Fairy Dust - 1. Travel Plans

"So where you stayin'?" asked Fred perching on the corner of Sam's desk.

"That bigish hotel called Sunshine or something," answered Sam.

"Oh, I think I'm in the same one," said Fred.

They were planning an unexpected road trip. Their company had sold a large computer system to another company. A month after installation the computers were crashing. Their supervisor had informed Sam and Fred that they would be sent to fix it the next day. They found out later that they were being sent to the same town on the same mission.

"You wanna carpool?" asked Fred.

"I'd like to but I'm going to Green Hollow on the way back. It's a good thirty miles out of the way."

"What do you need in Green Hollow?"

"Fairy Dust."

"What?" asked Fred frowning.

"Its some kind of perfume thing my niece wants for her birthday. It's made at this little shop. You can't get it anywhere else. One of her friends has it. You know how kids are," explained Sam blushing slightly.

"Oh," answered Fred he had been half expecting some kind of a joke.

If it had been a joke Fred would have been surprised. Sam was always a little uncomfortable talking about anything even vaguely homosexual. Fred did not understand what made Sam uncomfortable. To Fred gay was just one of those labels the kids at school gave you if they wanted to pick on you. Sam seemed almost paranoid about it. Fred changed the subject to computer problems leaving all thoughts of fairies behind.

The following day Sam was up early. He carefully and methodically packed everything he would need into the worlds smallest and cheapest rental car. Then he gathered up his map printouts. The trip would be quite straightforward. He would have to take the interstate and then navigate some of the town's main streets. The trip to Green Hollow would be much more confusing. There seemed to be several dozen turns from old winding road to old winding road. The only consolation was that it would be Friday afternoon and he would not have to rush anywhere. With a shrug of his shoulders Sam put the maps down on the passenger's seat and started the car.