by Casey Case

Created on: July 03, 2009

Earl Coleman could see the lady was in trouble as he rolled up behind her new car steaming on the side of the road. The dust from his truck enveloped her as she stood next to it talking on a cell phone. She finished her call and secured her phone without taking her eyes off of him. Earl reached for a can of Skoal on his dashboard as he surveyed her expensive looking pantsuit through a cracked windshield. He stuffed a large wad of tobacco in his cheek, then shut off the truck's engine and struggled to remove his large frame from behind the steering wheel. He didn't bother to shut his door as he stepped out onto the empty dirt road.

She rocked back and forth on the balls of her feet as Earl sauntered up while adjusting his coverall straps. Her eyes followed a stain of tobacco juice down his salt and pepper beard onto his dirty, sweat-soaked western shirt. His thick curly hair seemed to struggle under his dusty ball cap until it emerged into a gnarled tangled web that formed a sort of halo around the base of his hat. She never took her eyes off of him as he made his way around to the front of the steaming car.

Wow lady, what kind of varmit did you run over?

It wasn't a, . . . varmit sir; it was a gravel truck.

No kidding? You ran over a gravel truck? I didn't see one lying in the road, Earl stated while surveying the road.

Well no, of course not, she said as she rolled her eyes. I passed some maniac in a gravel truck that must have been doing sixty on this narrow pathetic road and he sprayed me with rocks.

Not a good idea passing them gravel trucks. They're usually really rolling.

I didn't pass him, I met him going the other way.

Well that explains it, Earl stated as he examined the car's broken windshield. There were several impacts that had shattered the sleek windshield and several large dents and scratches in the hood surrounded by dust splatters. Got your radiator too, he added as he leaned down to examine the grill. Wonder how bad it is? He straightened up and looked at her with one eye partially closed against the afternoon sun. You are right, lady?

Yes, she sighed. It just scared the hell out of me and the driver didn't even stop. I thought people in the country drove slow.

Not all of 'em, said Earl as he gazed down the empty road all the way to the horizon without detecting a dust trail. How

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