Met Someone on the Way Home.

Sometimes we meet random strangers at random places. If you're lucky, you'll come across the strangest of strangers that seem very intriguing. At least, Jennie here was lucky enough to meet a very odd individual. A red-headed girl named Caren. It's not much for a story, but rather a nice conversation. 

ENJOY...

Met Someone on the Way Home.

[Stranger 1 – Jennie Stranger 2 – Caren]

Jennie

I was driving home to Nashville in Tennessee after visiting my aunt in Atlanta, Georgia. It’s a long drive home and the last thing I expected was to meet a stranger on the road.

As I drove, I saw someone asking for a lift in the distance. It was a red-haired girl standing there and waving her arms in the air. I didn’t have the heart to leave her standing alone on the countryside road, not to mention it was getting dark and she wasn't safe out here alone. To be honest, neither am I. I stop in front of her and lower the passenger seat's window. “Would ya mind if I ride with ya to Nashville? That is if yer goin’ there.” This girl has a very strange accent, it’s intriguing. “Sure, come in,” I say. She loads her stuff into the trunk and gets in. She didn’t have much luggage though. I begin driving again when she sits down in the passenger seat of my car. “What’s yer name?” she asks as she fastens her seatbelt. “Jennie, yours?” I reply. “Caren,” she pulls a grilled cheese sandwich out of the bag on her lap and offers me some. I shake my head, “No thanks,” she shrugs and takes a bite. We drive on for a while before my curiosity eventually kicks in. “What were you doing out here alone?”

Caren

I swallow the grilled cheese and try to find a reasonable answer to that question but I can’t think of one. So, I decided to just say it as it is, “Ma parents got divorced two years ago. I stay with me father and he got remarried a couple months ago. I don’t get along with me stepmother. We had a fight las night, a big one. So, I kinda ran away.” Jennie’s eyes widen at my response, “I’m sorry, but if you ran away, then why are you headed to Nashville?” she asks. I take another bite of my grilled cheese and say, “me mother moved to Nashville after the divorce, Ima go see if I can move in with her.” She nods and continues looking down at the road. “Why er ya goin’ to Nashville?” I ask.

“I live there, I visited my aunt in Georgia and was heading back.” She answers. I nod and continue eating. “Your accent is pretty weird; how did you get it?” she asks after a while.

“Ta be hones, I don’t know how I got this accent, but I somehow did.”

“Your accent reminds me of Hagrid from Harry Potter,”

“I was a huge fan of him, probably got me accent by copyin’ his.”

She laughs slightly at my response and continues driving. “It’s a very long drive ta Nashville, we could switch if ya want ta” I say. She shakes her head and replies, “no need, I’m used to long drives, I’ll manage.”

“Good fer me, I’m out. Wake me up when we get there.” I say as I lower myself on the seat and cover my eyes with my scarf. Jennie smiles and says, “Sleep well, you must’ve had a long night.” After that, I pass out.

I feel someone shake me awake. I open my eyes to see that Jennie’s parked on the side of the road, “wake up, we’re here,” she says. I unbuckle the seat belt and get out. I take my stuff out of the trunk and then walk to the passenger seat and tap on the window. Jennie lowers it and I say, “Thanks fer the ride, Jennie.” She smiles back at me and says, “No problem, get home to your mother, I hope she lets you move in.” I smile and she drives away.

Your guide,

Vishista Singh