“Conflict of Interest” (FridayFlash)

For some terrific weekly flash fiction, check hashtag #fridayflash on Twitter or go to their Facebook page. Archived stories can be found here:

Kathump…kathump…kathump…I let my foot off of the accelerator when I felt the tire go flat and I steered the car off the road and onto the shoulder.

“What are you doing?” asked Trudy, in the passenger seat of our 1968 Cadillac Coupe de Ville.

“We have a flat tire,” I said.  “This is great – I have a spare tire in the back, but no tire iron.  How am I going to change it?”

“Oh my goodness!  I hope we’re not late for the show – I love Bob Hope. Maybe somebody will come along to help us.”

Trudy always said things like that – making it seem like I needed to be bailed out.  Of course in this case, I did at least need somebody’s tire iron.  I turned on the hazard lights and got out of the car to look at the tire.  It was indeed quite flat.  I took up a position next to the car and peered down the two-lane highway looking for approaching cars.

I looked down at my black shoes and frowned – they were getting covered with dust already.  I was going to be a mess by the time we got to the show if I had to change this tire.  I didn’t know exactly why she had her heart set on seeing Bob Hope.  I would rather stay in town and see a movie or go out to dinner.  I was secretly hoping that the tire setback would force us to head back home and skip the show.  My mood was dark and I didn’t think I’d have much patience for Hope’s comedy.

I looked up to see a car approaching in the distance.  It was on the opposite side of the road – heading back to Millsville.  I began waving and the car slowed and pulled off onto our side of the road.

As the car – a 1966 Mustang – rolled to a stop, I recognized the driver:  Bill Turner.  I thought back to a phone call from the previous week.  What bad luck for Bill to be our “Good Samaritan.”  I forced a smile and went over to shake the man’s hand as he climbed out of the car, “Hi, Bill!”

“Well, hello Roger!  What’s the trouble?” Bill asked.

“We have a flat tire.  I have a spare and a jack in the trunk, but I unfortunately don’t have a tire iron – would you happen to have one I could borrow?”

“Sure thing – I’ll help you get that tire fixed.”

“Oh, that won’t be necessary.  If you could just loan me the tire iron and give me a few minutes to change it, we can all be on our way.”

“Don’t be silly, Roger!  I wouldn’t let you change a tire in that snazzy suit of yours.” Bill retrieved his tire iron from the trunk of his car and we went back to the car.  Bill slid the jack under the car and began pumping.  Trudy had gotten out of the car and stood a few paces away.

“Where are you folks going?” Bill asked as he worked.

“We are going to the Bob Hope show in Cleveland,” Trudy said.   “I hope we can still make it.  My first date with Roger was going to the theatre to see Bob Hope in ‘The Road to Hong Kong’ in 1962!”

“Oh, is that right, Roger?” Bill looked at me.  I had to think for a moment – it seemed so long ago.

“Yes, that’s right,” I said with all eyes upon me.

“My wife and I went to the theatre for our first date also.  I’ll never forget it.  We saw ‘Gone With the Wind.’  I’m no Clark Gable, but my Margaret was every bit as beautiful as Vivien Leigh.  Still is.”  Bill didn’t stop working, but his expression softened.  It was such a sweet thing to see Bill get sentimental after so many years of marriage.  I wasn’t sure of Bill’s age, but I guessed him to be at least fifteen years my senior.

I tried to visualize my first date with Trudy.  As I pictured the two of us sitting stiffly next to each other in the theatre, I smiled to myself.  I was so in love with her from the moment I met her and that first date was like a dream come true.  I was lucky I didn’t do anything to mess it up in my nervousness.  I looked at Trudy and her eyes met mine.

I was lost in my own thoughts when Bill said, “Well, that should do it!”  I have changed many tires over the years, but I have never seen anybody change a tire as quickly as Bill did that day.  The new tire was on and we were letting the car down from the jack within just a few minutes.

“Bill, thank you so much for stopping to help us.  I really appreciate it,” I said.

“Don’t worry about it Roger.  Now you both go on and enjoy the show, won’t you?  I have to head back home to my beautiful wife.”

We all got back into our cars and drove off.  After a few minutes of driving, Trudy moved across the seat to give me a kiss on the cheek.  “What was that for?” I asked, grinning.

“For being my Clark Gable.”

******************

I opened the folder and, glancing at the top sheet of paper, dialed the numbers, pausing after each one to allow the rotary dial to return to its original position.

“Hello?”

“Is this Mrs. Wiliam Turner?” I asked.

“Yes, this is Margaret,” the voice replied.

“This is attorney Roger Martens.  We spoke last week about setting up an appointment to discuss your filing for divorce and we had an appointment for next week.”

“Yes, that’s right.”

“I’m sorry, but I won’t be able to represent you in the case,” I said.

“But why? You come highly recommended!”

“I can’t elaborate.  Let’s just say that I have a conflict of interest.”