Blonde Indian by Ernestine Hayes & Ernestine Hayes

Author:Ernestine Hayes & Ernestine Hayes
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: University of Arizona Press
Published: 2015-04-13T16:00:00+00:00

Gary and I get a slow start out of Seattle. We stand at the Interstate 5 on-ramp hoping to make it to Olympia with the morning rush-hour traffic, thumbs out and smiles on our faces, until well past the commuter traffic hours. Finally around ten a.m. a man in a blue four-door stops. We pile in and are on our way.

‘‘Where you headed?’’ the middle-aged driver asks.

‘‘Well, we’re going all the way to California, but right now we’re hoping to get to Olympia,’’ I pipe up. ‘‘How far are you going?’’

‘‘I can take you right outside Olympia,’’ the man says. ‘‘What are you going to California for?’’

From the back seat, Gary sticks his face into our conversation, already tired of being ignored. With a grin, he interjects, ‘‘Yeah! California, man! We’re gonna pick some flowers!’’ He laughs and starts humming. ‘‘If you’re going to San Francisco . . .’’

I frown. ‘‘We’re on our way back home. We live in California, and we’ve just been visiting in Washington for a while. We ran out of money before we thought we would, so we have to hitchhike back.’’ The driver merges the car into oncoming traffic. Satisfied with his driving, I continue. ‘‘Originally I’m from Alaska, but Gary here’s from San Francisco. That’s why he thinks it’s funny to put flowers in your hair. He’s just trying to be funny.’’

The driver’s name is Bob. Gary and I have agreed that when a man is driving, I sit in the front and it’s Gary in the front for a woman driver. Whoever sits in front makes sure we haven’t climbed into the car of a suicidal maniac or a drunken divorcée. Whoever sits in back is supposed to be ready to spring to the defense of the other if necessary, not sticking his face between us making a limp joke that no one thinks is funny. ‘‘We’re going to go over to Highway 1 and stay on that as far as the Bay Area,’’ I tell Bob. ‘‘Then we’ll take Highway 80 up to the foothills. That’s where we live. We want to see the Coast Highway, though. It sure is beautiful.’’ Friendly small talk is a rule of the road.

Bob glances at Gary and smiles. ‘‘No problem. I was in San Francisco for a while. I know what it’s like.’’ We settle into an observant silence. I try not to look at Gary.

Before long we’re piling out of the sedan and saying our thank yous to Bob. ‘‘Thanks, Bob!’’ Gary hollers and waves while I look around for a good place to hitch our next ride.

Choosing a place to stand and thumb for your ride is key. Optimally, the location must have a long approach so oncoming drivers can notice you and check you over well in advance. There should also be a proximate straight stretch where a driver can slow down and stop safely after deciding to give you a ride.

Making the best use of that approach time is the sign of a seasoned hitchhiker.

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