Christy: A Journey Tale by Michael Thomas Cunningham Page A

of the
cigarette smoke though the window. Her eyes glanced over the
woman’s secondhand clothes, sizing her up. Jennifer knew this had
to be a con. Then again if it was a con, it was a very good one.
She had not offered this woman any information and what she was
coming back with was fairly detailed. “How did she know all that?”
Jennifer wondered as the yarn she was beginning to weave was not
completely out of the realm of possibility. The woman seemed odd
and trashy, but she at least had done nothing to threaten her.
    “If you knew my father so well why didn’t you
join us for his burial?”
    “Yeah, I know. I guess I thought it would be
best if I kept to myself; less questions that way. Besides, you
don’t know me and I didn’t think it was right for me just to show
up like I was one of the family. Well, that is of course until you
spotted me, but that wasn’t exactly what I had planned.” Christy
said with a grin.
    “That still doesn’t explain why you’re still
here?”
    “You’re right; it don’t.” Christy said as her
tone turned serious. “And I’m sorry for that,” Christy said a
little embarrassed. “I guess…well I guess I’m having a little
trouble letting go. I reckon I got issues too.” She said after a
long pause. She had been searching deep within herself not just for
an answer, but for the truth. “I mean, he was there for me when I
needed someone, but then I can’t help but feel that I let him down
somehow. You see, we didn’t exactly part on the best of terms, but
that was my fault.” Christy paused again trying to be as honest
with herself as she could. This was not an easy task considering
that she had told herself so many lies the truth was more of a hazy
fog than an absolute. “Well, maybe that ain’t quite right. The
truth might be closer to the fact that I got mad, I got so mad in
fact that I ain’t talked to him for near on a decade.” Christy said
with her shoulders slumped and defeated. Jennifer’s expression and
body language had softened to the woman’s explanation. In that
moment she understood her and just maybe she felt that they might
have more in common than she first thought.
    “I guess that sounds a little silly, don’t
it?” Christy said as she thought about it. Actually, hearing the
words and hearing herself try to explain it just made her sound
like a freak. Maybe I am a freak. She was ashamed of herself and
realized for the first time how awkward this must be. “I’m…sorry,
I’m sorry I bothered you. I…I need to get going.” She said as she
turned to quickly walk away.
    “Hey, wait a minute!” Jennifer yelled
fumbling with her seat belt and trying to get out of the car all at
the same time. She stood just outside the driver’s side door and
yelled again stopping Christy in her tracks. “Is that all true? I
mean…everything that you said about you and my dad. Was that all
true?”
    “I’m afraid so,” Christy said as she lowered
her head.
    “How long did you know my father?”
    “5 years,” she said without even batting an
eye. Jennifer considered it for a moment and then played it out in
her mind. There were risks, but then again there are always risks
in life and today seemed like a good day to chance it. This woman
was down and out, but she obviously had a story and now Jennifer
desperately wanted to hear it.
    “It’s still pretty cold. Why don’t you warm
up in the car?” Christy gave a slight grin and began to walk
back.
    “Thank you,” she said as Jennifer unlocked
the door to let her in.
     

Chapter 10
     
    When Christy got in the car, it was her hands
that first grabbed Jennifer’s attention. She couldn’t help herself
from looking. Christy’s nails were bitten short and dirty with a
sheen of yellow tar. Her fingers were long and lean with knobby
knuckles and no rings. Her veins bulged from beneath weathered
wrinkles and the rest of her hands were worn and rough. They seemed
to tell a story about her life, but up