Nightsounds – Part 10
Dan awoke very slowly, the events of the night before still not quite registering within his foggy mind. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he rubbed his eyes and slowly stood, stretching and listening to the creaks and groans reminding him that he wasn’t as young as he used to be. Grabbing his dark blue robe from the floor he walked out into the kitchen, hit the start button on the instant coffee maker, and then walked out the back door and onto the deck. The cool, crisp air splashed about his face - it’s freshness clearing his mind a little more each passing moment. Was it a dream?
Seeing that the sun was soon to make it’s way above the eastern horizon he thought it strange that he was so wide awake this early in the morning. I haven’t slept that good in months… he thought to himself, watching the sky turn it’s myriad shades of aqua and red, yellows, oranges, and blues… It’s gonna be a great day…he mused.
Hearing a noise behind him, he turned - and saw Sally standing in the open doorway, smiling quietly, wrapped in one of Dan’s maroon button-down shirts - with most of the buttons not in use. “Can’t sleep?” she purred… “Actually, I slept quite well. How about you?” he asked, reaching out and pulling her close. Wrapping her sleeve-covered arms around his waist and placing the side of her face against his chest, she whispered, “Yeah… I slept pretty good too…”
They stood that way, just being close to one another, each of them silent and content. “Want some coffee?” he asked, his beard-stubbled chin nuzzling the top of her head.
“Sure... But I’ve got to get home and get ready for work. Just a cup and that’s it, ok?” she smiled and looked up into his eyes.
Looking down at her, his hands upon her sides, he could only nod yes, his heart taking complete control of his mind.
Noticing that Dan’s eyes were slowly straying downward from her face, she looked down to see what had his attention. Seeing that his shirt gapped at all the right places, she asked in her most seductive voice, “See something you like?”
Dan’s face reddened immediately but seeing that she wasn’t quick to hide what his eyes, lips, and hands had explored just hours earlier, he nodded a meek “yes” before mumbling "But - I think the coffee’s done...”
She slipped from his grasp, laughed and headed in the doorway in front of him, then surprised him by allowing the shirt to slip from her bare shoulders and fall to the deck as she walked away from him. Her beauty took his breath away as he watched her step back into the kitchen.
“Maybe the coffee can wait?” he half said, half asked to which she replied “It will still be hot after bit, won’t it? And - I haven't been late for work for a while...so?...” She now leaned against the dark oak table, facing him, her hands at her sides upon the cool, smooth wood. Her eyes were dancing, the twinkles easily seen in the soft morning light, her lips smiling the lover’s smile of desire…
“Yeah… it’ll wait, Sally. It will just have to wait,” he whispered as he neared her, nudging/following her back into the bedroom.
The kitchen was silent once more as night continued to ebb into day; the songbirds announcing the coming sun and the traffic beginnig to pick up as always on Carson road. The coffee burbled and hissed softly, it's smell filling the house while gentle, muffled sounds of delight could barely be heard from behind the closed door to the bedroom... a blue robe in a pile on the kitchen floor.
In another part of town it was a different kind of morning for someone else. He got up as usual and after grabbing a quick shower and dressing, headed on into town, anxious to drop off his car at FFI (Faster Fords, Inc.), a reputable Ford tuner shop. After explaining to Vince (the owner who had helped him locate the “R”) what exactly it was he wanted and why Vince should take his car in on an “emergency” basis (only getting the rush appointment after explaining the embarrassment of the night before), Josh got his wish. Vince reassured him that, yes, his wish was attainable - but not recommended due to the risk. Josh didn’t care - he wanted to have the quickest car around.
“Ok, it’s your money and it's YOUR car - but don't say I didn't warn you” smiled Vince, shrugging his broad shoulders.
Joshua went back outside and hopped in the passenger side of Jen’s Lexus SUV, a little more spring to his step. “Is he going to make your car fast, Josh?” she teased. “Really fast? Because you KNOW – fast cars really, really turn me on.”
“Jen – it will be fast enough. Just wait and see, ok? And step on it – I’m already going to be late for my 9AM appointment.”
Vince watched the silver vehicle pull away and thought to himself, “If it’s fast he wants, fast he will get… I love those guys with DEEP pockets. Usually, they’ve always got way more money than sense.” Chuckling, he pushed the “Open” button on the door to the first bay and walked out to the Cobra. “Yeah, she’ll be fast alright… Damn fast.”
Weeks later…
Thursday night... As always, the local strip held it’s weekly Test and Tune/Grudge Race Night, which was packed once more. Since the season was waning and fall fast approaching, the locals were anxious to get in as many runs as they could before the annual “Summer-Slam” event was held on Labor Day weekend – only a week away. The usual contingent of racers was out – from the mild to the wild. And, the lanes were full and overflowing. Josh and Jen arrived late, the “R” secured on the trailer behind the Lightning. Most locals had heard about this car, many of them seeing it in Vince’s shop, usually under a tarp. It was rumored that Vince only worked on this car himself, and only when no one was around. NO one knew what was so special about this “R” and NO one had even heard it run since it was pulled into the shop that day many weeks ago.
Josh and Jen registered for the T&T and then found a suitable place to park. After removing the tie-downs from the car, Josh climbed into the cage-surrounded cockpit, not noticing the crowd of nearly 30 onlookers watching… waiting… listening. Most just listening, hoping that their ears would give them the answers to what was beneath the hood.
After making sure the shifter was in Neutral, he turned the key. Immediately, the motor came to life; but it’s sound disappointed everyone. NO huge lopey cam noises… just a subdued rumble. Not even a telltale whine of a huge supercharger. The car just sat and basically… whistled. Sure, the low restriction exhaust sounded good. But still – nothing like what everyone was certain was going to be heard. Many had even heard – or started? – the rumor that the mod motor was pulled and traded for super-secret Roush Stage IV mill. Yet, most agreed that the sound that came from beneath the locked hood couldn’t be a Roush. The onlookers watched and whispered as Josh backed the car off the trailer, never revving it once, only letting it back straight down and stop, then idle for a moment, the windows still up.
Jen grabbed the camcorder from the console of the Lightning, hit the "Lock" on the Keyless, and headed for the stands as Josh headed for the packed staging lanes. He had the car in strip-tune before it left for the track and he was anxious to see what his money had bought. “I hope Mr. SS is here tonight” he smirked… Won't HE be surprised..."
Jen found a seat up near the top of the stands and began watching the racers doing battle. Pair after pair did their burnouts, staged and blazed away from the tree, many mismatched opponents, as often is the case at T&T. The grudge races didn't start till 9 so right now it was just a matter of dialing the cars in. In her estimation, there were only a few truly streetable cars there (she smiled at the irony since Josh had tailored in his “Street car”) that would even only remotely have a chance against Josh’s Mustang. One, a nasty black Viper with no badging that had only a “Venom” sticker on its rear fascia. The Viper was evil and it was obvious the driver was lifting before the end, sandbagging it maybe in hopes of getting some wagers before he revealed all he had.
Another was a funny, white, boxy looking car that had to be from the ‘80’s that sounded a little like Josh’s car. It was a solid 10-second performer. Another – a white Trans-Am with some funny graphics on its side, something about a “Pace Car”. That car ran wickedly fast she thought, wondering how it would feel to be inside when it launched, it’s left front wheel leaving the pavement each and every time before it lit a low 10 light. And the strangest one of all – was a truck. A black, boxy looking compact truck (Was that a GMC logo?) that didn’t do a burnout before staging. She guessed that it HAD to be four-wheel drive. It did have an aftermarket hood on it and it whistled too – but this whistle was deeper and more threatening. And in the rear window of the truck was a “Going Fast With Class" decal that she had never seen before. The truck just plain, flat out hooked up and disappeared in the angry hiss and whistle that it built to near ear-splitting volumes at each tree. “Yeah… that truck is trouble” she mused, and then giggled. “I hope Josh runs him!", knowing that if he got smoked by a little truck it would really get his panties in a bunch…
But Josh was oblivious to everything except the car in front of him. He didn’t care what he ran against – he only wanted to collect a low 10 tonight, exactly what Vince had told him was the best he should expect. Vince had worked his magic (with Josh’s many dollars) and had taken a car that was actually more designed for road racing and wrenched it into the quarter-mile warrior he now was strapped within. A car that Josh had always wanted since he first saw the Cobra “R” at an auto show in Detroit; a car with a heritage of racing and winning.
It was just then that Joe pulled into the track and after paying the admission, headed for the Registration tent. Finishing the paper work, he fired up the SS and headed for the staging lanes, noticing that darkness wasn’t far off – maybe another hour of daylight and then they would be racing beneath the lights. Hoping to find Rob but realizing that it may take some doing, he just fell in line behind the others and was quickly swallowed up by the crowded lanes. Cars were everywhere – cars of all makes and models; of all levels of expertise; of all levels of performance. Tonight, Rob and Joe were going to run each other for the first time on the strip. The two times they tried to run earlier in the summer only had to be cancelled because of one reason or another. But, hopefully tonight it was going to happen. Well, if Rob was there anyway...
Dan and Sally pulled into the track shortly after Joe did and followed the same routine. They were in Dan’s SS Impala which he had just finished working on. Only Sally knew what was beneath the hood – but it was far from stock. She had been with Dan the weekend before while he was doing some street T&T and was there to see a highly modded VR4 Mitsu and a gnarly dark blue big block Nova get left far behind, much to Dan’s delight. Tonight, they only wanted to baseline the mods before they began tweaking in earnest. Not even realizing it, they pulled into the same lane that Josh was in. However, he was about to go out onto the track – they had about a 20-30 minute wait and they didn’t know that Joe was about half way up in yet another lane or that Rob had just finished up another solid mid/high ten-second run in his black Viper. Shutting down the LT1, Dan’s right hand came to rest upon Sally’s lap, her hand quickly grasped his and squeezed it. "It's gonna be fun, Dan. It's gonna be fun..." He only nodded and squeezed her hand back.
The stars and the moon were slowly coming into alignment this night - the night of change. The sun settled beneath the horizon and darkness broken by high intensity lights came once more into their corner of the world. The night was greeted by the sounds of enormous amounts of horsepower and torque, of an announcer who loved his work and knew his cars, of track personnel yelling instructions to the racers, and of the roar of the crowd when delighted by a good run or a smoky burnout. And occasionally, by a few boos when a racer broke and oiled down the track, causing a long delay in racing.
This night was, as all usually are, far from silent. And, it was just barely dark… but before the sun would rise again, before the morning songbirds would announce the next coming of warm morning rays, before another fresh pot of coffee would begin, this night would change the worlds of many.
And - not all change is good...
Dan awoke very slowly, the events of the night before still not quite registering within his foggy mind. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, he rubbed his eyes and slowly stood, stretching and listening to the creaks and groans reminding him that he wasn’t as young as he used to be. Grabbing his dark blue robe from the floor he walked out into the kitchen, hit the start button on the instant coffee maker, and then walked out the back door and onto the deck. The cool, crisp air splashed about his face - it’s freshness clearing his mind a little more each passing moment. Was it a dream?
Seeing that the sun was soon to make it’s way above the eastern horizon he thought it strange that he was so wide awake this early in the morning. I haven’t slept that good in months… he thought to himself, watching the sky turn it’s myriad shades of aqua and red, yellows, oranges, and blues… It’s gonna be a great day…he mused.
Hearing a noise behind him, he turned - and saw Sally standing in the open doorway, smiling quietly, wrapped in one of Dan’s maroon button-down shirts - with most of the buttons not in use. “Can’t sleep?” she purred… “Actually, I slept quite well. How about you?” he asked, reaching out and pulling her close. Wrapping her sleeve-covered arms around his waist and placing the side of her face against his chest, she whispered, “Yeah… I slept pretty good too…”
They stood that way, just being close to one another, each of them silent and content. “Want some coffee?” he asked, his beard-stubbled chin nuzzling the top of her head.
“Sure... But I’ve got to get home and get ready for work. Just a cup and that’s it, ok?” she smiled and looked up into his eyes.
Looking down at her, his hands upon her sides, he could only nod yes, his heart taking complete control of his mind.
Noticing that Dan’s eyes were slowly straying downward from her face, she looked down to see what had his attention. Seeing that his shirt gapped at all the right places, she asked in her most seductive voice, “See something you like?”
Dan’s face reddened immediately but seeing that she wasn’t quick to hide what his eyes, lips, and hands had explored just hours earlier, he nodded a meek “yes” before mumbling "But - I think the coffee’s done...”
She slipped from his grasp, laughed and headed in the doorway in front of him, then surprised him by allowing the shirt to slip from her bare shoulders and fall to the deck as she walked away from him. Her beauty took his breath away as he watched her step back into the kitchen.
“Maybe the coffee can wait?” he half said, half asked to which she replied “It will still be hot after bit, won’t it? And - I haven't been late for work for a while...so?...” She now leaned against the dark oak table, facing him, her hands at her sides upon the cool, smooth wood. Her eyes were dancing, the twinkles easily seen in the soft morning light, her lips smiling the lover’s smile of desire…
“Yeah… it’ll wait, Sally. It will just have to wait,” he whispered as he neared her, nudging/following her back into the bedroom.
The kitchen was silent once more as night continued to ebb into day; the songbirds announcing the coming sun and the traffic beginnig to pick up as always on Carson road. The coffee burbled and hissed softly, it's smell filling the house while gentle, muffled sounds of delight could barely be heard from behind the closed door to the bedroom... a blue robe in a pile on the kitchen floor.
In another part of town it was a different kind of morning for someone else. He got up as usual and after grabbing a quick shower and dressing, headed on into town, anxious to drop off his car at FFI (Faster Fords, Inc.), a reputable Ford tuner shop. After explaining to Vince (the owner who had helped him locate the “R”) what exactly it was he wanted and why Vince should take his car in on an “emergency” basis (only getting the rush appointment after explaining the embarrassment of the night before), Josh got his wish. Vince reassured him that, yes, his wish was attainable - but not recommended due to the risk. Josh didn’t care - he wanted to have the quickest car around.
“Ok, it’s your money and it's YOUR car - but don't say I didn't warn you” smiled Vince, shrugging his broad shoulders.
Joshua went back outside and hopped in the passenger side of Jen’s Lexus SUV, a little more spring to his step. “Is he going to make your car fast, Josh?” she teased. “Really fast? Because you KNOW – fast cars really, really turn me on.”
“Jen – it will be fast enough. Just wait and see, ok? And step on it – I’m already going to be late for my 9AM appointment.”
Vince watched the silver vehicle pull away and thought to himself, “If it’s fast he wants, fast he will get… I love those guys with DEEP pockets. Usually, they’ve always got way more money than sense.” Chuckling, he pushed the “Open” button on the door to the first bay and walked out to the Cobra. “Yeah, she’ll be fast alright… Damn fast.”
Weeks later…
Thursday night... As always, the local strip held it’s weekly Test and Tune/Grudge Race Night, which was packed once more. Since the season was waning and fall fast approaching, the locals were anxious to get in as many runs as they could before the annual “Summer-Slam” event was held on Labor Day weekend – only a week away. The usual contingent of racers was out – from the mild to the wild. And, the lanes were full and overflowing. Josh and Jen arrived late, the “R” secured on the trailer behind the Lightning. Most locals had heard about this car, many of them seeing it in Vince’s shop, usually under a tarp. It was rumored that Vince only worked on this car himself, and only when no one was around. NO one knew what was so special about this “R” and NO one had even heard it run since it was pulled into the shop that day many weeks ago.
Josh and Jen registered for the T&T and then found a suitable place to park. After removing the tie-downs from the car, Josh climbed into the cage-surrounded cockpit, not noticing the crowd of nearly 30 onlookers watching… waiting… listening. Most just listening, hoping that their ears would give them the answers to what was beneath the hood.
After making sure the shifter was in Neutral, he turned the key. Immediately, the motor came to life; but it’s sound disappointed everyone. NO huge lopey cam noises… just a subdued rumble. Not even a telltale whine of a huge supercharger. The car just sat and basically… whistled. Sure, the low restriction exhaust sounded good. But still – nothing like what everyone was certain was going to be heard. Many had even heard – or started? – the rumor that the mod motor was pulled and traded for super-secret Roush Stage IV mill. Yet, most agreed that the sound that came from beneath the locked hood couldn’t be a Roush. The onlookers watched and whispered as Josh backed the car off the trailer, never revving it once, only letting it back straight down and stop, then idle for a moment, the windows still up.
Jen grabbed the camcorder from the console of the Lightning, hit the "Lock" on the Keyless, and headed for the stands as Josh headed for the packed staging lanes. He had the car in strip-tune before it left for the track and he was anxious to see what his money had bought. “I hope Mr. SS is here tonight” he smirked… Won't HE be surprised..."
Jen found a seat up near the top of the stands and began watching the racers doing battle. Pair after pair did their burnouts, staged and blazed away from the tree, many mismatched opponents, as often is the case at T&T. The grudge races didn't start till 9 so right now it was just a matter of dialing the cars in. In her estimation, there were only a few truly streetable cars there (she smiled at the irony since Josh had tailored in his “Street car”) that would even only remotely have a chance against Josh’s Mustang. One, a nasty black Viper with no badging that had only a “Venom” sticker on its rear fascia. The Viper was evil and it was obvious the driver was lifting before the end, sandbagging it maybe in hopes of getting some wagers before he revealed all he had.
Another was a funny, white, boxy looking car that had to be from the ‘80’s that sounded a little like Josh’s car. It was a solid 10-second performer. Another – a white Trans-Am with some funny graphics on its side, something about a “Pace Car”. That car ran wickedly fast she thought, wondering how it would feel to be inside when it launched, it’s left front wheel leaving the pavement each and every time before it lit a low 10 light. And the strangest one of all – was a truck. A black, boxy looking compact truck (Was that a GMC logo?) that didn’t do a burnout before staging. She guessed that it HAD to be four-wheel drive. It did have an aftermarket hood on it and it whistled too – but this whistle was deeper and more threatening. And in the rear window of the truck was a “Going Fast With Class" decal that she had never seen before. The truck just plain, flat out hooked up and disappeared in the angry hiss and whistle that it built to near ear-splitting volumes at each tree. “Yeah… that truck is trouble” she mused, and then giggled. “I hope Josh runs him!", knowing that if he got smoked by a little truck it would really get his panties in a bunch…
But Josh was oblivious to everything except the car in front of him. He didn’t care what he ran against – he only wanted to collect a low 10 tonight, exactly what Vince had told him was the best he should expect. Vince had worked his magic (with Josh’s many dollars) and had taken a car that was actually more designed for road racing and wrenched it into the quarter-mile warrior he now was strapped within. A car that Josh had always wanted since he first saw the Cobra “R” at an auto show in Detroit; a car with a heritage of racing and winning.
It was just then that Joe pulled into the track and after paying the admission, headed for the Registration tent. Finishing the paper work, he fired up the SS and headed for the staging lanes, noticing that darkness wasn’t far off – maybe another hour of daylight and then they would be racing beneath the lights. Hoping to find Rob but realizing that it may take some doing, he just fell in line behind the others and was quickly swallowed up by the crowded lanes. Cars were everywhere – cars of all makes and models; of all levels of expertise; of all levels of performance. Tonight, Rob and Joe were going to run each other for the first time on the strip. The two times they tried to run earlier in the summer only had to be cancelled because of one reason or another. But, hopefully tonight it was going to happen. Well, if Rob was there anyway...
Dan and Sally pulled into the track shortly after Joe did and followed the same routine. They were in Dan’s SS Impala which he had just finished working on. Only Sally knew what was beneath the hood – but it was far from stock. She had been with Dan the weekend before while he was doing some street T&T and was there to see a highly modded VR4 Mitsu and a gnarly dark blue big block Nova get left far behind, much to Dan’s delight. Tonight, they only wanted to baseline the mods before they began tweaking in earnest. Not even realizing it, they pulled into the same lane that Josh was in. However, he was about to go out onto the track – they had about a 20-30 minute wait and they didn’t know that Joe was about half way up in yet another lane or that Rob had just finished up another solid mid/high ten-second run in his black Viper. Shutting down the LT1, Dan’s right hand came to rest upon Sally’s lap, her hand quickly grasped his and squeezed it. "It's gonna be fun, Dan. It's gonna be fun..." He only nodded and squeezed her hand back.
The stars and the moon were slowly coming into alignment this night - the night of change. The sun settled beneath the horizon and darkness broken by high intensity lights came once more into their corner of the world. The night was greeted by the sounds of enormous amounts of horsepower and torque, of an announcer who loved his work and knew his cars, of track personnel yelling instructions to the racers, and of the roar of the crowd when delighted by a good run or a smoky burnout. And occasionally, by a few boos when a racer broke and oiled down the track, causing a long delay in racing.
This night was, as all usually are, far from silent. And, it was just barely dark… but before the sun would rise again, before the morning songbirds would announce the next coming of warm morning rays, before another fresh pot of coffee would begin, this night would change the worlds of many.
And - not all change is good...
