Rachel and Chris

Part 1 : Rachel and the Ring

Yesterday was clear with a light but chilling winter wind present to remind all that the bit of warmth in the sun would only last a couple of hours at best. I struggled between sweating and freezing as I worked to remove the winter street grime from my roadster.
Top up and windows closed may have some keep the roadster in the garage all winter but not me. Unless it is icy, I want to drive the corner hugging, light and fast two seat roadster in all seasons. The price? Winter road grime that is easiest to remove at the local manual car wash.

I’d given the little red car a complete rub down with soap and pressurized water, then taken through the soft water of the auto wash and the air dryer. Now I was drying and polishing, bending every which way and sweating when my coat was zipped and freezing when it was open. To say the least I was in no way looking attractive or feeling charming.
As I was about half way through the process another car pulled up just across the vacuum and trash station. I didn’t pay much attention but just wished it would not be another person deriving their sense of self worth by how many other people he can make listen to his preferred music.

No noise came and I was relieved. And when I stood up and glanced across my car to the new neighbor, more than relief came.
I was looking at a very cute bronze skinned Latina with long, straight dark hair and a petite but shapely figure. She looked to be around twenty and her large eyes and bright teeth shown when she saw me looking her way. Figuring a nice smile was all that would come of the moment I went back to work on my car.
A few minutes later I was working the side of my car nearer the little Latina beauty with my back to her when I heard a clearly vulgar word overpower even the sound of the big car wash vacuum. I turned to look and saw her holding the big vacuum hose, so large compared to her little hands that it took both for her to manage it. She was staring into it with a look of loss and concern across her face.
Just as I began to ask if there was something I could do to help, the vacuum time ran out and the machine powered down. This meant that my “Can I help you” came out as a yell and jolted her enough that she dropped the hose.