Memorable ride

Even though the picture is innocuous, since I'm talking about tensions that might offend some, I'm tagging this 'moderate' instead of 'safe'.

Another hitchhiking story:
Back in 1958 we were sitting in a college pub in Gainesville, Florida, (a semi-dry town, only 3.2% alcohol beer was sold) when there was a loud bang somewhere in the distance. Later someone came in and said a meteor had hit some miles to the west of town.

Being young and impetuous and not having any classes the next day I said to my friend, John Nobis, we ought to go and see if we can find it and photograph it! Some one else said they were driving in that direction and could give us a ride and drop us off.

To just cut to the chase, we got there, found absolutely nothing, no meteor or crowds looking for same and, this was sometime after midnight, started hitching our way back to the University.

We had our thumbs out and a 4 door sedan pulled up, two black gentlemen inside. The driver asked us were we where going so late at night. We explained about the meteor hunt and heading back to the University. The driver said he'd be pleased to give us a ride at least part way. We thanked him kindly and hopped into the back seat.

After we got in it was obvious the two gentlemen had been drinking a bit. We talked a few minutes and then the driver and his friend started talking more to each other and passing a mason jar of moonshine back and forth.

After a while the friend looked back at us and asked the driver; "Hey what are them white boys doin' back there in your car?"

The driver told him it's OK that we were nice college boys and they were just giving us a ride back toward Gainesville. His friend said; "Oh yea, I remember, you guys are good boys."

So! They drink a bit more and he looks back again saying: "What are them damn white boys doin' there?" The driver explained again and all was well.

The mason jar went back and forth, time went by and he looks back again and says:"Hey! What are those damn (many many many expletives deleted) white boys there for?"

The drives looks in the rear view mirror, waits a bit, frowns hard and says: "Damned if I know."

He started to slow the car down, starts a right turn onto a dirt road, From the front seat we hear a snicSNAP sound very much like that of a switchblade knife snapping open, … John and I, without a word to one another, each popped open our passenger doors and did shoulder rolls out of the car coming up off the ground running down the highway.

Yep, running was definitely the better part of valor.

Bottom line; No harm was done and you'd have to have lived in the south back then to understand the feelings of the two gentlemen. It was amazingly kind of them to offer us a ride in the first place and I suspect what they were drinking was mighty strong shine!

Woodless colored pencils and soft pastels on 12 by 12 inch colored card stock.