Disclaimer: I do not own the Outsiders and I am making no money off this. The Idea of only going by Passin' Through is credited to the late great Mr. Louis L'amour who wrote Passin' Through as a western with a male star. Well that's all I have to say on legalities.
Dedication: This goes out to Jhon who has the fast food places on speed dial. I am soooo hungry right now! Dinner should never come after 8'oclock at night! Good job big brother!
On with the show....
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Passin' Through
I looked up at the Sign marking the Tulsa City limits and frowned uncertainly. This was a far cry from where I was aiming, but it was on my list of places to stop. To be perfectly honest I thought I was in Texas still. Just goes to show how far you can get by hitch hiking. I sighed. It could be much worse.
"What do you think Sam?" I asked looking at my companion
I was answered with a lopsided look and a bark of impatience. I grinned myself. No matter what life threw at you a dog could still make you grin. I preferred the company of this retriever to any person I had met. At least I could grin once in a while.
"I agree. We're not getting anywhere standing here." I said slinging my duffel over my shoulder "Let's see what this place has to offer."
It was barely sun up when we started in to town from the highway. I wish I knew what direction this was, but I'd lost my compass in New Mexico somewhere and I wasn't turning back to look for it. I'd just pick up another one that wasn't being watched. In fact that was how I acquired the first three. I was gonna have to attach the next one to a string so I don't loose it.
For a while the only sound was my boots hitting the pavement and an occasional verse from a song I'd forgotten I knew. The few people that were out would send us odd looks and I didn't have to guess why. My jeans were ripped and faded, my jacket three sizes too big and the fact I was travelling the way I was always drew attention. I clashed horribly with the place I was in and I got the feeling these were the high-class people. I knew the type and I didn't trust people with so many skeletons in the closet.
I found a park after a couple hours of looking around the city. I set my duffel down beside me on the bench while Sam watched the birds in the trees. He was so innocent. I know he's a dog, but even though you can tell he's innocent. It would be nice to be like that. I ruffled through my bag for something to eat and Sam was instantly licking at my hands. I guess it had been quite a while since we had anything to eat. I set a sandwich down for him and put an apple on the bench while I looked through the duffle for my map. There were blue and red marks all over it, each mark on a different city. Red for places I'd passed through and blue for places I was headed. I put a big red one on Tulsa and took a thoughtful bite of my apple.
Since the time I was fourteen I'd made my way across most of this country and even into Canada. For each place there was a patch on my worn army duffel bag, sort of like stamps in a pass port. Now I had to find something special from Tulsa. I pulled a white star out of my jacket pocket and put it on the duffel between a patch shaped like a leaf and one like a bear. The star was for Dallas Texas and it fit quite nicely between Helena Montana and Denver Colorado. I took out some thread and a needle and began making it permanent. I flipped a strand of blonde hair out of my face and smiled when I was done.
"What do you think Sam?" I asked receiving only a wag of his tail "I thought so too."
The wind picked up a bit and I wrapped the large leather jacket closer to myself. It must have been getting close to November. I wasn't sure. You loose track of the date when you live from place to place. I packed the duffel again and stood up. There was no sense in staying here. The trees offered some shelter, but there were better places I'm sure. You learned a thing or two when all you owned you carried on your back.
I walked back towards what I had decided was the heart of the town. It didn't fall in the middle, far from it in fact. It was on one side of the rail tracks and looked like it was busy when it wasn't this early. I pulled a pocket watch out of my coat pocket and nodded to myself. It was barely nine in the morning. It was too early for things to be exciting. I'd been in several places just like it and I knew things didn't change much no matter where you went. Rich places were boring, poor places were exciting and where there was always something going on. Big cities had shady places and small places just hid theirs better. It was something I'd observed for three years now and I could handle myself well.
I decided a long time ago I wasn't much to look at. Barely 5'7 I had almost white blonde hair and light blue eyes. I'd done more walking than sitting in my life and I wasn't afraid of hard work. I could do almost any odd job you set me on and I could carry a lot. There were at least three books in my bag as well as clothes, blankets and a few little boxes full of odd things from my life. I'd only ever been jumped once in my years on the road and since then I'd carried a knife in my boot instead of at the bottom of my pack. I'd been alone for a long time and I could take care of myself. I didn't need anything but Sam and a little cash. I was going to have to find some before I left here or I'd be pretty hungry until I came upon another kind old lady who wanted to pet my dog and know my story. Those were far a few between these days.
I walked until I came to a hardware store and told Sam to stay out side with the duffel. This was as likely a place as any to find a compass, but I was attracting trouble bringing the dog and the bag in with me. I walked in and felt tensed. I knew I was going to have to relax if I was going to go without suspicion. I already stood out like sore thumb. This jacket was made for a man much bigger than me and I was wearing ripped and faded jeans over boots that were covered with dust.
I wandered around for a little until I felt more at ease and fit into the surroundings a bit more. I spotted a guy with rusty coloured side burns doing the same. He had his hair greased back and seemed to find the whole situation amusing. I could tell he knew what he was doing, but so do I. He caught me watching him and winked nodding towards the sales manager who was trying to watch his every move. He tried to look innocent as he continued walking around.
I walked around for a bit too and reminded myself to thank that guy for distracting the manager. I had no problems picking up the compass while he had only eyes for the other guy. I hurried out of there after that and waited across the street from the hard ware store for the guy with the side burns to come out. It was another hour before he finally did and he looked pleased with himself. He didn't even look my way so I picked up my bag and started out after him. My boots made noise on the side walk and there was no way he could ignore the fact I was behind him. He finally turned and grinned slyly. For a moment I wondered what end of the poker I'd bit off by following him.
"Did you get what you wanted?" I asked before he could say anything
"Whoa baby." He said leaning on the fence with one arm "We ain't even been introduced yet."
"No we haven't." I said continuing on the way he had been going "But I wanted to thank you."
"Thank me?" He asked catching up with me in three of his long strides
"Yes. If you hadn't been distracting the manager I wouldn't have been able to lift my compass." I said showing it to him "So I was wondering what took you so much time and energy to lift."
"You're one weird girl." He said laughing "I lifted this."
He showed me a black handled switch with a Seventy-Five dollar price tag still on it. His eyes were gleaming and I wondered just how long he'd had his eyes on that knife. I could see why he wanted it. It was a lovely, yet deadly weapon. I'd learned respect for knives a long time ago and I knew you treated every blade with respect.
"I've had my eye on this beauty." He said flicking out the razor sharp edge "Look at the blade on it! All six inches razor sharp."
"Very nice." I said suddenly remembering he was a total stranger who I shouldn't be talking to
"You got a switch?" He asked curiously
"Not exactly." I said reaching into my boot "This is a family piece. It's a variation to a Bowie knife. Lot smaller though and thinner."
I showed him the 8 inch bladed knife and watched his eyes widen. It had a dark ebony handle with over sixty nickel silver pins in a decorative pattern. Where the edge was razor sharp there was file work on the blade spine. It was carbon steal if I remembered correctly, but it didn't really matter. It cut good and I could use it well.
"That's one big blade for a girl." He said "How do you fit all that in your boot?"
"Easily." Was my answer and I put it back.
I adjusted my pack a bit and noticed Sam was hanging back by a few yards. He didn't really like new people until I said they were ok. Odd Dog, but smart dog too.
"So what's a girl as pretty as you doing wandering the streets of Tulsa with a big old knife and a dog?" He asked noticing Sam
"I'm just passing through." I said a little annoyed at all his questions, but I enjoyed the companionship all the same.
"While you're passing through would you like to get a burger or something?" He said trying to be smooth again
"No." I said shaking my head "All I want to do is make a couple bucks and be on my way."
"Where're you headed?" He asked
"Is there something you want?" I asked not used to talking to people "Because you ask too many questions for a guy who knows I have a bowie and know how to use it not to be wanting something."
He laughed a little the shook his head
"You're an ok Chick." He said still laughing a bit "To tell you the truth I fall hard for blondes and you're just about the prettiest one I've seen in this town. You also lifted that compass like a pro."
I sighed then. He was male.
"Yeah, so I lifted it. Not like I haven't done it before." I said meaning it
"No chick I know lifts things like that." He said with a serious look
"I must have had a good teacher." I shrugged
"A damn good teacher." He said "So have you changed your mind about that burger?"
"If I go and have a burger with you will you promise to stop with the questions?" I asked
"Yeah, but I got one more." He grinned "What's your name?"
"Just call me Passin' Through."
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I know vague, but first chapter blues. It gets better I hope. Well drop me a line and let me know what you think! I'm not as confident on this one as the others and I won't go on if it isn't liked so be truthful.
Any comments at all are welcome and flames are accepted
See ya in the funny papers!!! Tens