I've said it's in my DNA, from my grandfather Allen Lucas to break silences with chatter. Reaching highway three recall a moment from our past that reflects with tonight. "Well, guess I finally helped you get your stuff back from an ex."

Caught off guard by the memory Arlene struggles to recollect. "What are you talking about? Did I ask for your help before?"

Thinking back to the drug induced autumn night. "Yeah you wanted Len and I to help you, but he was taking too long. So we hid around the corner. Under some outside stairs of an upstairs house apartment. We kept calling LEN. He couldn't find us - so he got mad. Yelled at us on the front porch like we were his kids."

Slowly it comes back to her, "oh you guys were on acid that night too - right? Oh man, Len was annoyed with me for days."

"Yeah, Chad was upset too - for having to listen to Len. He showed up after we left. Also disappointed we did those hits without him. Guess Len was figuring you and I would've hooked up that night for sure. He was all upset over it and me being a cute white guy. He's actually accused me of hitting on other guy's women."

Visualizing the night she's thrown by the last comment, "what? Really? Were you?"

"No. Well, there were times, where I gave compliments to women after they'd been put down by their guys. Think mainly to be a shit disturber. I'm usually single - don't chase tail. Yet there are guys with decent women, who go chasin' ass just because."

"Chad?" Unimpressed she asks only hoping to hear misfortune, "you still talk to him? Better yet you ever cheat on Tammy."

"Tammy? No I couldn't do that to her. Or any other... Chad - I think from what I hear, after his dad passed away, moved back in with his mother. Uses arthritis as an excuse not to live a life."

She goes back to that autumn night, "we never got my stuff back, did we? What did we do after? You tried to kiss me that night and I turned you away didn't I?"

There were a couple girls in my youth I tried to kiss unsuccessfully. Not her that night anyway. "I was probably thinking it. Don't think I tried. A few hours of walking the streets you wanted me to leave at your aunt's townhouse. Where I did ask if you'd consider going out with me. I was fine with your no, as it was - well-you."

It hazily comes back to her, "well you got me out now. So what are you going to do with me?" She looks into the dark road ahead as we leave the glow of the city behind.

Sparking many ideas from silly to sly. "Tonight? I guess it's helping change your life. After that, only what you'd like me to do."

Not quite the answer she expected but was also relieved to hear. "And you don't have to give up your bed for me I can sleep on a couch just fine."

Laughing a little manically, "oh I don't have a couch. I can curl up on the floor with Sheena for a night. That'd be thrilling for her I'm sure."

Curling up on a country floor doesn't sound appealing. Arlene doesn't want to put any one out or accidentally end up putting out. "Well if you're okay - for now. I do have some money with me. If there's a second hand store in town I can find a cheap bed there."

Area shops crossed my mind. "Okay. We'll get this figured out between us."

"So that night, did we ever go to my ex's place? It was over, near Wortley village. Right? Can't think of the dick's names right now."

"Yeah, but no."

"Yeah but no what?"

"Oh sorry, Yeah, was near Wortley close to Wellington if I recall. But no didn't get anything, I saw. You told me to wait at the sidewalk while you checked it out. Came back a minute or two later saying it was locked and we should just go."

"Wow, surprised you can recall all that, years later." She's having difficulty recalling last weekend.

"Don't ask me which year. They are all mixed together on me. Fifteen to twenty-five are the blurry years."

Arlene laughs warming both are souls. "Think I'm stuck in my blurry years. Ready to just wake up slowly. Not craving something, I really don't need."

Getting the picture she needs to dry out and its good to have some help through the tougher days. "Don't know or care what you want to get clear of. This will help you one way or the other, for sure. Keep you away from it or drive you to seek it out."

"Would you throw me out for using?" Having a tiny collection of pills in her purse.

Knowing people's reasons, state only what would be an issue, "if you're stealing from me to support a habit, that I'll have a problem. If you're going to continue anything I'd prefer it be the stinky herb."

Hoping there might be something to smoke she queries, "oh do you still smoke?"

"When it's around. If you end up 'jonesin' my old dope box, has old oil vials and even some herb from a dealer who went born again Christian. Man that's gotta be a decade old now."

Now she's picturing a few tough weeks to get through. "Oh so you don't regularly have anything in the place?"

"Nah, probably should, help with bouts of depression. Creating a wine collection these days." The area known for a few vineyards I was making a jest, that was lost on her.

"You got into wine? Drinking? Like 'tastings' and such?"

Lightly laughing I explain myself, "I get bottles given to me around the holidays. Usually from Doctors and salespeople."

"Do you like the wine?"

"Never touch it. That's why I've got a collection. I keep telling the people at the office I don't drink. But they're doing something in bulk to the service guys."

Not her first choice but knows it can take the edge off. "Well there I go. If I get needy I'll help get rid of that wine for you."

"Go ahead. I'll have to keep coffee, tea and cigarettes around for you."

"You know, I might try giving up the cigarettes too. Be better to go all at once." She pulls another out to smoke thinking about it. "Do you want one?"

"Can't argue with that logic. But if you get the craving for one, its okay, with me, to treat yourself once and a while. I still do. Barely smoked, miss the herb some nights but always get a craving for that tobacco. Those cigarettes are vile tasting but still do it for some reason. So sure I'll have one."

"Yeah." Hearing understanding eases some worries of the nearing future. "Prefer the weed eh?" She lights the cigarette then hands it to me, before lighting one for herself.

"Yeah. But I keep to myself, so I don't know anybody. The closest neighbors are like in town, next door. Bigger yards. Young Mennonite couple with two young kids."

"Mennonites? Really? So, we'll see horses and buggies?"

Lightly laughing I had to let her down, "sorry these are new age Mennonites. They all drive pick-ups and mini vans. The women wear similar dresses with the hair scarf. The men usually have button up shirts. Very few horses, lots of different birds."

"New age Mennonites?" The idea of different birds sounds intriguing. "Why lots of birds?"

"The Point is a migratory route for them cutting south and returning. Easiest way across Lake Erie, for them. Bugs too. My neighbor as I found out, drives long distance truck, down to Mexico. While migrating that way himself brought back a pretty Spanish girl from a colony down there. Neither speak the best English. Kids are cute though."

Concerned I may be a closet pervert she asks about the kids. "You watch the kids out playing in the yard a lot do you?"

"Actually," laughing some more, I look over. "they seem to be watching me."

"What?"

"Yeah, a couple times while Sheena and I are racing around the yard, I get that watched feeling and their house being closest. I see their little eyes peeping through the windows at me."

Having some fun with it she inquires, "any of those times, were you naked?"

Still laughing had to shake my head, "no. Thought about it, but the ground is kinda rough and littered with thorny leafed plants. One day I got home on a hot afternoon to see those dust devils trying to form in the field. So quickly I get Sheena out and tried to get her to run in them with me."

"Did yous'?"

"Well, I got out there and got in a couple. Sheena went and did her own thing. Looking for the dog I saw the kids and their mother watching me from their back yard. She was out hanging laundry to dry."

"You did eh? What was it like? Did the neighbors say anything to you?"

"Ah, just felt like a breeze circling past. Think my body broke them up. The neighbors didn't say anything I heard."

Bringing up a good childhood memory for her. Trying to run in the city kind, wind caught within structures blowing dead leaves and garbage in wild spirals. "Oh I remember trying to get caught up in the ones on the school yard. Neat seeing the wrappers and plastic bags swirling around."

"Yup, great thing about back than it seemed like it lasted longer."

"I know, days as kid seem to last forever. Now, days just fly by."

Sighing at the sad truth, "yeah, sure seems like a day is only several hours long." Taking a drag was thinking of asking what happened with her and her man to want to leave him so expeditiously.

Glancing at Sheena curled up on the back seat Arlene asks. "Sheena sure is a pretty dog, why wouldn't her owner want to keep her? Just because she was pregnant?"

Looking back at Sheena with a smile. "Don't know? They kept the father of the pups. He ended up dying - Hoover." Sheena's ears perk up to the name. "Think the guy got scared of me and moved them all out of there. Came home after work Sheena was extra happy to see me that day. Went inside the main floor was completely empty just my stuff in the basement apartment was left. Would've liked to stay there but couldn't afford the rent and utilities by myself. Oh-Donna offered a room in her place until I got something else. I asked her what to do with Sheena, she wanted to see the puppies born."

"Ah yeah puppies would be so cute."

"Not." Recalling the constant cleaning and feeding. "Sheena had nine."

"Nine? Wow."

"Yeah, nine and she wasn't even a year old herself, so I had to do most of the work. Puppies are not cute let me tell you. They just look that way so you don't kill them. The neat thing is they were born on Valentines day."

"Really? That is neat. How many did Donna keep?"

"None, she had a dog of her own. When they were five weeks I was feeding them mainly mushed up dog kibble because Sheena couldn't handle them biting into her nipples. A Vet said at five weeks if they seem to be digesting the adult food they would be ready to go. We had them in the front yard sure enough two people wanted one. I put up a flyer at the local grocery store, reading, free puppies will deliver. Out of the nine I know one went to a good home as a veterinarian called me an hour after about it. By the time all the puppies were gone I realized Sheena is the kind of dog you want to have. Doesn't bark much, never jumps up on anyone and the only one she's bitten was me - But that was in play so its okay."

Arlene gives Sheena a smile and wink, "not jumping up, that's what I like too. Especially all dirty paws."

"Yeah." In the mind I can picture the many surfaces those prints have been cleaned from; Like the seat Arlene is on.

"How long have you had her?"

"Almost ten years now." I laugh once before sharing a Sheena antidote, "Sheena has more homes that would welcome her in, than I."

"Yeah, I could see that she's so pretty."

"Let me tell you though, this one year I go to my parents for Christmas. First my mom greets me at the door by asking where Sheena is. Pointing her out in the yard, next hear, we don't have a bed for you to sleep in here tonight. You'll have to sleep at your brother's for the night, but Sheena can stay here."

"No she didn't?" Arlene wonders about the relationship there.

"Yeah, sadly one of those true life moments. I do find it funny though."

"So, are you, the black sheep in the family?"

"Kinda." Carefully I eject the cigarette butt out the window. "They do their thing and I'm okay with it. They just want better - parents you know, even in my thirties."

"Yeah." This gets Arlene a bit distant thinking of what little family she has.

"We can talk, just not often, or for long, similar with my brother but we might talk longer. How about you and your family?"

"Not so much lately, I want too." Staring into the dark notices no other cars have been seen this whole time. "Where are you taking me? Is there anybody out here?"

Amused I point out the time. "Getting close to ten. Those that are home won't be going anywhere. Those out doing evening things like Bingo won't be seen until eleven or so. Ah you know. And of course it's too early for those having a drink or two. It's usually quiet out here. I prefer driving it and some nights get moving up to one hundred and sixty. For sections I see no oncoming lights." Pointing out the driver's side window. "To the south we should be able to start seeing Lake Erie. And in about fifteen minutes we'll be following the cliff edge."

"Cliff edge, are you messing with me?"

"Yeah cliffs - about two hundred feet high - I think, in most places."

Sounding a bit exciting she has to as, "how close do we get to the edge?"

"Nothing scary or like in the movies when they drive coastal highways. Most of it has property between the road and the cliff. One part in an S-bend gets close enough to scare the timid."

"Timid? That mean you're going to speed through there trying to scare me?" Actually hoping for an exhilarating thrill.

"Not in this mini-van - be rolled over. Besides it's more scenic than scary - to me, anyway. Also get your first glimpse of where we are going to."

Being dark out wonders if she'll see anything. "So do you have satellite TV or least a radio there?"

"Don't need satellite with my rabbit ears."

In her mind now pictures struggling to get better reception on one of only three readable television signals. "Rabbit ears really? No cable I take it."

"Actually you'll be surprised to find out I get forty free channels on rabbit ears out here - because of the lake, the signals travel well. Now three channels are home shopping networks two others are PBS and of course French and English CBC, TVO, but I get all the same American and Canadian stations as basic cable. And on the radio I can get the Buzzard radio station out of Ohio."

This knowledge eases the worry of constant boredom and actually perks her curiosity to the truth and well working of it. "Forty channels, that's pretty good for rabbit ears, lucky to get seven on a good set in London." If it wasn't so ominous looking out the window she could relax more. Working lights on passing farmhouses are few, making it look like barren fields mixed with wood lots against the night.