Joy Ride

I was 22 years old when I got my first apartment. I worked all kinds of odd hours with Interior design. I loved the variety of my job as the assistant to a free style artist, the job had me wall papering and painting. I was creating clouds in a soft blue color with a sponge when my cell phone rang that late afternoon. My friend Joanie's voice was direct with no greeting. "Benny needs our help." I stopped to wipe my painted hand on my cut off jean shorts...soon all my clothes would be splattered in paint at this rate. "Count me in." I replied for there wasn't anything I wouldn't do for those girls. Benny was a cabin counselor for her church, so she needed a ride up the mountain to catch up with her group. Joanie realized she needed someone to ride back with her in the middle of the night. It was 3 hours up to the camp sight, then once we got there we just turned right around to go back. That car ride was one of my most favorite memories full of laughter and conversations that now when I look back 10 years later I realize it was all very important to my quest for truth in my religion. Joanie explained over the phone that Benny isn't wanting to make this all a big deal. I chuckled in reply stating that we weren't the kind of friends to back down if she needed help. I didn't even changed from my painted cloths as the hot summer day melted into a cool dry evening with a pink sunset glow. The 3 of us settled into Joanie's little car and off we went happily together for this joy ride. I sighed with relief as I sat in the passenger seat "I am so glad to not go home tonight, it is the scariest time getting home at night and finding I am completely all alone. I have started leaving lights on when I know I am painting late." Benny sat in the back seat with her stuff for camp, as Joanie drove. "So have you bought any dishes yet?" Benny asked me with a smirk and a wink. It was true that when the girls were over they looked in my small apartment kitchen and I only had paper plates with plastic forks. My only food at home was cold cereal and milk with one bowl and one spoon, I was so lost in how to plan out a kitchen. In fact there would be times a whole week would go by and I never once stepped into the kitchen of my new home. Benny and Joanie both were amazed that my food choices were Orange juice or a wine cooler, they found this very funny. 
When Joanie made a stop at the gas station as I was laughing thinking about my need to buy silverware. I sprung from the car excitedly "FOOD! I am so hungry!" I rushed into the convenience store, with Benny also laughing as she followed me. I bought corn nuts, skittles, snickers and kit kat candy bars. I bought a baked big salty pretzel and several cans of Pepsi for the caffeine later in the night. When Benny saw me she kept shaking her head giggling as I walked out with 2 full bags of snacks, pretty much everything I had seen inside. "Oh Good Lord!" Joanie exclaimed as I piled back into the car, Benny rolled her eyes behind me saying "I told her this was enough food to last a whole week!" I chuckled as I explained "You never know what you might want to eat in 6 hours from now when every place is closed." Joanie and Benny shrugged together then Joanie startled us both by shouting "DID YOU WASH YOUR HANDS!?" I rolled my eyes nodding and held them up for her to check. If they didn't smell like soap she would make me go back to the restroom sinks and wash them again. The number one thing with Joanie was always and I do mean ALWAYS wash your hands after a restroom brake. Now she only entered public restrooms under serious discomfort, the kind of discomfort that could result in a failed kidney. "Oh good grief! Joanie you scared me! You and this whole thing of washing your hands! You are crazy.." Benny replied with another chuckle as Joanie went off on how there was this  world of germs and most people are so discussing if we actually took the time to think about it! As we hit the road our conversation on the importance of washing your hands made me smile so happily because I loved being with my girls. I enjoyed talking about unique things and laughing was the best part of it all! Joanie was driving along when some crazy fast car sped around us cutting in front closely making us all squeal in unison. I yelled out my open window "Shit heads!" as they "brake checked" us then sped off! Benny slapped the side of my arm "DEBBY shhhhhh! Don't say that!" I was startled by her as I looked over. "What the hell!..." Benny got my arm again as I kept talking "We could have gotten into an accident, stupid crazy drivers!" Benny shook her head "Don't say bad words." I snorted again replying "I can say what I want!" Benny had been attending a church with strong opinions on swearing. I was now living my own finally. I was also cursing like a sailor in my own space, my boyfriend said that it was my "JR high stage" catching up with me, since I was raised so sheltered now I was on my own I had such freedom of expression, I didn't want fear to keep me from being honest in how I felt or what I wanted to say. In the car as we sat talking and snacking, my soda can exploded all over as I went to open it and I shifted up trying to keep it from foaming on the seat "Holy shit!" was my first response then another hit, Benny was getting annoyed by now as I replied "What the hell! stop hitting me! I can say what I want! this almost got on my shorts! It could looked like I pissed myself!" A few more slaps on my shoulder but I kept exclaiming "Damn it! I said Knock it off!" I unbuckled quickly to shove myself over to the car dashboard. Benny was giggling now as I squirmed and slanted myself away from her hitting me for each bad word I had dropped. Her hand was reaching towards me as Joanie shouted "Debby STAY Buckled up!" I bent down by the door and squealed "Hell no! She will get me for saying shit, damn it and pissed! I am no dumb ass!" I grinned playfully at Benny who burst out laughing at me. Just as I had buckled back up in my seat, I pointed to my other shoulder glancing at Benny I motioned to that side saying "When I say another "bad" word hit me on the other shoulder please. This one is sore now." Benny had been laughing so much by my moving all around. She finally stopped to breathe, giggling saying "WHEN!? You just assume you will be saying more! You can control it, you know." I sighed smiling "The hell if I really know.." Benny slapped my shoulder and I exclaimed "Hit my other arm! For the love of God!" Joanie had been laughing at me the whole time too. But when she almost missed her turn in the road due to my commotion, she hissed out "Oooh fuck! I missed the turn!" I froze. I sat with my eyes wide and my mouth open hanging there frozen, Joanie continued turning around the car to go back to our turn and Benny sat looking at the window. When Benny looked back at me she burst out laughing again as I sat frozen pointing in amazement at Joanie. Joanie noticed me too, once she got on the road we needed "What?" they both asked in unison followed with giggles. I was dumbfounded! I squealed out "What do you MEAN what!!? Joanie dropped the "F-bomb" and you both act like it was nothing!?!? Where is her arm slap? Huh!?! shit isn't as bad as Fuck!" I sat back in my seat pretending to pout as both girls laughed at me. The fact that just 2 short years earlier I didn't know what any of these words meant, now it seemed like forever ago as I wasn't afraid of them anymore. Benny said Joanie was driving so she was safe, then she told me later that she wasn't use to me talking like that so it really surprised her. That car ride was so much fun just being with the girls, long discussions and our bantering back and forth. With all our laughing and all our gossip made that night so treasured in my memory. Now I was on my way out of the church scene all together at this time in my life, I was also interested in conquering the fear of words. But just getting time to be my own goofy playful self. Makes me happily remember our youth, remember that joy ride!

Joanie wonders aloud "Don't you wish you could go days with out sleep like a battery?" Benny mumbles "I already do that." I snorted back annoyed "There's no fucking way you can take away my sleep! HA!" And I quickly duck down one more time with a loud laugh and a big smile.