Story Four

Lynda and I decided to hitchhike to the next major town in the Okanagan Valley. We stayed at a youth hostel there. We met a couple from Alberta, Keith and Angie. Angie was only 14, and she'd run away from home to be with Keith, who was 18.

Keith was about six feet tall. He had a great tan, black hair, and the most startlingly blue eyes I've ever seen. He was a real hunk, and I couldn't understand what he saw in Angie, who was short and dumpy.  It must have been love!

The hostel provided a place to sleep, and sandwiches to eat in the evening. Everyone was turned out, along with their belongings, from 10 a.m. until about 5 p.m. when the building was opened again.

The four of us were all together one afternoon, just strolling along the street, when Keith said, "I have to be somewhere - I'll catch up with you guys later."

He wasn't gone long, and when he returned, he drove a bright fire engine red convertible, in mint condition for a car from the early '60's.

Keith told us to hop in. Angie climbed into the front with Keith, while Lynda and I got into the back. 

As he pulled away from the curb, Keith explained that the car belonged to his uncle, who didn't mind if he drove it for awhile. 
Sure, we could have questioned him more closely, but we didn't...

Keith began driving out of town, and he asked us if we'd like to come along, to visit his aunt and uncle who lived in Alberta.

We traveled through the rest of that day, then stopped behind a large pile of hay for the night. We sat and talked for awhile, and the subject of songs, music, and poetry came up.  I mentioned that I'd written a few poems, and Keith and Angie asked to see them.  I brought out the little book where I now wrote my poetry, and handed it to them. Keith opened it, and began to read. 

"Oh, look," he exclaimed. "here's one that says", "I did not climb a mountain". "That's about me, then!"  Keith's last name was 'Hills'. I thought he'd made a good joke, but that it was simply a coincidence that I'd written that. I didn't disagree, though. Who was I to say for sure?

Finally we decided to try and get some sleep. We had sleeping bags, and we unrolled them next to the pile of hay, rather than trying to sleep in the car.

We resumed our trip the next morning.  Later that day,  the police pulled us over. It turned out that Keith had stolen the car. The police charged all of us with car theft, even the innocent hitchhiker we'd picked up along the way. Angie got off easily - she was sent home to her parents. Keith got time in jail. Lynda and I each got a year's probation.

Keith and Angie broke up. Later I heard that Angie got married at 16, and had 3 kids one right after the other, and that she was very happy.

Keith called me after he got out of jail, and he apologized for getting us into trouble with the law. I told him I forgave him. 

 

If you think I should explore my feelings for Keith further, choose this link.

 Choose next  for the fifth story.