Green with Envy

Photo by Steve Ford

By David Zidlick

“Hey Billy Bob, your gas tank full over there yet, good buddy?” Christian laughed more at Elliot’s awful southern accent, than at the lame joke.

“It musta sprang a leak, there. I been workin’ on it since before we left, but I keep needin’ another beer.”

That was no joke. They’d both been working on a full tank since before they left Delaware, but this party was just getting started. St. Patty’s Day at last! Ever since their older brothers had come back with tales of Savannah’s green river, green beer and beautiful girls, they had almost counted the years before they could have their own memorable road trip. Circumstances conspired to delay their own St. Patty’s Day bash a full decade.

Elliot stopped checking out the occupants of passing cars long enough to look at Christian steering the car.

“Yea, it almost would have been a waste to go way back when. A man can handle twice what any boy can, both women and alcohol! Hahaha….… Hey dude, watch it!!!” He yelled over the subwoofer and the sounds of his “travellin’ band” 311.

Blindly, Christian swerved his Camry back into the right hand lane. “Chill out dude, everything’s cool! This is going to be the best party ever!”

Elliot’s stomach wasn’t so confident, but he popped another beer with feigned confidence.

“Ya got that right, man. Babes, brews and good buds.” Halfway through his sentence he turned his uncertain braggadocio into a beer commercial that made them both laugh.

“Look!!!” Christian was staring out his window instead of at the road as a beautiful blonde in a hot ‘Stang sped by. Elliot rescued his beer from hitting the floor just in time to see her disappear up the road. Christian was still looking after her. “Man, she was beautiful!”

“Ya don’t have to tell me,” Elliot lied. “Be sure and keep an eye out for that ‘Stang when we hit Savannah!”

They weren’t doing too bad of a job convincing themselves they were having a good time, though neither had any reason to be confident they would hook up with any girls, no matter how much courage they had on their side. While neither would admit otherwise, each knew their bragging was false front, not cold, hard fact.

Later Elliot yelled, “Hot ‘Stang!!!”

A bright red Mustang came rapidly up behind them. “Another blond!” Looking in their mirrors, not at the road, they both exploded, “Damn she’s hot!”

As she started to pull around them, Christian glanced at Elliot just in time to see his eyes widen. His head snapped left to see what he was missing. He spotted the blue light on the dash that had caught Elliot’s attention. The ‘Stang dropped back behind them as the blue light came on.

The only green in their weekend was suddenly envy of all those having their fun in Savannah instead of them. And that was a cold, hard fact!