That's a Deal

"Now, that is a deal I can take," said Tom with a grin. "Let's make sure we get rooms before we go eat, okay?"

"That sounds like a plan, but first, let's light up this jay," Jo said with a wicked grin. She produced a lighter from nowhere and lit the end while sucking on the grass cigarette. Tom watched the road as the air filled with the sweet smoke of the pot. "Here," she said while holding her breath. He turned and took the joint from her, watching the smoke curl around her head. He took a deep lungful in little tiny sips of smoke and handed it back to her. They each had another big puff before Jo tapped the ash, licked her fingers, and extinguished the ember with them. She dropped the rest of the joint, which was only about a fifth gone, into the ashtray.

Tom could feel the euphoric effects of the pot creep into his brain. He was lightly stoned, but fully functional. He reached into his pocket, pulled out a tin of peppermint Altoids, flipped it open with one hand, and offered it to Jo. She took a couple, popped them into her mouth, and said, "Thanks, you think of everything." He took one out and crushed it between his teeth. His mouth was flooded with the powerful peppermint flavor.

"That will keep us from reeking like stoners," Tom said as he took the next exit. He had seen the Super-8 motel sign a bit back. “How does a Super-8 sound? They’re cheap, but usually clean.”

“Cheap sounds good to me, Tom.”

As he turned onto the street at the end of the ramp, Jo just started laughing hard. “Oh, my God! Look!” She pointed at a sign for a dentist office that had the slogan “Got a cavity? We’ll fill it!” She continued to giggle as he cackled along with her. The unintentional double entendre had them in stitches. Tom pulled into the lot of the Super-8, and they just had to sit in the car until they settled down.

"I'll go in and get the rooms. You wait here, and we'll go eat. I've got the munchies in the worst way," she said, opening the car door. She quickly walked to the lobby door and entered.

Tom could see her standing at the registration desk, but he couldn't see the clerk. Then he put in a tape of U2's Joshua Tree and grooved until Jo came back out of the motel. She handed him a key card, saying, "Here's your key. Now, where we eatin'?"

“I saw a little bar and grill up this road. I like to try the local food. You game?” he asked as he pocketed the card.

“Sure, a burger and something to drink sounds good.”

He pulled out of the motel parking lot and headed down a block to Red Rooster Tavern. This being Iowa, it had to have a farm animal motif. The lot was about half full, mostly pickups and older model cars. They got out and headed inside. Tom held the door for Jo, and she smirked at him as she walked through.

The interior was pine paneling with lots of dead animal heads on the wall -- not real appetizing. The aroma from the grill on the other hand, earthy with a bit of spice, told a different story. Tom’s mouth started watering almost immediately. They stepped into the bar and sat down at a table.

Within ten seconds, a cute waitress with long brown hair, a round face with high cheekbones, and the softest blue eyes Tom had seen in a long came up with water glasses and menus, asking, “Can I get you two something to drink?”

“I’ll take the darkest beer you have on tap in the biggest mug you’ve got,” Tom requested. He gave her a nice smile and winked at her.

Jo piped in, “And I’d like a double rum and Coke, please.”

“Thanks. I’ll be back with your drinks in a minute,” the waitress said, and she whisked herself off to the bar very efficiently.

First Jo got up to pee, then Tom followed suit. When he returned, a frosty mug of beer sat at his place, and she was sipping her drink and reading the menu. He took a long slug of the beer and cracked open his menu. They took a couple minutes, and then the waitress arrived, saying, “Are you ready?”

“Yup,” said Jo, “I’ll have the California Cheeseburger with onion rings, please. Medium rare on the burger. Thanks.” She handed her menu to the server with a grin.

“I’ll have the Bacon Cheeseburger with sautéed mushrooms and onion rings, please. Those sound good, Jo. Medium on the meat.”

“Okay, I’ll bring those out as soon as their done,” the waitress said, too cheery for words. She took his menu as he offered it. They both went back to sipping their drinks.

“So, you were awfully happy and pleased with yourself this morning when you picked me up. Just glad to be off on your vacation, or did something good happen before you left?” Jo asked with a curious grin on her face.