home near the outer edge of Elk Ridge.
The boys should have shown up here fifteen minutes ago. The teen wonders what is taking so long.
She then notices a car screeching to a stop right in front of her house It clearly is not a Ford FG-150 pickup truck nor a Chevrolet Camaro. It is a white Ford Mustang convertible, late 1980's model, with the top down.
And she clearly recognizes the driver of the sports car.
"Randy," she says.
"Time trials are startin' soon," says Randy Butler. "I can give ya a ride."
"Danny and his friends are pickin' me up," replies Nadine. "they'll be here soon."
"Looks like he's runnin' pretty late, if he's comin' at all."
"He'll be here."
"I bet he forgot. Or is drinkin' moonshine with his buddies. Or in bed with a cute girl."
"Just leave me alone."
"I just don't want you to miss the trials."
"I won't miss them,."
"It'll take you almost two hours to walk there."
"then I'd better start walking," says Nadine.
"I'll just drive my Mustang alongside you so no one mugs you or do something worse."
"You never give up, don't you?"
"Of course not. My grandpa didn't give up during the Depression when most people here and in the rest of the state did. That's why my family owns the plant."
Nadine looks down both direction of the streets. There is no sign of Danny Roberts. She reluctantly sits in the front seat of the Ford Mustang.
Ooooooooo
The police officer looks as the three young men race into the garage of the Union 76 station on the outskirts of town.
The sound of an engine roaring is heard.
And a yellow 1986 Chevrolet Camaro roars out!
Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise
Been spendin' most their lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise
Keep spendin' most our lives, livin' in the gangsta's paradise
ooooooooo
The race track is located just near the Interstate. It is a small race track, not like those in Indianapolis or Daytona. Dozens of people have gathered in the stands. Various stalls sell foodstuffs like hamburgers and hot dogs and tacoes. The walls are plastered with advertisements for goods and businesses Coca-cola and Blockbuster video and Planet Hollywood and even an advertisement for the newly-released movie Independence Day.
Nadine sits on a bench in the pit area, filled with the noises on engines revving as drivers test the engines of their race cars. She looks as mechanics in gray overalls look under the hood of the white Ford Mustang convertible that Randy will drive.
One of them tightens a nut. "I can't believe Nadine actually decided to ride with you in this car," he says. "I mean, I thought..."
"It wasn't a breakup, Mitch," replies Randy. "I mean, I know things have been difficult since I spent the first half of the year away at Terre Haute. But she's back."
Mitch looks at the teenager sitting at the bench a few feet away. "Doesn't look too happy."
"It's just stress. I mean, Nadine's now got to go into the working world since she's been done with high school for over a year."
"Car 63, go to the starting line," announces a voice from the speaker.
"That's you," Mitch says to Randy.
Randy steps into the driver's seat. He looks at Mitch, a young man in his late teens with dark brown hair. Mitch could take apart engines around the same time he mastered the art of riding bicycles. In addition to fixing cars, he also fixes vehicles part-time in the Indiana Air National Guard.
Randy starts the Mustang's engine. The gearshift in neutral, he depresses the gas pedal and looks at the tachometer rise with each press.
Putting the car in gear, he idles towards where Nadine is sitting.
"This one's for you, Nadine," he says.
She rolls her eyes back silently.
Seconds later, the flag is waved and the Mustang rolls off.
That same time, Ben finally parks the Chevrolet Camaro in the pit area. Nadine runs up to the yellow sports car.
"Danny, where were you?" she yells at the man who appears to be her boyfriend. "I waited and waited!"
"Sorry, Nadine," replies the leaper, wearing gray overalls that do not exactly fit. "We got hung up."
"Yeah, we couldn't decide what to wear."
"and Randy Butler is making his final lap," says the announcer. "He could be making a track record."
"Randy's in this race?" asks Ben.
"He could be trouble," says Bump. "He's no Jeff Gordon, but he's good. I've seen him race the summer after we graduated high school." he watches the Mustang speed to the finish line. "He'll give us as much trouble on the track as off the track."
"There it is," says the announcer. "Randy Butler was only 0.8 seconds behind the all-time time trial record for this track."
"You're not racing against him now," says Nadine. "You just have to be fast enough to make it to the race tomorrow."
"Car 40 to the starting line," says a voice over the speaker.
"We'd better take one last look at the Camaro especially as it's using a new driveshaft," says Lenny.
"I should be leaping," says Ben. "I mean, we're here and the car's working."
"Not our turn," says Bump, already looking at the car's engine.
The leaper wonders where Addison is. It is not as if he could just call her, even if he had a cell phone, as she is decades in the future. All he can do is watch the other racers race around the track.
"Car 32, to the starting line," says the voice over the speaker.
"That's you, Danny boy," says Lenny.
"Now I can leap."
Nadine kisses Ben. "Good luck," she says.
He takes a deep breath. He starts the Camaro's engine and revs it. He puts the car in gear and approaches the starting line.
The leaper wonders why he has not leaped yet. Danny will be here with two healthy eyes, the Camaro has a working driveshaft, and yet he has not leaped out so that Danny can have his chance in the time trials.
"At the starting line is Car 32, Danny 'Fireball' Roberts," says the announcer.
"Addison," says the leaper. "Why haven't I leaped. Why aren't you here?"
The flagman drops the green flag. The car does not move.
"Something is going on," says the announcer.
"I hope the driveshaft just didn't break," says Lenny.
"Lesson one, Ben," says Addison. "When the flag drops, you go."
Ben puts the Camaro in gear and floors the pedal, and the tires squeal against the asphalt. The leaper soon sees a turn approaching. He reaches the gas pedal.
"Don't brake!" yells the observer. " You've gotta snap left and break the rear end loose. Then a sharp right into a reverse lock and plow through the turn."
"what are you talking about?"
"Let her slide."
Ben slams the gas pedal and turns the steering wheel. The rear end of the Camaro fishtails.
"Come on, Danny!" yells Nadine.
Ben turns the wheel as he comes out of the turn.
"Just feel the road, Ben," says Addison.
"I'm not feeling it," says Ben.
"Just punch it. Punch it!"
He hits the gas and the car accelerates forward.
"..and Fireball Danny Roberts is coming into his final lap ladies and gentlemen," says the announcer.
Ben looks at the finishing line, keeping the gas pedal to the floor.
And he sees the flagman wave the checkered flag.
"Car 32 has qualified," says the announcer.
"He did it," says Lenny.
"I don't know how," says Bump.
"I knew he could do it" exclaims Nadine.
"Thanks, Addison," says Ben. "I couldn't have done it without you."
"You almost didn't do it with me," she replies.
"I should be leaping now. Danny now has a chance to compete in the race tomorrow. I need him to take the wheel."
Nadine appears, wraps her arms around Ben and plants a big kiss and the observer looks away.
"How are ya feelin', Danny?" asks Lenny.
"Pretty good," replies the leaper.
"You looked a little squirrely," says Bump, "but you made it. Tomorrow, you'll be yer old self again."
Addison touches the handlink. "Ziggy can't figure out why you haven't leaped out yet."
"Well, I'm hungry," says Bump.
The four of them go to one of the concession stands that sell hot dogs and hamburgers, grilled right on site. They can hear the meat sizzling.
"Come on, Nadine, I'm leaving," they hear.
Ben turns and sees Randy.
"Well, goodbye," says the young woman.
"Bye? UI think you forgot who you came with."
"No, I didn't. You gave me a ride but I'm with Danny."
Addison looks closely at Randy. She can tell he is meaning to cause trouble.
Randy takes a step back. "Look, Nadine. I don't want to argue in front of everyone here. You came with me, so you leave with me. That's all there is to it."
Ben steps in between them. "Look, Randy," says the leaper. "she doesn't want to go with you. That's that."
He shoves Ben aside. "You stay out of this, trash." He then holds Nadine's hand. "Come on, Nadine, we're leaving."
A small group of people gather around as Randy starts pulling the young woman's arm.
"You're hurting me," she says.
Ben taps Randy on the shoulder. "Okay, Randy, that's enough."
Randy responds by taking a wide swing at the leaper, who swiftly dodges and follows up with an elbow to the back, sending Randy to the ground.
He gets up.
"You're dead, Roberts."
Randy gets up and charges at Ben, who quickly sidesteps. Randy once again falls on the ground.
"Go get 'im, Danny," says Lenny.
"Show him what yer made of," says Bump.
"You shouldn't be fighting him," says Addison.
"He disagrees. You did give me boxing lessons a few months ago."
Ben uses his reflexes to dodge Randy's attacks.
"I know why you're doing this," he says to Randy. "You were the big boy in Elk Ridge. But when you went to Indiana State, you felt small, insignificant, no better than me." He continues dodging. 'Many people there are better than you. And many people there are no better than you."
Randy takes another swing at Ben, misses, and lands right at the concession stand.
Ben slowly backs away. "it;'s over, Randy," he says.
Suddenly, Randy grabs a bottle, spins around, and swings it towards Ben's head.
"Ben, look out!" yells the observer.
He starts ducking, but the bottle smashes against the side of his head.
"Danny!" yells Nadine.
Ben stoops to his knees, clutching his head, as blood gushes out. Addison reaches out, but her hand passes through him.