OneteninaSeventyfive

 - 1968 -

At twenty-two he was built to run
Three-striper stationed at Ellsworth
Air Force Base, Dakota
The southern one

Outside Rapid City

He met a dark haired beauty 

At a hilltop bar

They got along

She left for college

Vermillion, South Dakota
On a bluff

Overlooking the Missouri river

She left, he followed

She was there for a semester

He had a weekend
An 800+ mile round trip
Back and forth across the state

His car; a 63 Ford Galaxy

Two-barrel, gutless, and then it broke

He borrowed a pal's 65 GTO

He would never forget this act of generosity.  He would visit his buddy years later in Michigan kCity, Indiana to thank him again.

It was ready to roll

389 cubic inches, 4 barrel carb

and a four speed on the floor

Saturday; early morning run

Two packs stashed

One of six and one of gum

Interstate Ninety

Flat across the plains
Often as far as you could see

Little traffic - West to East

She had warned him of a speed trap

Between Murdo and Presho

He wasn't paying attention
Too excited

The six pack rested nicely 
on the flat space
between the bucket seats.

Hit the road

Cranked that hot rod

Popped a beer

When he couldn't see a town ahead

He was doing a hundred and ten

Seemed like the right thing to do

On his third beer

Somewhere east of Murdo

He saw a car

It was parked on the shoulder

Way ahead

He slowed to 75-80

Limit was 75

I thought she told me that trap was between some other towns? Damn....

As he passed he noticed
It was an early 60's Chevy

Dark and nondescript

He kicked her back to 110

Seconds later, from out of nowhere

A black and white on his bumper

Stick of gum quickly replaced beer can

The old Chevy pulled up

Right behind the squad car

The cop conferred with the radar man

Then came to see me

"Son, I clocked you at 110

But I'll write you at even 100

Follow me"

The three of us made an unlikely caravan moving slowly down the Interstate...

Pulled into Presho, SD on the plains

Up to a white clapboard house

With an office addition on the side

Walked in with Policeman and Radarman

Side office was a mini-courtroom

Justice of the Peace walked through door
Separating home and court

Pulling up suspenders as he strode

Straight outa' the movies

Desperate to break free, I wanted to run outside and shout "STELLA!!!!!" You know, like Brando in "Streetcar Named Desire." But then, that wasn't her name and besides, the JP was a he.

Convened court, found me guilty

After I admitted same

Fined  me $85

"Your Honor, I only have $45 

I am going to Vermillion to visit my fiancé 

I need $10 for gas to get back to Rapid City"

"I hope he goes for this.  I wonder if they have a jail in this town?"

Judge took my $35 and my promise 

To pay the other $50 later

And released me

Back in that hot rod GTO

On down the highway...soon back to 110

Figured the speed traps were over

Made the trip in just over 5 hours
Four hundred and five miles

With a stop in a tiny town

And a part in a vignette

Right out of a Tennessee Williams play

Minus the accents...

Over Forty years now

The dark haired beauty

Has been harboring a criminal

That makes her an accessory...the finest who ever lived.
He never paid the $50...He's still wanted in SoDak.