There was definitely something going on with Gretchen’s left eye by the time she pulled into the Denny’s parking lot. The drive over wasn’t too bad. It was late and traffic was light. She had an anxious moment when a cop eased in behind her and followed her for a mile or two on the freeway.
In her misspent youth, such an occurrence would have caused a fair amount of panic. Such is the conditioning of a cannabis user of a certain age. That and a vestigial compulsion to check the ashtray. Never mind she hadn’t seen an ashtray in a car in… my god, was she that old? She stayed cool. It was too soon for the pills but the vial…. She was feeling fine. She would feel even better as the night went on.
She breathed easier as the mini van traversed the empty asphalt like a shark. She headed for the shallows and parked next to the two open handicapped spots. She killed the headlights – her reflection in the Denny’s window front shot twin beams of light that reflected so hard it lit up the inside back of her skull.
Oh yeah. Things were definitely starting to kick in.
She pulled out her purse and reached in. She withdrew a tarot deck. It was extremely old. The tips of her witchy red hair started to wave, like kelp under the ocean feeling the stirrings of the tide. She shuffled and turned her torso to address the empty passenger seat.
She shuffled. She shuffled. Her mind spun. A card leapt from the deck.
A car pulled into the handicapped parking spot. She looked down at the card that jumped from the deck. A figure, in a box, before him two steeds, one white, the other black. No rope connects the figure to the steeds. The chariot. In the upright position. Good. Good.
The chariot represents succor and providence. It also represents war, triumph, presumption and trouble.
The last two definitely described Iggy. Who was staring at her expectantly from the backseat of the car beside her. Despite the urgency and the seriousness of what lay ahead, she giggled. Oh yeah. Definitely kicking in.
She got out of the car and helped with Iggy’s wheelchair. As he transferred onto his circular legs, she got his bag and placed it in the van. It was heavy.
They said nothing as the Uber driver took his pay and left.
Iggy wheeled to the driver’s side and using the steering wheel for help got in. She helped him set up the hand controls then slid into the passenger seat after stowing the chair.
“What’s happened?” He said to her.
“He’s in trouble.” She said. “And I need you to take these.” She held out two greyish capsules.
Iggy looked her in the eyes. Then his own narrowed.
“What is that?” He asked.
“A doorway.” She said.
“I don’t have a body that handles experimentation well. What is it?”
“A special blend of mushrooms and the bloom of a plant you haven’t heard of.”
“You’re tripping balls right now, aren’t you?” Iggy asked.
“I don’t have balls, Iggy.” She replied.
Iggy laughed. “Gretch, your balls are bigger than mine, they’re just on the inside.”
“I need you to take these so we can maintain a psychic connection. I need you to be my string holder.” Gretchen said.
“Gretchen. I haven’t driven in over a year. And you want me to do so, at night, on a psychoactive substance? That’s not fucking wise. And what the fuck is a string holder?’
“It’s a low dose. The effects should be light. And psychoactive mushrooms increase visual acuity.” She said.
“How would you know what a low dose for me is?” Iggy asked.
“I’ve helped you transfer enough to have a very good idea of what you weigh. No more than 130 tops.”
“Yeah but it’s all in my cock and charm.” He said.
She arched a very pointed eyebrow. “Oh really. You’ll have to show it to me sometime.”
He actually blushed. Delightful.
“Haven’t you ever flown a kite, Iggy? I need you on the ground holding the string so I don’t get blown off course. And if we don’t catch lightning he will be dead by dawn.”
Iggy snatched the pills from her outstretched hand and dry swallowed them. Gretchen did the same with three of the six remaining capsules she set aside.
“I’m going to fucking kill us both.” Iggy said. He saw her take the other three. “You’re taking MORE?”
“Trust me.” She said.
Iggy sighed and turned the engine on.
“Which way?” He asked.
“One sec.” She said. She turned the radio on. Mystic traveler by Dave Mason. She smiled. It was his song.
Her mind spun. Her left eye opened. She looked at Iggy and grinned.
He was staring at her. Fear was in his eyes.
She turned to him. She reached across and held his face in both her hands. She pulled him close and kissed his forehead.
“Let’s go get our man.” She said.
