I have no idea where this foolish courage or recklessness is coming from. I realize that it’s highly possible I will piss this guy off so much that he’ll shoot me just to shut me up. But I can’t seem to stop myself. It’s like this weird adrenaline is coursing through my veins, controlling my brain, controlling my mouth, controlling everything that’s happening around me. And the only way to get rid of this nervous energy seems to be through talking. So talking is what I do.
“I’ve had enough of people shitting on my kids, okay? My son got kicked out of daycare because the stupid director has a problem with kids who have speech impediments. I mean, how fucked up is that?”
I look at the guy, but he’s just staring at me, so I keep going. “That’s wrong. You should never be rude to a child just because he has a disability. You should try to understand where he’s coming from, put yourself in his shoes. And if you have something to say about it, you don’t say it to the kid. You can scar him for life doing that. You say it to the parent. Alone. Handicaps are not a choice. You should never make a kid feel bad about being who he was born to be.”
The man has nothing to say to that. His mouth hangs open like he’s been hypnotized. I shake my head, disgusted. I’m getting nowhere with this guy, and now instead of scared, I’m pissed. This reaction of mine must be some kind of survival mechanism or something, because it makes no sense. I know that, and yet I can’t change how I feel.
“So what’s next? Am I supposed to drive you somewhere? I’d really rather not, if I have any say in the matter. But I’ll tell you what . . . I don’t mind letting you use my car. You’ll have to come over here and get into the driver’s seat, though.” I reach over to the door handle, hoping he’ll just let me leave. I’ll jump out and run faster than I’ve ever run before. He won’t even see me, I’ll be such a blur. Like The Flash. Fyoo! Gone-ski! See ya later, suckah!
“I want you to take me to Toni,” he growls.
I put my hands back on the steering wheel and sigh in annoyance. Looking at him, I glare. “Did you do your research?”
“Do my research? What the hell you talking about?” He sounds even more frustrated than he did before.
I hiss out a sigh of annoyance. Like I have time for criminals who fail to do the simplest Google search before perpetrating their crimes.
“Research. It’s basic stuff. Before you go somewhere and point a gun at somebody, and, oh yeah, take a hostage in a vehicle, don’t you think it might make sense to find out if I actually know anything at all about this so-called Toni person? Or hey! Here’s an idea! Maybe you could have just waited for him to show up!”
“You work with her. Don’t pretend like you don’t know her. And she’s never here. I’ve waited before. I’ve only seen her one time, and she pulled inside that place. It’s locked up like a goddamned fortress. I figure with you here, she’ll have to come out and deal with me. Face up to what she has coming.”
“Listen, I know of her. But I do I know her? No. She’s not a very open person, in case you didn’t already know that. She keeps to herself. She doesn’t share personal details.” My voice rises with my frustration. “I have no idea where she lives, I have no idea what days she comes to work, and I have no idea what her hours are!”
“You expect me to believe you work with her and you don’t know anything about her schedule?”
I shrug. “Believe it or not, I don’t care. It’s the truth.” I gesture out the front window. “Do you see anybody here? You see me opening the big door? No, you don’t. Because I don’t have the combination to their front door. I am not an employee of this place.”
I don’t know where I’m getting this stuff. I’m just letting it flow. I’m praying the universe is in charge and my guardian angel has the wheel, because if it’s only me driving this bus, I’m in trouble. Big trouble. This man is losing his patience with me.
He punches my dashboard to emphasize his point. “What are you doing here if you’re not an employee? I’ve seen your car here before, you know. You’re lying, that’s what you’re doing.”
I take an extra-deep breath to try to cool myself down. I can’t afford to piss this guy off any more than I already have. “I’m not lying. I was just doing a little freelancing for them, that’s it. But you know what? After this bullshit, I’m not doing it anymore. It’s not worth it. I’m so tired of being falsely imprisoned . . .”
“You ain’t falsely imprisoned here.”
I look at him, wanting so badly to slap him. “Oh really? What do you call this?” I gesture around us. “Do I want to be here? No! Do I have a sign on my forehead that says Kidnap me? I don’t think so. Why does this keep happening? What does all this say about me?”
He shrugs, confused. “I don’t know. That you’re in the wrong place at the right time?”