The Sweetheart Journeys

Someone had turned on a spot light. Then, in the darkness they heard a man yelling over a loud speaker, “You, in that car, put up your hands and come out!” The two boys raised up from their seats and peered out the windows but were blinded by the light and couldn’t see anything. The man on the loud speaker bellowed again, “Put up your hands and come out now!” There was a slight pause then they heard “Dammit, get out of that car!” Jim and Andy opened the car doors and saw two policemen standing in front of the lights with guns pointed at them. The two men ran up to the car and ordered Jim and Andy to get out then proceeded to search the boys. They were told to stand on the pavement while the two men searched the vehicle. One of the men yelled, “There’s nothing inside!” A third man showed up and gave one of the two a flashlight. They took Andy’s keys to check the trunk and then they looked under the hood. One of the men yelled, “Nothing in the trunk and nothing under the hood!” There was silence then they heard a man giving out orders near the searchlight. Car engines were restarted and the searchlight shut off. One of the men was standing near the boys and Jim asked, “What’s this all about?” and the man said, “Two men robbed a liquor store a few blocks from here and we’re looking for them. We thought you two fellows might be the robbers.” Someone called the man who was talking and he rejoined the squad just as the vehicles were being maneuvered nearby. The cars and their occupants abruptly left Jim and Andy standing in the darkness and Andy turned to Jim. “Dang, those guys scared the hell out of me!” Jim replied, “If we can get our legs to stop shaking perhaps we can get back into the car.” They climbed in and laid down again then Andy said, “I don’t know whether I can go back to sleep after this.”  Jim replied, “The Palladium is closed for the night and the girls have gone home so I don’t think we have any choice.” Andy raised up from the front seat, looked at Jim, and in a hoarse voice asked, “Did you see those two cops pointing guns at us? If either of us had moved they would have shot us.” “Yeah, the thought crossed my mind, too. If they would have shot us the world would have lost two of its greatest jitterbugs.” Andy said, “Dammit, Jim, that was serious! That’s nothing to joke about!” Jim began chuckling and soon Andy had to laugh. It took a while but the two boys fell asleep a second time.

Rays from the sun reached the bloodshot eyes of the two occupants of the 1938 Ford and they began to awaken. Jim told Andy that after what happened last night he would have a story to tell his grandchildren. “They wouldn’t believe what happened last night. In fact I’m having a difficult time believing it myself. It could have been a nightmare.” Jim replied, “Well, if it was a nightmare we both had the same one.” Andy asked Jim what was on the agenda for the day and Jim said they might enjoy a short trip to Long Beach where they could get washed, shaved, and look at the scenery along the Pacific ocean. So, with bloodshot eyes the two climbed into the front seat of the car and Jim drove them towards Long Beach. They stopped at a station to get the radiator refilled with water and the other fluids tended to then located a restaurant where they could enjoy a breakfast. The waitress told them that they were too late for breakfast so the boys ordered sandwiches and coffee. Andy drank his black with two spoonsful of sugar and said, “This might help wake me up.” Jim replied, “Black coffee is normally consumed without cream or sugar for those with a hangover; and, they certainly don’t use two spoonsful of sugar. Andy took a drink of his coffee, smacked his lips, and said, “I’ll drink my coffee anyway I want to.” Jim replied, “If that concoction wakes you up, it’s fine with me.” When they finished eating they hopped into the Ford and headed for the beach.