Day five.

Evan woke up a couple of times and looked around the van. All were sleeping except Gerald who seemed to be glued to the road. The rain had stopped and the sun was coming up. Without so much as a look, Gerald said in a very quite and gentle voice. "Is that you Evan?" "Huh?" Evan answered. Shocked that Gerald knew he was awake. "Uh, yea, it's me." "Come up here with me for a minute son." Evan climbed over a few of the children and hunkered down between the front seats looking up at Gerald. "You want to talk about anything son?" Gerald inquired with a sincere serene smile. "Well, I don't know sir," was Evan's reply. "Go ahead son get it off your chest." Evan swallowed hard and just before he spoke Gerald ask if he liked coffee. "Yes sir I do." Evan had been drinking coffee since he was a little boy. His Nan used to make it for him. Jean always had a pot brewing at home. "Good then get that thermos and pour us a cup. The cups are under the seat." Evan poured two cups of black coffee and handed one to Gerald. Gerald smiled again and his smile said "tell me about your troubles son." So, Evan filled him in on the whole shebang. Gerald would smile and say "praise the Lord," "bless you" or "Amen" every time Evan finished a thought. Nothing more was said by Gerald. No advise, no oh I'm sorry, nothing. He just left Evan spill his guts. And he did with a lump in his throat and tears in his eyes! Evan did not understand why, but he felt so at ease there beside Gerald. The others started waking up with a "I'm hungry," "I have to go to the bathroom," "what time is it?" Gerald answered each one of them so kindly. Then he said. "We are going to stop at the next rest stop and we all can eat and do whatever else we needed to do."

He pulled into the rest stop and parked right in front of a picnic table. Maureen, his wife, a tall slender beautiful woman with long flowing jet black hair, started gathering all sorts of stuff from the back of the van. She spread a white linen tablecloth on the table and, with the help of the five girls, started putting out the food. Gerald and the boys pulled a large hibachi off the top of the van and started the fire. Evan went inside the rest room, washed up, and changed his clothes. His shirt smelled like Rachel. He could not stand the smell she was gone. He just walked around like a lost puppy. Thinking about everything that had happened to him. He just could not get Rachel off his mind and started to cry when he saw her in his minds eye. He kept thinking about his Mom and what she must be going through because of his leaving. It was a beautiful sunny morning. The smell of bacon and eggs on an open fire was captivating. "Come Evan sit down and eat," Maureen insisted. It all tasted so good Evan had seconds. It was hard to believe that there was any food left over but Gerald who waited almost till last to eat cleaned up the left overs. Motorists passing by just about wrecked their cars starring at them. Must have been a site to see for the times. One longhaired white boy with a family of ten black folks. No one seemed to notice but Evan. It was all so natural for him to be with this beautiful family. However, it was the late 60's and they were in South Carolina. After breakfast, the whole crew helped clean up. Evan included. The oldest boy, Carl pulled out a Frisbee and started throwing it around. The whole family and Evan joined in. Gerald put out the fire and disposed of the ashes. What a great time was had there in the sun at the rest stop with those glorious people.

"Best get back on the road if we want to get there before dark," Gerald announced. They all piled back in the van and set off for Georgia. The kids talked and talked and talked about just about everything in the world. Church, the revival, school, boy friends, girl friends, family, frisbee, you name it. Evan joined in occasionally but not much. He was deep in thought about his life and what was going to become of him and his Mom. He went in and out of depression over and over. Could not stop himself from thinking and worrying about Rachel. The hours went by like minutes. Gerald would turn around occasionally and smile at Evan so gently. Gave Evan a secure and pleasant feeling when he did. Gerald was without a doubt an angel sent from above. Nevertheless, Evan kept drifting back to the past events and sadness. "Any body hungry," Maureen asks. The entire family let loose with a big, "yea." She passed out country ham sandwiches to all. Evan could not eat. He felt sick to his stomach and was a bundle of nerves. Anna the youngest girl had to go pee. Gerald said, "we will pull off soon and we all can stretch and all go to the potty." They all laughed.

Gerald pulled into a small country gas station and everyone took a turn at the toilet. The gas station attendant was an older gray haired southern gentleman. His blue jeans and white t-shirt were covered in grease and oil. He was pumping the gas when Evan went to the van for his ham sandwich. Evan said, "hello" and the man just looked at him. Evan got his sandwich and on his way out of the van, he heard the man mutter, "Niger lover." This upset Evan so much he just wanted to punch that ass hole right in the mouth. Gerald walked up to the van and put his arm around Evan's shoulder and told him, "Don't mind him Evan. Some people in this area are pretty prejudiced and backwards." Evan explained that he just wanted to, "teach that son of bitch a lesson in manners." Gerald replied, "he will learn soon enough without you getting involved. Now settle down son and lets be on our way." Somehow, Gerald had all the right answers. Evan still could not resist flippin' the guy the bird through the rear window as they drove away. "A couple more hours and we will be there," Gerald told them all. Again, the hallelujahs, Amens and Praise the Lord rang out. Maureen started singing a soothing melody about the rebirth of the Lord and all just sat quietly and listened. She had an amazingly soft yet powerful voice. Evan felt so at ease while she was singing.

The second oldest boy and girl, Jake and Sarah, pulled out a monopoly board. Everyone slid around to make room for the board on the floor. Adam the youngest boy grabbed the money and announced, "I'm the banker.” Anna said, "I want to be the shoe." They started playing. Maria the third oldest and Betsy the next to the youngest played cat in the cradle in the back of the van. Carl the oldest boy and Liz the oldest girl moved over on either side of Evan and sort of faced him. "How long you been on the road," Carl inquired. Evan answered, about four days now." "Your brave," Liz spoke out. Evan hadn't actually noticed how beautiful Liz was before that moment. She had a soft semi light color skin tone. The biggest brown eyes Evan had ever seen. She had her Dad’s smile, so gentle and kind. Evan replied, "Naw, I'm not brave." "Well I think you are," she perked. Anna stretched out and Liz moved right next to Evan. Carl said, "I'm going up front with Daddy." Evan moved away from Liz. She followed. Her arm brushed against his hand and he couldn't help but notice how soft she was. "Where are you from Evan?" "I'm from Maryland." "Why are you hitchhiking?" "Oh, I just love being out on the open road. What a feeling of freedom you get out there." "Do you have a girl friend," she asked. "No not right now," he told her. She moved a little closer. "Neither do I. Have a boy friend that is," she laughed. The Monopoly game was going hard and heavy. Jake seemed to own most of the board and Anna was whining and complaining that she was out of money. Sarah told her, "take out a loan." She did. A huge one. Everybody laughed. Liz was leaning over Evan's back to see the game. Evan felt her heat on his back as he tried to find another position. When he moved so did she. They met noses in the process and Liz kissed him right on the lips. He didn't know what to do. He was stunned. She was gorgeous and his age. In the position they settled, Liz was almost sitting on his lap. He reached one arm around her waist and laid his hand in her lap. She snuggled against his shoulder. Her hair had an unusual aroma. Evan had never experienced it before. It was sweet but thick he thought. It was driving Evan crazy. Like an animals scent. Evan tried again to move away. He managed to find a space where he could lean against the wall. Liz crawled right on top of him. A couple of the other kids snickered. Gerald and Maureen did not turn around or say a word. Evan put his arm around her and she snuggled up just under his chin. Her smell was driving him mad. "What is it?" he asks himself. Strange odor to his nostrils. Evan was so comfortable and tired that he fell asleep for a little while.

Evan awoke to the sound of Gerald's voice. "Well Evan, unless you want to go to the revival with us you might want to gather up your stuff. I will be turning off about three more exits up," he said. A sinking feeling came over Evan. "Back out on the highway all alone again." He almost threw up at the thought. "Well here we are Evan. I'll get the door for you." When Gerald opened the door, Evan got out of the van and the rest of the gang did too. They all took turns hugging him and blessing him. Liz kissed him again and they hugged each other tight. Maureen handed him a brown paper bag full of sandwiches and kissed him on the forehead. Gerald shook his hand and with that gentle smile on his face said, "Bless you my son and God speed." They all jumped back in the van and drove off. Evan could see all the hands waving in the back windows as he watched the van until it disappeared into nothingness. He stashed the sandwiches in his bag.

Standing there, he felt happy, sad, sick, scared and all alone. But, He thought, "what a ride. What beautiful people. Liz was so sweet to me. Such a wonderful family. Why couldn't my family be half as nice?" The sun was low in the sky and it was getting a little chilly. Evan wondered if he should hitch hike now or find a place to sleep and set out for Florida tomorrow. He decided to find a place to sleep. He still was carrying Liz's smell. He just couldn't place what it smelled like. He opted to walk off the road and find a place in the woods where he could build a fire. After about half an hour he found a magnificent clearing with a pond. He gathered wood for the fire and piled leaves up for a bed. He had a time of it getting a fire going but finally succeeded with only one match left. It got dark and Evan sat there beside his fire thinking about Gerald and his family. Charlie, Morris, Rachel, and most of all his Mom. He cried some and laughed some. As he stoked the fire before he was going to sleep he found himself singing "Amen...Aaamen" and chuckled and laid down on his bed of leaves to sleep. From time to time he would still catch a sniff of Liz's aroma. Just couldn't put his finger on it. Sleep came easy.

A few hours later, all hell broke loose. The storm had found him again. This time he had no shelter. He pushed his back against a tree and covered up as best he could behind his duffel bag. The storm raged for what seemed like weeks. Beating him nearly senseless. "Damn you Dad," he screamed out. "Damn you!" Lightning struck a tree not more than twenty yards from him with a thunderous crash and blinding flash of light. He knew that by morning he would more than likely be dead. He just pulled his bag closer to him and tried to hide from the violent weather but to no avail. It was hailing and blowing with such force that he could hardly sit up. "Damn you Dad!!! Damn you! Go ahead kill me," he belted out at the storm. "Go ahead just frickin' kill me." With every streak of lightning, he jumped about out of his skin. The thunder was so loud it hurt his ears. The wind blew his bag out of his hands and across the clearing. When he went to retrieve it the wind blew him down. Over and over again. He had almost no energy left in his body and his mind was willing to give up. Why not he was soaked again being beat by the hail, knocked down by the wind and cold as could be. He just kept thinking. "If I die here no one will know. My Mom won't know that I am dead. Oh my Mom. Mom," he quietly cried. "Mom please help me Mom. Please don't let me die. Please. Mooooom!!!! Mom!!! Mom! Damn you Dad!!! Damn you!!!!! Go ahead just kill me!!! Go ahead! Why not? Kill me damn it!! KILL ME!!!! KILL ME!!!!!" Just by chance, the wind threw him against a fallen tree. He moved to the other side of it and found a bit of shelter and relief. The wind blew the rain and hail over him. He curled up, stayed there in the mud, cried and shivered the rest of the night. Cried and shivered and shivered and cried with no sleep.