Jack be Quick - 1. Chapter 1

I am in a bed that is not my own, this is the first thing I realize as I am startled awake by a loud bang and a rumble that sounds like a lion roaring. A small yelp escapes my lips before I can stop it and I quickly cover my mouth and burrow down deeper in the blankets, in hopes the no one can hear me. I am trying to get my thoughts together when I hear a man shout "SHIT", and" YOU BASTARD" as the whole world lurches forward. I hit my head on the back wall which is covered with some sort of cushion. Did he hear me or see me? I wonder as I lay down completely still, hardly daring to breath. After what seems like an hour, I dare to take a breath and remember that I ran away from the hell hole called my home, what a joke, I think. A home is not supposed to a hell hole it is supposed to be a warm and inviting place, I'm only 9 years old and even I know that.

There is country music playing from a speaker somewhere in here and I look around to see where I am. There is bed and a cabinet of some kind as well as a TV and several shelves. It takes me a few minutes to remember what happened to bring me to this truck I am hiding in. I rode my bike out of town and just kept riding till my legs were weak from peddling. I saw a truck stop and decided to check it out, maybe I could hitch a ride with a trucker and really blow this hick town once and for all. I left my bike in the back hoping someone would steal it so that if they found the bike, they would think I was wherever it ended up and they would never find me. The bike didn't really matter, I didn't want anything from my former life, that life was over, and I was never, ever going to go back. I am warm and there is nice music playing in the background and it is very dim in here and soon I start to feel sleepy, I should be wide awake, but with steady hum of the engine and the vibrations of the bed I soon fall asleep without a worry in the world, the first time in what seems like forever.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" I startle awake and almost jump out of my skin and look everywhere for somewhere to hide. I must have looked like a ghost because he softens his voice just a little and says in a very firm, but softer tone "What are you doing in my truck?" and for a brief second I have no idea where I am or how I got here, am I dreaming? I realize that if I am dreaming, this is like no dream I have ever had. I am the most scared I have ever been in my life, even more than the time I got caught sneaking downstairs to raid the fridge. I can feel myself start to well up with tears, but I know I must stop, bad things happen to boys who cry.

I put on my best war face and stammer in a weak voice that does not sound anything like me, "I- I- I 'm J- J- Jack.”

"I didn't ask who you were," he states plainly, I asked "What are you doing in my truck?"

What am I doing in his truck? I think to myself. I was at home and wanting to just get away before dear old daddy gets home, wow he going to freak out on me when he see's the mess. I decided that I had enough, so I rode my bike out of town and then I got into just any truck. I would then sneak out truck the next time the driver stopped for a pee break or something. My bike, oh yeah that's right I left it behind. I realize I have been just staring at my feet and this man is looking at me like he wants nothing better than to eat me for dinner, I wonder if truck drivers eat boys for dinner and quickly dismiss that silly thought. Oh yeah, he asked me a question, what did he ask me? He is still staring at me and I have forgotten what he asked.

"I just needed a ride to my, ummmmm....... Granny, she lives in Ohio." What have I got myself into this time, I wonder as I realize that there is no escape route?

"Well Shit, kid what's your phone number? your parents must be worried sick about you,” he asks me, this time a bit more pleasant.

"I won't tell you. My parents hate me and will be glad I am gone", I protest.

"Look kid" he starts, but I rudely interrupt him.

"My name is Jack, not kid", I say very forcefully,” this guy is starting to piss me off.

"OK, OK, just calm down kid, umm I mean Jack and start from the beginning, tell me everything" he says. "I can't have a 12-year-old kid in my truck without his parent’s permission, I could get arrested for kidnapping or something."

"I didn't think of that,” I say,” but its OK they would never tell the cops or anyone. If they did, they would be in big trouble,” I inform him. “I am going to live with my Granny, they want me gone anyway, so I'll call them when I get there. You don't need to know anything more," I tell him in what I hope is an adult voice.

He appears to think this over for a while. "Well it's your lucky day then, because we are in Ohio already."

"Thanks Mr. I can get out here and call my Grammy, I'm sure she will pick me up," I tell him.

"Not so fast kid, we are at a rest area and its the middle of the night,” he says to me. “When did you stowaway in my truck anyway? You must have sleep for quite a long while, the last time I stopped was Michigan.” Without waiting for me to answer he asks me “How old are you anyway?”

"I am 16” I say proudly, “and I can take care of myself."Maybe If he thinks I am old enough he will just let me go, I reason. "I have an uncle who lives in Ohio, he will come get me," I say before I have a chance to think about it.

He looks at me through one eye and says, "I thought you said it was your Granny?"

"Oh yeah, I meant my Granny, she will come get me." My hands are starting to shake like they always do when ever I'm about to get it and I have to put my hands under my legs to hide my fear.

"Ummmhaaaa, he says, so what's "her" number?" He puts air quotes up on the her word. "I would be a bad host if I just let you out of my truck in the middle of the night and in the middle of nowhere," he informs me.

"Her phone? ummmmm......, I forget,” I tell him. “I can just walk over there, it's no big deal being out at night, I always go out at night, I like the quiet, "I stammer.

"But aren't you afraid someone might try to rape you or hurt you?" he asks me in a tone I can't quite understand.

Is he teasing me? I wonder. "I know judo,” I tell him “so no one messes with me, no worries", I tell him in a way that I hope makes me sound tough.

He seems to ponder this for a while. "Oh, he says, just exactly where does this "uncle" or I mean "Grammy" live?" He makes air quotes with his fingers.

I can only think of one Ohio city and say "Columbus."

"Columbus you say?" and appears to be thinking over this new piece of information. "Well we are close to Cleveland now, so we can be to Columbus by the morning,” he informs me. “What is his address?" He asks.

"Ummm, 725 5th street" I say. It sounds like an address to me. He types it in to his GPS and it shows up as an address. Jackpot, I think as he reads it aloud.

He looks at it for a few minutes and says "looks like your " uncle" or "Grammy" lives right off the highway, in fact, he should be able to get dinner any time he wants,” he then tells me with a sly smile on his face. “That is the address to White Castle.”

"I guess I got it wrong, she must live just down the street from there," I stammer. “Yeah, I think I remember going to White Castle with her before.” I lie. “We go there all the time, it’s one of my favorites,” I tell him, “and it's my Granny, so stop teasing me, geeze, ... I make one little mistake and I'm marked for life," I tell him in a sarcastic voice.

"Oh yeah," he says a bit too brightly it seems, "what is your favorite kind of hot dog?” he asks me, "the Coney Island or the foot long?"

"The foot long is the best," I tell him confidently. "I really like it with mustard and relish," I add. I don't even know what a "Coney Island hot dog is, I think to myself.

"That's funny," he says," White Castle is a hamburger joint and they don't have hot dogs,” he tells me without a smile on his face. “so, do you want to be straight with me or should I just turn you over the the cops and let them figure out what to do with you?"

I put my head down not sure what to say, this man has trapped me in a lie, and I don't know what to do. The man gently put his hand on my chin and lifts my face up to his and says, "It's OK, just start from the beginning and tell me everything and don't lie to me," he informs me. " If you do, I will have no choice but to call the cops and let them deal with you," he says in a soft and caring voice.

I pull my face away and look down at my hands so I won't have to look him in the eye and begin, "OK, I am only 9 years old and my "family " hates me" I say, using the same air quotes with my fingers that he did. I am not sure why I use the air quotes, but he seems to like them so what the heck." I am never going back there and if you make me, I'll kill myself," I say as tears start to run down my face all the while hating myself for letting the tears come. I wait to see what he will do before I go on. When he does not strike me or make another move, I chance a quick look up to see what his eyes are telling me, you see, you can tell everything in a man’s eyes. They tell you, for example if he is going to hurt you or make you do things that are best not done in public or if he is a good man or a not so good man.

His eyes are brown and wide open, with trace of anger or lust, the kind of eyes I have only seen once before. I find that I have his complete attention, he makes a go-ahead gesture with his hands. "I heard them talking last night and my Dad said to my Mom, that I am too much trouble and that he knew a guy who could make me go away for a price, so I decided to go away myself before they can sell me or pay to have me killed,” I tell him in a hushed voice.

"OK, just calm down and take a deep breath" he says. "Maybe you just misunderstood what they were saying?" he suggests.

" I don't think so,", I say, thinking I should not argue with him? Besides he has no idea of what hell is waiting for me at home.

"Jack, I need to ask you, what is you last name? And don't lie to me again, I'll know if you do", he claims.

"I won’t tell you,” I tell him with Steel in my voice. “Besides if i do, you will just turn me into the cops and have me arrested," I admit to him. “Besides I don't even know your name,” trying to justify myself.

"Oh, right," he says,” where are my manners? My name is Bartholdi Jesuit, but my friends just call me BJ."

"That's weird a name Mr. Balwtholdi," I say tying to steer the conversation away from me.

"That's Barwtholdi,” he corrects me, “just call me BJ. Barwtholdi was my Dad's name and only my mother uses my given name," he states, with something in him voice that makes me feel sort of good, it's strange that feeling. what is it? I wonder as I look at him in a new light. "So now what are we going to do about you?" he asks with his eyebrows raised.

"You can just let me off here, I'll find my own way," I mumble under my breath.

"Do you even know where we are?", he asks.

"umm Ohio, duhh" I say.

"Yes, we are in Ohio, a rest area in the middle of nowhere Ohio." He says. "I was just going to lay down to sleep for the next 10 hours or so," he says with a bit of irritation in his voice.

I look over his shoulder to see it is pitch black with a few streetlights and I realize for the first time since I got into this truck that it is dark outside, and the only lights are from the overhead dome light. I was sure it was only a few hours that I slept. I thought for sure he would have stopped somewhere to go pee or something and I would have been able to sneak out of the truck.

"That's OK I can just wait outside until you wake up," I tell him. "And then you can take me to a town on your way," I say in a hushed voice. I do not really want to go outside in the dark and this option scares me, but I do not tell him this.

"No I cannot do that, it's the middle of the night, it would not be safe for you to be just hanging around outside, besides I would not be able to sleep knowing you are out there all alone." he tells me.

"OK, so I'll just sit up front and wait, it's not like I have never been board before, and I know how to be quiet." I am secretly relived that he is not going to kick me out of his truck in the middle of the night, my dad would have done just that and I start to I tell him, but decide to keep my mouth shut in case he decides to follow my dad's advice.

"Well, I'm hungry, when was the last time you ate anything?” he asks me.

"I had dinner last night, a can of tuna and a glass of milk," I say proudly. The milk was sour, so I didn't even have that, but I don't tell him that part, I don't want him to think I was not able to take care of myself. "I often get to eat what ever I find in the fridge and I am very good at finding stuff," I say proudly. "I found the can of tuna behind an old towel, so I scored," I tell him, thinking I am quite pleased with myself over that one.

"Doesn't you mother cook dinner for you?' he asks with a disgust in his voice.

"Nah, she is not a very good cook, she once burned water when trying to cook Mac-n-Cheese," I say with a smile on my face.

He has a look I can't quite figure out; I must have looked sort of puzzled myself because he just shook his head and asks me once again “Are you hungry?”

“I could eat” I say, “but we are in the middle of nowhere, do they have a restaurant here?" He just smiles and looks at me as he points a finger to my left. I turn to look and see a fridge as well as a Microwave, I realize that I have not had a chance to really look around and my eyes grow big as I take in the truck, I have stowed away in. There is a refrigerator, microwave, a TV with an X-box and a black box that looks like a lunch box except it has a cord coming out of one end, I have no idea what that is. There is a cabinet above the foot of the bed and a DVD player under the TV. "WOW! I didn't know there could be this much stuff in a truck", I say impressed.

He just stands up and reaches over to open the fridge and I see it is also a freezer “would you rather have a pizza or a frozen dinner?” he asks me.

I have never had a choice at home, so I just say," pizza is good", as if I made those decisions all the time.

“Pepperoni or cheese?" he asks me.

"Cheese Please" I say with a smile on my lips, I can’t help it, I think Cheese Please is such a funny thing to say. I watch him carefully as he unwraps the two and puts them in the microwave. He has been just inches from me this entire time and has not made any sort of move towards me and has only gotten mad when he first found me, this I think is strange, but I put it out of my mind for now.

“Watch your knees” he says as he pulls out a table from under the microwave and turns to my right opens a cabinet and removes some paper plates and napkins.

“WOW, you have everything in here," I tell him.

"Well I do try to keep a well stocked truck,” he tells me with some pride in his voice, “but we don't have a bathroom or a shower, for that we will have to go inside a truck stop." The microwave dings and he remove the food and we start to eat. There is a silence between us as we eat, I don't know what to say.

He is looking at me with intense eyes and it makes me uncomfortable and I have to ask, "WHAT? what are you looking at?"

"Sorry,” he says, “I am just trying to figure you out,” he says, “why would a 9 year old climb into a stranger’s truck?”

"I didn't think you would even notice me and then I could sneak back out when you stopped to pee, it was really easy to sneak in," I tell him proudly. " you should have never known I was here," I tell him.

"OK but do you realize how dangerous it is to just jump into someones truck?" he asks me.

Not any more dangerous than staying at home I almost tell him, but instead I just say "dangerous? like how? "

"Just know it is dangerous OK?" he informs me. "So just what was going on at home that you felt the need to run away instead of asking someone for help?" he asks me.

"Do you have any water?" I ask trying to change the subject. He stands up all at once and reaches up to the fridge and takes out 2 Dr. Peppers handing me one. I almost jump back; I was sure he was going to back hand me for not asking and I hope he didn't see me flinch.

"I hope you like Dr. Pepper," he says in a friendly tone of voice.

I can't help giving him a big smile and saying, "I think I can force it down," almost laughing and giving away my secret. I have not had a soda in ... well forever, I think to myself. Why is this man being so nice to me? what does he want?

"You can force it down?" He asks with a smile on his face. He reaches over the table and I flinch back, I know he is going to slap me one, but he only looks hurt and withdraws his hand. "Sorry,” he says, “I only wanted to ruffle your hair, didn't mean anything by it."

"That's weird," I say, and quickly eat a slice of pizza before he can ask or say anything else. After our dinner we get the paper plates and trash thrown away and the whole time he has this look on his face like I have hurt him in some way, i am confused, no one ever looked at me like that, there have been mad looks and mean looks and that wanting look, but never a hurt look.

"OK," he starts," I need to get to sleep, I am out of driving hours till the morning," he tells me. "I don't know if you can sleep or if you are too wide awake, but you need to try, I do not want you to sit in the front, you will need to lay down back and try to sleep or at least be quiet. I have a few books for you to read if you want." he tells me.

"Books?" I question. I know what he means by "books". I knew he was one of those men, why would I fall for the whole nice guy act?

"Yeah you know those things with words printed on pages," he jokes.

"Yeah," I say wearily. "I know what books are, I say sarcastically.

"Well if you can't sleep you can read, “he states point blank.

"But there is only one bed," I say almost under my breath. I can not believe he expects me to sleep with him, I knew he was that kind of man, but why doesn’t just come out with it and stop with all the games.? He just stands up and leans towards me and I think here it comes, but he just reaches over my head and pull down a second bunk. It folds down from the wall.

"Hey where did that come from?" I say very much surprised. I am now more confused than ever.

"You didn't think I was saying we would try to both sleep in that little bunk, did you?" He jokes with me.

"No, silly, I was just kidding, I knew it was there this whole time," I say trying to sound convincing.

"I have to ask you kid err. Jack, I mean, when was the last time you had clean clothes?"

I look down and for the first time I am ashamed, my clothes are in an awful state, they are ripped in the knees and stains everywhere. I smell my arm pits and shrug my shoulders and say, "these are not all that bad, are they?"

"We are going have to wash them tomorrow," he states, "but for now we are going to have to get them off you and put them in a bag, I can't stand that smell." Ahhh here it comes my "payment" for the ride, no big deal I knew I would have to pay somehow if I got caught, best get it over with now, I think to myself even as my knees goes weak. He reaches over to where the trash can and gets a black trash bag and opens it.

"What are you going to do with that," I ask afraid he means to throw my clothes away or worse.

"We need to bag them up till tomorrow till we can wash them in the truck stop.” he tells me. “No offense, but you stink,” he says,” did you bring a bag with you, a change of clothes?"

I look around as if I expect to find a bag of clothes magically appear. "No, I only have what I have on," I tell him. He then reaches between my legs and I pull them up on the bed quick and put my arms across my chest. He just opens a drawer and pulls out a set PJ's.

"These may be a bit large on you, but they will do," he says. And hands them to me. "Go ahead and change and we will put the stinky ones in the bag," he tells me. I knew it, this must be his excuse to get me naked and then we all know what happens after that? My "Payment". I start to undress and let my mind go to that place where it always goes at times like this and to my surprise, he closes the curtain between the front seat and the back. What is this strange man's game I wonder as I get undressed? It is strange to be getting undressed in the back of a truck with a man not 5 feet from me separated by just a thin cloth and not have him all over me slobbering and breathing hard. What does he want from me? I smell my shirt and pants as I remove them, they don't smell that bad to me.

I get all the way down to my underwear and ask him “do I remove my underwear too?”

He says, “if they are anything like the rest of my clothes, then yes.”

I shrug my shoulders even though there is no one there but me and take them off. I am stark naked in the back of a stranger’s truck and it occurs to me that he is not one of the bad guys, or at least I don't think he is. I decide to find out, better now then in the middle of the night when I am asleep. I stand up and open the curtain wide so he can see me and hand him my clothes and he just take them and puts them in the bag, not even really looking at me.

I slowly put on the PJ's the he gave me and when he sees how long the pajama pants are he says "hold on a sec", he grabs a pair of scissors off the dash board and says, "let me see the pants.

“Oh no, that was a mistake,” I think,” I'm dead now,” My eyes get big as I see the size of those scissors. I take off the pajama pants with trembling hands and pass them to him. He just holds them up in front of me as if he is going measuring them. He then takes and cuts off the bottom of the legs.

“Here try these," he says. I quickly put them back on they are about the right length, the waist is still too big, and they start to fall. He laughs and says "come here" he pulls on the draw string and ties it in a loop knot. "There, that should do for now," he says. "There is a pair of socks in the drawer to keep your feet warm, now let’s get to bed." he tells me. He has not once made any kind of move or even looked at me, I wonder what does this man want from me? There must be something behind that kind face of his, no one does something for anyone unless they want something in return.

I have to pee all a suddenly and I am not sure if I should say anything, as I not sure how he is going to react. Maybe I am whining too much. I decide it is better to say something instead of peeing my pants, so I say, "ummmm, I have to pee."

He just says "OK we will go in now and take care of business and there is something you should know Jack" he says, the rest area is not a safe place to be at night so if you need to go to the bathroom while we are asleep, don't be afraid to wake me up and I will go with you."

"I am not a baby, I can go by myself," I tell him in an indignant voice.

"That may be true Jack, but there are some people who hang out at rest areas just waiting for a little boy like you to be alone, they want to snatch you up and make you into a sex slave or just kill you for the fun of it," he threatens.

"Like that is a threat," I tell him. wait, did he just say kill me for the fun of it? "you are just kidding right?” I ask. "No one wants to kill me, do they?" I ask in a small voice that is not my own. He just looks at me in that way that I just don't get but says nothing as we get out of the truck and walk across the parking lot. The rest area is very dark, and I do not mind holding his hand, he wasn't kidding, it is scary here. There is something in the dark, but I can't tell what it is. I think I saw someone move out there, but I can't see, "What was that?" I say as I point to the right in the trees?

"Nothing" he says "just keep walking," he says as he hurries me up even faster." If you have to go number 2, just put toilet paper on the seat before you sit down, I'll be right out here so don't worry," he tells me. I go in the closest stall and do as I am told, I hear someone else come in and I freeze, "BJ?" I ask.

A strange voice comes back as I sit on the toilet. "I can help you young man" I hear a strange voice reply.

“BJ?” I ask once again. Where did he go? he said he would be right there.

"That will be enough, get the Fuck out of here" I hear BJ saying.

The other voice says" sorry, didn't see you there, can I have a turn when you are finished?' The next thing I hear is a sound of a punch, many punches in fact. I know the sound of fighting as I have been in many in my life and seen plenty as well.

The restroom goes very quiet and I say "BJ, are you alright?" in an almost whisper. I hear some struggling and a few yelps and then some footsteps running away. What if BJ just ran away or worse, what if BJ was the one who got killed "just for fun" instead of me? what do I do now. “Are you there BJ?” I say with even more fear in my voice and feel the tears start to come again.

Finally after what seems like a very long time I hear BJ saying "I am here Jack don't worry that guy wont be back again, relived I quickly finish up and slowly open the stall door and take a peek out, BJ is standing there breathing hard. He has a bruise on his cheek, and I wonder what happened.

"What was that all about BJ?" I ask concerned.

"It was nothing, wash your hands and let’s get to bed."

As I am washing my hands I ask, "did he want to do things with me or kill me for the fun of it?"

“He wanted to do things with you, not kill you,” he informs me, “but he might have wanted to kill me after tonight," he says." but not to worry he won't be coming back for a long time.” The walk back to the truck seems like it is a bit safer and we don't see or hear anyone else. I climb up on the top bunk and see it is made with a sheet, blanket and a pillow complete with a pillowcase. He is getting undressed and I put my head under the covers to give him his privacy, some men are like that, they don't want you to watch.But I am curious so I peek out just a little and I don't think he can see me. I watch as he takes off his shirt and then his pants, the curtain over the windshield is closed so it is just me and him. He then removes his underwear and is standing stark naked. He reaches in the drawer under the bed and removes a pair of underwear and slips into them. He removes another pair of PJs’ and slips them on as well. He never once got big or even slightly up. I am starting to wonder if he is even interested in me.

I never realized how creepy the dark can be. "BJ", I whisper. “I’m scared,” I confess. “Do you have a night light?” I ask, because this truck had everything else, why wouldn't it have a night light also I reason.

"No, but I'll see what I can do he says and opens the front curtain a small crack. Light slips into the truck and I can see a little bit. "How is that?" he asks me.

"Better," I say.

"Now don't be afraid to wake me if you need to go to the bathroom in the night," he tells me once again.

"OK, good night, BJ" I say hesitantly.

"Good night Jack and don't let the bed bugs bite" he says.

"Bed bugs?" I asked suddenly alarmed. great, I think that's just one more thing to worry about.

"I am just kidding, now get to sleep" he says. I lay there for what seems like a long time just listening to the sounds of the night.

BJ says to me, "In the restroom you asked if that man wanted to do "stuff" with you and I was wondering what stuff you were asking about?”

" you know, sex stuff,” I tell him straight forward. “Everyone does it,” I tell him,” don’t you?” I ask him now even more curious than ever.

“Well that’s a subject that 9-year olds don’t usually talk about,” he says in a hushed voice.

“I'm tired and don't want to talk anymore," I tell him hoping he will just drop the subject.

“OK, get some sleep, we can talk again in the morning “he tells me.

It is quiet and it's a long time before I fall asleep and soon, I can hear BJ snoring down below. I wonder briefly what my mother must be thinking back at home, with me being gone all of a sudden. Is she worried or is she just relived that I am not a pain in her back side? I think maybe I should have left a note or something, but no then she might have started looking for me right away and I might not have had time to ride my bike to the truck stop and get away. I am really going to miss my bike, I used to love to ride it in the afternoon after my lessons. I remember how it felt to walk away from my bike, like walking away from a lifelong friend knowing that I’ll need him again. I hope that what ever kid finds it will get as much joy out it as I did. I know my dad will be pissed because he was probably hoping for a big paycheck when he sold me and if he does find me, he will take it out of my hide and make me work that much harder. He might look for me if only to sell me, but with any luck someone will steal my bike before they find it, then they won't have a clue to where I could have gone.

I think more about this man BJ. he is a man like I have never known. He seems nice enough, but what is his game and what does he want? I am not tired and lay awake long into the night listening to the sounds outside. I was perfectly willing to "pay" my way if that is what it took to stay and not have to go home, but BJ seems like he doesn't want me? What's wrong with me or what does he really want? Everyone wants something form everyone else, don't they? I ponder this well into the night or so it seems, I am soon drifting off to sleep for what seems like only a few minutes when I feel something moving the covers, I lay perfectly still and open my eyes and peek out and see BJ is leaning over me. I am expecting him to start to kiss me or touch me, but no, he doesn't do anything like that, all he does is put a kind of seat belt over me that covers me like a web and goes to the drivers seat and starts to drive. The truck starts with a jerk and a bang and I feel movement. I sit up and look out the side window and we are moving.

I poke my head thru the curtains and BJ says, “be careful and hold on.” I climb into the passenger seat and almost take a tumble.

“Where are we.” I ask.

"We just left the rest area, do you need me to stop so you can go to the bathroom?" He asks.

"No, I'm fine" I tell him. "But how long till we get to Columbus? I am sure my granny will be worried about me." I tell him, not sure why i am still trying to convince him that I have a granny there.

"OK, look kid,” he states in a firm and not so friendly voice,”you need to start being straight with me or the next town we come to, I swear to GOD, I am going to pull up to the first police car I see and turn you in," BJ warns me with a tone of voice that I recognize all to well.

“OK, OK" I say, "I have not even had my coffee yet, is there some place we can stop to get some breakfast?” I tell him. “I will tell you everything there, but only if you promise not to turn me in." I need some time to decide if I need to make something up or come clean with this BJ man.

"Coffee?" he says in a sarcastic voice, "Maybe some milk or juice, I'm not buying you coffee", and he laughs.