Want To Go To Austin?: Part II (Suzanna Danna)

Please click here to go to Part I.

They drove out Highway 7 West towards Crockett and talked the whole way. It was only a few hours to Austin and they filled up every moment with regaling each others with stories of travel, family, school life, work life, friends, bar life and anything else that came up.

Music was found on the radio and then mix tapes were played. Sue actually even sang along; loudly and off key; to Mariah’s Vanishing without a bit of embarrassment even when Jay broke down in a fit of laughter that was so contagious that Sue had to pull over, lest she wreck.

When they reached Crockett they stopped at a burger joint on the loop and went in for a late lunch. While Sue deconstructed and then reconstructed her sandwich to her liking she looked up shyly at Jay putting a perfect circle of ketchup on the wax paper in his fast food basket and said to him, “You know... I’ve never been on a trip with a boy before.” Jay looked up, surprised, took a paper napkin out of the dispenser, wiped his hands and then folded them on the table. He said, “Me neither.”

Sue: You’ve never been on a trip with a boy before?
Jay: No, I mean, yes... you know what I mean. I haven’t been on a trip with a girl before. Alone.
Sue: Exactly. The alone part makes it kind of exciting... but... sorta...
Jay: Do you....?
Sue: Do I what?
Jay: Feel guilty or anything?
Sue: Well, sort of... being my mother’s daughter I am not supposed to be alone with a strange boy on a road trip with no apparent reason.
Jay: She planned for this contingency? She literally brought up traveling alone with a boy?
Sue: Well, no. But I am sure it was implied somewhere down the line.
Jay: Of course.... under the whole, “Thou shall not slouch” commandment, a subparagraph.
Sue: Do you actually KNOW my mother?
Jay: No. [laughing] But your parents sound like good people.
Sue: And it’s not like we’re doing anything bad... or anything.
Jay: I know, we haven’t even held hands.

Sue cringed internally at her words, mentally smacking her forehead for sounding so inarticulate and immature. She rolled her eyes rehashing, “It’s not like we’re doing anything bad... or anything.” Gah. They finished their lunch with a smattering of conversation. Sue was mostly trying desperately to get over her “I carried a watermelon” moment. Jay’s apparent lack of knowledge that he was so hot was disconcerting. Add to that the fact that he seemed smitten and was turning into a friend as they chatted was throwing Sue off.

After throwing away their trash they used the washrooms and on the way out the door to Sue’s car Jay said her name quietly and then held out his hand. Sue looked at him and took it. They walked easily to her car, their hands clasped and swinging between them. As he held her car door open for her he said, “Well, at least now we’ve held hands.” It was Sue’s turn to blush crimson.

They drove southwest into Austin watching the sun drop low in the sky as they made their way into the hill country. They talked easily and discussed their plans for the weekend. They discussed the various pros and cons of living in a small college town. She asked about how he liked being in law enforcement and how he chose that profession. He asked what she wanted to be when she grew up, she answered truthfully that she really had no idea. They told stories and laughed. Even though he didn’t smoke, he didn’t begrudge her that she did and he lit her cigarettes for her as she drove.

They made it into Austin just before dusk and decided to make a tour through downtown. Jay turned the radio to some bad rap, rolled down his window, leaned back in his seat, put his arm out the window and started bopping his head along to the music, Sue followed suit and they toured Austin’s downtown area and the college looking like white bread vatos, laughing and pointing out various areas of interest to one another.

Kelly had suggested three things for Sue and Jay to do in Austin while they were there. The first was to make it to a showing at Esther’s Follies, the second was get to Maggie Mae’s for a drink and the last was to go for a tour in the state capitol building. Sue and Jay agreed to all of the above. When the two of them finished their vato tour through the area they went in search of a hotel.

Sue drove down I-35 at Jay’s direction and then pulled into a little Stratford Inn and Jay got out and with a smile said, “Be right back!”

Sue began to get a little nervous. She was analyzing every possible outcome that could happen between now and when Jay brought the key(s) out from the hotel office. They could be sleeping in two separate rooms. Yes, that is the good girl thing to do... but why was she feeling a bit of disappointment at that choice? They could share a room with two double beds. They could share ONE room with ONE big bed. And of these choices, what did each one mean to him? He said, “You drive, I’ll buy.” If he chose the two separate bedrooms, did that mean he didn’t find her attractive orrrrrr was he just being respectful? One bedroom, was she a slut? Or was he just being frugal? Did she owe him anything for paying? She rolled her eyes at herself.

Jay popped out of the office and hopped into her car. “Just pull in right here.” Sue pulled into the parking spot Jay indicated and kept her mouth shut. Truthfully, her mouth felt like it was actually glued shut, it was so dry and she was wide eyed with excitement and the heaping spoonful of anxiety that she was trying to swallow but it wouldn’t go down.

They pulled their bags out of the car and Sue followed Jay up the stairs. He opened the door to one room, ONE ROOM. Sue immediately heard Dan Akroyd in her head saying, “Jane, you incompetent slut.”

But Jay was smiling, he stood back to let her look inside. Inside the room was a massive king sized bed, its’ front right corner listing sadly towards the floor. Jay looked at Sue and she looked right back at him. His mouth turned up at one corner and he took her bag from her and said the words that would forever cement a place for him in her heart.

“So, do you wanna jump on the bed or what?”

Sue squealed and ran into the room, leaping onto the bed and bouncing around, her hand above her head to make sure she didn’t knock herself out on the ceiling. Jumping up and down she asked him, “How did you know?” He looked at her and smiled, replying, “How did I know what?” “How did you know that I liked to jump on hotel room beds?” He gave her the perfect answer, “Well, if your mother was anything like mine, there was no jumping on the bed at home... if we were in a hotel it was a special treat, she said it was something we paid to have the honor to do.” Sue had heard her mother say almost the exact same thing and she told Jay, “I love your mom.”

Sue flopped down on the bed and pulled the phone book out from the dresser, looked up Esther’s Follies and made a call, asking the times of the shows for that evening and where to park. They had an 8pm and a 10pm show. If she and Jay hurried, they could make it to the 8pm show. They got dressed; each one taking turns in the teeny bathroom. When she came out in her little halter jumper Jay whistled at her, she (in turn) clapped approvingly at his handsome form.

They drove to the parking lot that the Esther’s Follies attendant had told Sue about on the phone, parked, walked across the street and into the theater. It was a two drink minimum so when Jay bought their tickets he flashed his id, they were both stamped “of age” even though Sue had barely turned 20 years old. Entering the theater they found a spot, sat down and Jay ordered them a beer a piece. When the show started Sue laughed along with the antics of the cast and Jay laughed along with Sue. She kept ordering Jay beer and he finally asked her if she was trying to get him drunk so she could take advantage of him.

Sue: NO! [she mocked offense]
Jay: Are you sure!?
Sue: Well, you are a little more talkative and relaxed when you’ve had a few.
Jay: Should I be worried about my reputation? You are trying to take advantage of me, I can tell. Oh dear, we should have brought a chaperone.
Sue: Oh hush. [laughing]

When the show had ended the MC said that their tickets were good for a free admission to the Velveeta Room, a comedy club a few doors down on 6th street. Sue brightened at the chance of more laughter and Jay let her pull him out to the bustling street and down to the Velveeta Room. The seats were almost all full and the crowd was heckling the comedian. Sue ordered two more beers and then sat down next to Jay. He pulled her little chair close to him and whispered in her ear, “You ARE trying to take advantage of me.” The small hairs on her arms stood on end when he whispered in her ear, she shivered and cheered on the comedian, fully ignoring Jay’s attempt to bait her into a “No I’m not.” “Yes, you are.” back and forth conversation.

When the comedian left the stage Jay suggested that they walk down the street and find something interesting. They had planned on going to Maggie Mae’s the next night so they walked out into the hot July night and strolled down 6th street. They passed trinket sellers and bar barkers asking them to come inside to hear the live music playing. Jay picked out a colorful necklace made of shells and asked Sue if she wanted it. She was still a little shy about the whole “You drive, I’ll buy” thing so she shook her head. They kept walking, holding hands and talking easily as if they had known each other since the dawn of time.

Sue heard the strains of blues being played in a club to her left, she looked at Jay and asked if he liked Blues and R&B. He nodded and asked, “Do you want to go in there?” He pointed to a place called Joe’s Generic Bar. Sue nodded enthusiastically and they walked inside.

The band was playing Stevie Ray Vaughn’s “Riviera Paradise”.

Jay bought two more beers and found Sue standing along the left side of a chest high bar to the left of the main bar. There were two such bars running the length of the area, the rest of the floor had small round tables and several chairs set at each one. The band was at the back of the room on a small platform and they launched into one blues song after the next.

Sue swayed to the music, feeling the heat of Jay’s breath on her shoulder, seeing his arm laying on the bar protectively to her right. She was so happy, so wonderfully in tune with the music, so ecstatic to be on this spontaneous trip with this beautiful man, she had a great time at the show, a fantastic time at the comedy club and an even better time strolling thought the hot night air with Jay. She was joyful she had made a friend and secretly hoping that her new friend would kiss her.

The band launched into Screamin Jay Hawkins’ “I Put A Spell On You” and Sue whistled her approval. She danced a little to the music, raising her arms above her head and swinging her hips to the rhythm. Jay put his hands at Sue’s waist and ran his palms up the length of her arms then turned her towards him. As Sue turned around and faced Jay he brought her arms gently down to her sides and asked her to look him in the eye.

Jay: How many were on your list of boys you had kissed.
Sue: ... [::blink::]
Jay: Well, I’m going to be the next one, but I don’t want to just be some guy you add to your list.
Sue: ... [::blink::]
Jay: Where are we?
Sue: Austin, Texas.
Jay: What is the name of the bar in which we are currently standing and swaying to the music?
Sue: Joe’s Generic Bar.
Jay: What song is the band playing?
Sue: “I Put A Spell On You”... by....
Jay: [rushing] Who is the band?
Sue: I have no idea.
Jay: Fair enough. Now, can you remember all of this so I won’t be some random guy you kissed that one time, at that place?

At the “one time, at that place” he gave a ‘who gives a shit?’ hand motion. When he was done he brought his hand back to her arm, caressing the groove of her left elbow with the pad of his right thumb.

Sue: Absolutely. [nodding]
Jay: Now, again... where are we?
Sue: Austin, Texas.
Jay: What is the name of the bar?
Sue: Joe’s Generic Bar.
Jay: What song is the band playing?
Sue: “I Put A Spell On You”.

And then he kissed her, and for the first time in her short life, her knees went weak when a man kissed her. He kissed her gently and then with more passion and possession, he cupped her cheek then slid his right hand around to the back of her neck while moving his other hand to the small of her back, supporting her and pulling her closer to him as he felt her tremble.

When Jay finished his kiss with a little nibble at Sue’s lower lip he took her by the shoulders and held her at arms’ length, looking her up and down. She met his eyes and watched him looking her over. She didn’t feel like a possession or a piece of meat, she felt sexy and very warm from his kiss... and very pleased with herself for not falling on her ass during the most remarkable kiss of her life.

Sue met Jay’s gaze and when he said, “Do you wanna get out of here?” She nodded slowly. She didn’t want to seem too eager but she wanted to make sure he knew that she wasn’t just making rash decisions. They walked out of the bar holding hands, turning right and walking back up 6th to the parking lot on Red River.

By the time they got halfway up the street they had broken into a quick walk, laughing like giddy school kids. By the time they were two streets from Esther’s Follies they had moved into a jog, and by the time they rounded the corner at Red River they were flat out running for the car.

Suzanna Danna

Princess of Irony

Want To Go To Austin?: Part II

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