TheJunkiesFaust#7(FTDParish)

Before either of us could respond, the cashier screeched, "Hey, get back here with those."

The copper, Dirt and I all turned just in time to see a young boy bolt out the door.

The casheir screamed at the cop, "Billy, you go stop that boy, he just took off with three packs a my cigarettes!"

"Billy" vapor locked for a coupla heartbeats, wanting to tell the old cashier not to talk to him like that, but not. With one last look at us, he took off after the kid.

I grabbed the joint, shoved it in my pocket, told Dirt to get us somethin to drink and went to the car. I'ws already a nervous freekin wreck. Fuck!

Billy's car was still parked next to the building. Now I wished I wouldn'ta told Dirt to get drinks so we could just get the fuck outta this little town 'fore Billy came back and remembered we looked funny.

My fingers drummed an impatient beat on the passenger door as I cursed Dirt for his lollygaggin and waited for Billy to show back up. But Dirt finally made it out to the car and we were off. And none to soon. I looked back and saw Deputy Billy stumble outta the alley and back into the store, alone....and pissed.

"Can you believe the balls on that kid?" Dirt laughed. "He stole those cigarettes right in fronta that cop." Dirt loved anyone who "had balls".

Two blocks down at a stop sign and outta view of the store, the kid came running out from between two old houses and dove head first into our backseat, bounced once off the seat and some bags we had in the back, twisted once on the bounce and plopped down into the floorboard.

Dirt and I both just stared, mouths open as we looked not at a young boy, but a very pretty young lady....dirty, but very pretty. She looked at us, we at her, Dirt and I at each other, and back to her. She looked at us with antipathy and said, "um, fucking drive." We looked at each other again with raised eyebrows, I shrugged and Dirt hit the gas.

We were soon outta town. We drove for a coupla minutes, nobody saying anything.....just driving.....After awkwardness had been firmly entrenched(Dirt and I were a little fucked up), she finally says, My name's Maya, gonna light that joint?"

Dirt and I looked at each other again. I turned to Maya and asked, "What're you talkin about?"

"Come on," Maya says, "I saw you guys go into the bathroom together and I was waiting for you guys to come out so I could see if I could catch a ride. That cop came in while you were in there and then I saw you come out with that joint behind your ear....Stupid by the way. So when I saw him start to hassle you, I grabbed some cigarettes and took off...... and here we are. Now, you gonna light that joint?"

I looked at Dirt again. He raised an eyebrow at me and I pushed in the cigarette lighter as we sped off toward the falling sun and the wild wild west.