Wednesday, January 20, 2010

I-635 (LBJ Freeway)

a Lulu & Friends story

500 words based on a sentence selected by Dive.  Click here for more info.

This week's sentence is from John Steinbeck's Cannery Row:  "It was not so interesting driving at night."

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It was not so interesting driving at night, what with Lola snoring in the front seat and Lucky snoring in the back. Then again, Lulu told herself, the drive home from DFW airport wasn't much more interesting in daylight. At least during the day you could admire the bluebells at the roadside and the wildflowers in the median, gifts to the state from Lady Bird Johnson, or so Lulu'd been told when she first moved to Texas.


Lo'd been out of town for a few days and was getting in just after midnight. “Sure,” Lulu’d said when Lola called to tell her Travis couldn’t make it, it being poker night and all. “I can pick you up.”


Lucky was up for a drive, as pups usually are, so Lulu made the run from North Dallas to Irving with classic rock blasting on the radio and the dog's chin on her shoulder as he balanced in his co-pilot position, front paws on the center console and rear paws on the very front edge of the rear seat. Every few minutes he'd sniff Lulu's ear or jam his moist Westie nose into the soft spot under her jaw. Lu would giggle and gently push him back into the rear seat, telling him to sit, but a few seconds later he'd be back, head on Lu's shoulder, riding contentedly westward as the air conditioner blew in his face and Lulu absently reached up to scratch his neck.


Lola waited in the passenger pick-up zone, left hand resting on her leopard-patterned wheelie bag, right hand holding her usual Ozarka bottle, complete with bendy straw. She heaved the bag into Lulu’s trunk, then slid into the passenger seat, twisting to greet the dog as he strained between the front seats.


“Hola Señor Lucho. Did you miss your Auntie Lo-Lo?” she murmured as she rubbed the tickle spot on his chest. “Sorry I couldn’t bring you anything, but your mean ol’ mama says no food for you in the car.”


“Not after the pepperoni incident. How was your flight?” Lulu asked.


“Long and uneventful,” Lola answered through a yawn. “I think I’ll just rest my eyes for a while. Can you make sure I’m up when we get to the Galleria? I want to wave to Nordstrom as we go by.”


“I’m pretty sure they’re still in business, even with your being gone all this time.” Lulu smirked, knowing Lola’s near-addiction to their shoe department.


“Even so…” Lola trailed off, her head tipping back against the headrest.


Lucky’s paws twitched in his sleep, the tip of his tail wagging almost imperceptibly. Lulu reached across and gently took Lola’s water bottle from her relaxed hands and stowed it in a cup holder. Lulu figured she’d be able to drop Lola at her apartment in about twenty-five minutes and be back at her own place ten minutes later.


Lulu glanced over at Lola and checked on Lucky in the rearview mirror, happy to watch over her two best friends.


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copyright (c) 2010 Lulubelle B


3 comments:

Unknown said...

Hee! I love pets in the car. My own dog can't sit still in the car.

This is great stuff Lulu!

dive said...

Oh, my! I have GOT to get me a leapoadr-patterend wheelie-bag!

Lulu, this is lovely. So nice to see Lulu and Lola back again. I have a feeling we'll hear more from Lucky, too.

Shazza said...

Great story. Corky does the same co-pilot stance as well! I think it's because they want to make sure you know that THEY are still in charge and they are just letting you seem like you are! ;)

all original content (c) copyright 2009-2012 Lulubelle B