"Pack your trash and get the hell out!" Those were the last words I said to her.

Kate had been shacking up with me for almost the last year. Things started going bad when she complained about me staying out all night with some of the bro's from the club. I guess that she didn't like me coming home drunk at all hours of the morning. It was my house and I felt that I could come and go as I pleased.

Since women weren't really allowed out at the clubhouse unless for obvious reasons, I suppose that she felt left out. Damn if I know. But what I do know, is that she was really getting on my last nerve and she had to go.

Things were slowing down at work and I needed a break to clear my head. Maybe just a short vacation and some time to myself. I had a couple of weeks vacation coming up so I knew this was my chance to get away from it all. I had an old friend that lived down in North Carolina that I hadn't seen in a few years so figured that this was my chance to pay him a visit.

I loaded up my saddlebags with a couple pairs of jeans and a few t-shirts and strapped my bed roll to the front of my bike and I was ready to put myself in the wind. Two weeks away sure was gonna be nice. Especially not having Kate sitting behind me, bitching in my ear constantly.

I headed south out of Michigan and was damn happy to hit that Indiana line. A no lid state and the sun sure felt good on my head. I cut across Indiana and down through Ohio and made it to the Kentucky line before I decided to call it a day and find something hot to eat along with a cold drink to wash it down with.

My nose and stomach drew me to a place called Martys'. There were a few other scoots parked outside, so I figured that it must be my kind of place. I shut down my old iron head and walked on inside. Right away I knew this was my kinda joint and not just some choke and puke.

The first thing that caught my eye was the bartender. She was a hardbody that looked like she was created by the devil himself. Long dark brown hair and the meanest set of brown eyes to go along with it. A smile that drew you into her soul and never wanted to release you. Yeah, she was my kind of woman. No doubt about it. I knew then after looking at her, that I was staying for more than just a burger and a beer.

After I killed that burn in my stomach, I settled into a few games of pool and some conversation with a few of the locals. Nancy, the bartender, kept the pitchers of cold beer coming and kept on flashing me that killer smile of hers.

The next thing Ii knew Nancy was shouting for last call and I was more than a little drunk. I finished what was left in the pitcher and made my way out the door and over to my bike. I sat there on the edge of the seat trying to sober up a bit and figure out where I was going to lay my tired bag of bones for the night.

"What's the matter? Got no place to sleep at tonight?" It was Nancy. She stood there in the gravel parking lot, just outside the door, grinning at me. I told her, "as long as I've got this", pointing to my bed roll, "I've always got a place to sleep." She walked over and stood in front of me and stared into my eyes. Almost as if she was trying to look into my soul."Well" she said, "As long as you don't try to pull anything on me, Ii've got a sofa bed you can sleep on tonight over at my place, just a few miles away." "That sounds good to me," I told her, with a cheesy smile plastered across my face. "There's only one catch though", she said with a half way grin. "You gotta help me frame up my garage tomorrow." "Not a problem" I told her, as I sat there not believing my good fortune.

I waited outside for Nancy while she finished cleaning up the bar, wondering what was in store for me after we made it to her place. She came out a while later, locking the door behind her and said, " You aren't too drunk to follow me are you?" I laughed and told her, "This old bike has gotten me home when I was too drunk to even walk before." She then smiled and said, "Ok then. Follow me." She then got into her Malibu and led the way.

The cool air on my face did me some good and I was thankful to have those set of tailights to follow. She drove nice and slow and before I knew it we were at her place.

She lived in an old barn that had been converted over into a house. Damn was the thing ever neat looking. She led me inside and showed me around the place. I was definitely impressed after she told me that she had done most of the work by herself.

She put on a pot of coffee and we stayed up for a couple of hours telling stories and getting lost in conversation. She said that her dad used to ride and that she grew up with memories of him and his friends partying at their house and always having a good time. I guess maybe that's why she took to me the way she did.

Well I kept my word and didn't try to put the moves on her. The next morning she fixed me a nice hot breakfast and we got started on her garage. I had never seen a woman who was that damn good at carpentry.

I ended up staying with Nancy for my two weeks and we really had gotten close to each other. Needless to say, Ii wasn't sleeping on the sofa bed there at the end of my stay.

My days were spent working on her garage and evenings consisted of beer and pool at the bar. Ah life was good. But my time off was coming close to an end and I had a job to get back to. We finished up her garage and dreaded the goodbye that was getting near.

Together, on her days off, we put a few miles on my scoot and it was a nice change to have such a good woman sitting behind me enjoying the ride. She loved the wind and the freedom as much as I did.

Our last weekend together was spent at the Easyrider Rodeo in Chillicothe Ohio. We ran into some friends of mine and partied the whole time, enjoying every minute that we could.

Nancy had put me in a better state of mind after my bad experience with Kate. She indirectly let me know that there are still some good women out there who don't complain all the time. Yeah my vacation had done the trick. My head was clear and I was ready to head back home.

The last day was a hard one as Nancy and I said our goodbyes. We promised each other to keep in touch and would try to meet up at next years Rodeo if we could. We kissed and then I fired up my scoot and was gone with a wave goodbye as I rode down her drive.

The ride home was a somber one as I played the last two weeks events over and over again in my head. I hated leaving her behind, but she had her world and I had mine. I never made it to see that old friend of mine in North Carolina. So I guess that will have to be another road trip.

by Dave Johannes

Note from author: This story is mostly fiction with a few pieces of truth thrown in it.

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