J C'S ACCOUNT

CHAPTER TWO

     Dave looked down at the woman he had just picked up at Larry's bar.  He could see the fear in her eyes as he tightened his grip around her neck.  Her face swelled, turned blue and her struggle stopped.  As she passed out a strange feeling of compassion and remorse took over him.  Stunned, he released her.  He had not had a conscience for as long as he could remember.  He had done some terrible things over the years and nothing had ever bothered him.  Murder was one of the things he had never done.  He had just reached his limit of evil.  Realizing that the woman was still breathing , he dressed in a hurried but deliberate pace.  No one in this town knew him and if he left now he would be in the clear.
     Walking out the door, he could hear the woman groaning and coughing to regain her breath.  With a sigh of relief, he walked to the white truck and drove off.  Dave was a loner and never had any friends.  He made his living by swindling, gambling and often times stealing.  He never stayed in any spot too long, to avoid getting caught.  Nothing had ever bothered, but this feeling of remorse was worrying him.  It was a new concept and he was having a hard time trying to figure out what was happening to him.  As he drove out of town, the street lights on the two lane road soon ended and he was in the dark except for the dim headlights of his truck.
     After a couple of miles he saw his lights reflecting off a vehicle in the distance.  As he approached he could see the elderly man standing beside his truck waving him down.  Dave knew the old truck was in trouble by the way the man acted.  Normally he would slow down and assess the ion to see if he could benefit from the situation.  If not, he would just drive on by.  Something about this situation was different. The old man smiled at Dave as if he knew that Dave would stop.
     "Need help" Dave asked rhetorically.
     "Yes sir, boss." was his reply.
     Dave was impressed by the majesty in the old man's answer. 
     "Looks as if it is done for the night."   
     "Yeah, but if you could take me down the road to next town I would appreciate it."  "I'll be glad to pay you." he added.
     "Get in, the ride is free."
     As they drove off, Dave felt at ease with the old man.
     "Why do you drive a truck?"  asked the old man.
     Before he answered, Dave thought about this question.
     "Why do you ask?" asked Dave.
     The old man gazed at Dave intently and replied, "You are a strong, virile and simple man, I would think you would want to impress the ladies."
     It was a shock for Dave to hear this and he answered with the truth.  "Well, I live a life of crime and hate and don't want to draw the attention of the police."
     "Is that all?"
     Again Dave was taken aback by the question.  This caused him to tell even more of the truth.  "The truck allows easier access to grab people.  I can ease up to them without arousing suspicion.  Potential victims let their guard down when they see a middle-aged man drive up in a truck."  Dave confessed.  He felt at ease confessing to this old man.
     "Do you ever regret the things you have done?"
     Dave was confused.  "Never until tonight.  I don't know what has come over me."
     "Dave you have wasted your life and destroyed others in the process."  "Perhaps it is time to change."
     At this Dave slammed on the brakes and turned to the old man shouting  "How did you know my name!"    
     He was shocked to see the old man had disappeared.