#WDYS — Country Road

Fandango

David was tired of driving on the interstate highway, where the humming of his tires and the lackluster scenery was putting him to sleep. He decided to take a chance by pulling off the interstate onto a country road.

But that was hours ago and he was in desperate need of a meal and a nice warm bed. So he was thrilled when he saw the vacancy sign lit up at a small motel seemingly in the middle of nowhere. David pulled into the parking lot, got out of his car, and went to the motel office. It was locked, so he pushed the doorbell and crossed his fingers that someone would come out. A female voice crackled over an intercom-like speaker. “Yeah, can I help you?”

“I’d like a room for the night,” David said.

“I’m at the diner about 100 yards up the road,” the woman said. “Come here and sit a spell while I finish eating, then I’ll check you in,” she said.

David was hungry, so why not? “Okay,” he said, and headed toward the diner. When he stepped inside, there were about a half a dozen people inside, including a waitress and a short order cook. He noticed that a girl, maybe in her late twenties with curly blonde hair, started waving her hands at him. He walked toward her and she motioned for him to sit down. “You the guy who wants a room?” she asked.

David noticed what looked like an old walkie-talkie receiver on the table next to her plate. “Yeah, that’s me.”

“You hungry?” she asked, and motioned for the waitress to come over. Upon her arrival, the waitress stood next to David with an expectant expression. The waitress pointed to a blackboard behind the counter that had the daily items posted. It had a small, but eclectic, list of a dozen or so options.

“Yeah, the menu is pretty lame, but my recommendation is a burger and fries,” the curly-haired blonde woman said. “They can’t fuck them up too badly.”

David looked up at the waitress and said, “Cheeseburger, medium rare, and fries.” The waitress turned around and headed back to the counter, where she leaned over and whispered to the cook. Then she took out an aerosol can and started spraying it in the air. David gave a quizzical look at the woman sitting across the table from him.

She noticed his look and said, “We’re at war with the damn ‘squitoes this time of year,” as an explanation for the waitress spraying in the air. “I’m Janice,” she said, offering her hand.

David took her hand and shook it. “I’m David.”

“How many nights?” Janice asked.

“Just one,” David said.

“Yeah, like most folks,” she said. “The rooms got clean sheets and towels and there’s a can of bug spray in the closet so the ‘squitoes don’t eat you up alive.”

“Great,” David said as the waitress placed a plate down in front of him with an obviously well-done burger and fries.

Written Sadje’s What Do You See? Prompt (vacancy), and for these daily prompts: Your Daily Word Prompt (chance), My Vivid (eclectic), Fandango’s One-Word Challenge (lame), The Daily Spur (recommendation), E.M.’s Random Word Prompt (aerosol), and Ragtag Daily Prompt (war). Photo credit: Carter Saunders @ Undplash.

24 thoughts on “#WDYS — Country Road”

  1. Lou Carreras March 1, 2022 / 6:42 pm

    Been there, done that. It was the spray and the over cooked food that really nailed it to the wall for me. Great breakfasts, mediocre lunch and if you pull in after ten better have the rollaids ready/

    Liked by 2 people

    • Fandango March 1, 2022 / 10:32 pm

      The life of a road warrior.

      Like

  2. Sadje March 1, 2022 / 7:47 pm

    How nice to have a friendly host and a hot meal for him. Great use of all the prompts Fandango! Thanks for joining in

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 1, 2022 / 10:49 pm

      It was your WDYS prompt photo that set my mind in motion.

      Liked by 1 person

  3. Lauren March 1, 2022 / 8:44 pm

    Nice job. I think I’d sleep in my car.

    Liked by 1 person

    • Fandango March 1, 2022 / 10:48 pm

      That might have been what David should have done.

      Liked by 1 person

  4. emkingston March 1, 2022 / 11:16 pm

    That little diner must have been in Arkansas. The mosquitos are vicious there… and big! At least the girl was nice enough, even with the crappy food and bugs 🙂 Great story, Fandango!

    Liked by 1 person

  5. Nope, Not Pam March 2, 2022 / 1:50 am

    I’m taking that one as a win. Fed and bed. 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  6. newepicauthor March 2, 2022 / 6:33 am

    It wouldn’t be the ‘squitoes that I would worry about, as this place probably has a lot of creepy crawlies also.

    Liked by 1 person

  7. parikhit March 2, 2022 / 6:41 am

    Why did I keep thinking that there would be something sinister!

    Liked by 2 people

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  11. leigha66 March 25, 2022 / 2:15 pm

    Good story… don’t suppose it would be worth sending the burger back there, don’t think they care how it is cooked.

    Liked by 1 person

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