the car into Milwaukee traffic and promptly turned the wrong way. Through the spaghetti mazes of the Marquette Interchange overpasses and entrance ramps, Evo took two more wrong turns before he headed south. With Luis holding the map and Tony navigating, they finally found themselves on I-94 East, heading toward Kenosha and White Bass Lake.
With so little traffic in the wee hours of the morning, they made excellent time. The Gallegos brothers stared out the windows into the blackness, trying to see anything beyond the shoulder of the Interstate.
Their exit onto Highway 50 came up thirty miles later and because of the early hour; they decided to check into a motel by the Interstate before continuing on. Leaving everything packed in the car, Tony grabbed a small duffel bag and he and Evo dragged themselves to their room. Hearing voices behind him, Evo turned to see Luis leaning an elbow on the check-in counter, schmoozing the little night clerk into a nightcap. Alfredo sat sprawled in a high-backed chair in the lobby, snoring to beat the band. Evo smiled and shook his head as he entered their room at the end of the hall.
Claiming seniority, Evo stumbled into the bathroom first and stepped under the hot water. The pounding spray kick-started his circulation again, and the smell of the body wash rejuvenated his senses; wiping the muzzy cloud from his brain. Not bothering with a razor, he brushed his teeth and stepped out of the bathroom. The aroma of oregano and onions filled his senses, and his stomach growled loud and long. "Wow, Tony, are you a miracle worker? How the heck did you find pizza at two in the morning?"
"Welcome to America, my boy. The clerk knew of a delivery place open 24 hours, and ordered us up some grub. Is this not fantastic?"
"Beer! You got me pizza and beer for my first night here. It's a good thing I took ulcer meds on the way here. All I can say is, 'I love you, man.' Really, Tony, you must have done something really rotten that I'll have to kill you for to go out of your way like this."
"Yes, I did."
With a mouthful of pizza, Evo asked, "What did you do, Tony? Was that really my suitcase the rental guy had?"
"Uh, Yes."
"Why does the rental man have my suitcase, Tony?"
Tony took a swallow of courage. "Uh, because it wouldn't fit in the trunk."
"So, we were one suitcase too many which you packed, in a too-small car which you rented, yet your suitcase made it into the trunk, and some rental guy has mine?"
"Uh, I guess you could look at it that way."
"And what way would you rather I look at it, oh dead brother of mine?"
"Well, I got your clothes out first, and this will give you a chance to buy new luggage."
"I didn't need new luggage, Tony, and I liked that suitcase." Evo picked up his beer and wandered to the window. He pushed the curtain out of the way and froze. He stayed like that for several seconds, and Tony walked over to see what held his fascination. Across the street stood a huge sign in front of an enormous storefront which looked to be borrowed from Paul Bunyan's cabin. The words Gander Mountain made Tony smile. He sighed. He would live another day. He made the sign of the cross, thankful he was off the hook.
"Don't for a minute think this lets you off the hook, Tony boy."
"I'm sure it doesn't, Evo, but it sure softens the blow, don't it?"
"Considerably." Evo put down the unfinished slice of pizza and yawned. "Well, it's going to be an early morning of shopping for me, so I'm hitting the sack. Don't wait for me, I'll find my own way to White Bass Lake."
"But, Evo, we're on vacation together."
"There's no together about giving away my suitcase little brother. Get lost."
"Okay. Good night. You'll see, Evo, everything will look better in the morning."
"Uh, Yeah."
7
The morning found Evo staring out the window just as Tony had left him a few hours earlier. Before he could speak, Evo said, "Hey, Tony, I have a new idea. Why don't you take the micro-car and the
With so little traffic in the wee hours of the morning, they made excellent time. The Gallegos brothers stared out the windows into the blackness, trying to see anything beyond the shoulder of the Interstate.
Their exit onto Highway 50 came up thirty miles later and because of the early hour; they decided to check into a motel by the Interstate before continuing on. Leaving everything packed in the car, Tony grabbed a small duffel bag and he and Evo dragged themselves to their room. Hearing voices behind him, Evo turned to see Luis leaning an elbow on the check-in counter, schmoozing the little night clerk into a nightcap. Alfredo sat sprawled in a high-backed chair in the lobby, snoring to beat the band. Evo smiled and shook his head as he entered their room at the end of the hall.
Claiming seniority, Evo stumbled into the bathroom first and stepped under the hot water. The pounding spray kick-started his circulation again, and the smell of the body wash rejuvenated his senses; wiping the muzzy cloud from his brain. Not bothering with a razor, he brushed his teeth and stepped out of the bathroom. The aroma of oregano and onions filled his senses, and his stomach growled loud and long. "Wow, Tony, are you a miracle worker? How the heck did you find pizza at two in the morning?"
"Welcome to America, my boy. The clerk knew of a delivery place open 24 hours, and ordered us up some grub. Is this not fantastic?"
"Beer! You got me pizza and beer for my first night here. It's a good thing I took ulcer meds on the way here. All I can say is, 'I love you, man.' Really, Tony, you must have done something really rotten that I'll have to kill you for to go out of your way like this."
"Yes, I did."
With a mouthful of pizza, Evo asked, "What did you do, Tony? Was that really my suitcase the rental guy had?"
"Uh, Yes."
"Why does the rental man have my suitcase, Tony?"
Tony took a swallow of courage. "Uh, because it wouldn't fit in the trunk."
"So, we were one suitcase too many which you packed, in a too-small car which you rented, yet your suitcase made it into the trunk, and some rental guy has mine?"
"Uh, I guess you could look at it that way."
"And what way would you rather I look at it, oh dead brother of mine?"
"Well, I got your clothes out first, and this will give you a chance to buy new luggage."
"I didn't need new luggage, Tony, and I liked that suitcase." Evo picked up his beer and wandered to the window. He pushed the curtain out of the way and froze. He stayed like that for several seconds, and Tony walked over to see what held his fascination. Across the street stood a huge sign in front of an enormous storefront which looked to be borrowed from Paul Bunyan's cabin. The words Gander Mountain made Tony smile. He sighed. He would live another day. He made the sign of the cross, thankful he was off the hook.
"Don't for a minute think this lets you off the hook, Tony boy."
"I'm sure it doesn't, Evo, but it sure softens the blow, don't it?"
"Considerably." Evo put down the unfinished slice of pizza and yawned. "Well, it's going to be an early morning of shopping for me, so I'm hitting the sack. Don't wait for me, I'll find my own way to White Bass Lake."
"But, Evo, we're on vacation together."
"There's no together about giving away my suitcase little brother. Get lost."
"Okay. Good night. You'll see, Evo, everything will look better in the morning."
"Uh, Yeah."
7
The morning found Evo staring out the window just as Tony had left him a few hours earlier. Before he could speak, Evo said, "Hey, Tony, I have a new idea. Why don't you take the micro-car and the
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