Take the Exit

Take the next exit. I need a piss and a sandwich.

Yeah. Ok. Hold on cuz the next exit isn’t for thirty miles.

You’re shittin me right?

I would never shit you Sully. 

Pull over. I can just take a piss on the side of the road.

This is a turnpike. You can’t just pull over to piss on a turnpike Sully.

Use the right lane. I’ll go fast.

That’s an emergency only lane.

Jenny, pull the car over now or I will piss on the floor.

If I get arrested, I’m pinning it on you.

You won’t get arrested Jenny. But if you get a ticket, I’ll pay it. Now stop the damn car.

Hurry up. You owe me.

Shut it. 

Better?

Much. How much longer?

Maybe two hours.

I’m starving.

Rest stop is twenty miles yet.

Great. Pull over and let me drive.

Sully, when was the last time you had a driver’s license?

Who’s to know? I can put some speed behind this beast. What is it? A chevy what?

It’s a Malibu Sully and you can’t drive it and insulting my car or my driving will not get you anywhere but let out at the side of the road.

Well I’m starving so have a heart. Step on it.

Now I need to use the restroom.

Just pull over and do it.

Definitely not. We will be at the rest stop in maybe ten minutes. I can wait.

They have Mickey Dees?

Burger King.

Crap. I hate Burger King.

I guess then your life is crap. 

Why do you think I’m here?

I don’t know why you’re here. I’m guessing it's because your life is crap?

Why are you here?

Not because I think my life is crap. But I do think your life might be crap.

Nice.

I loved grandma. That’s why I’m here. When was the last time you visited?

You always were the perfect one.

Can you find some music on the radio?

Why don’t you have satellite? I can’t get squat on your radio. It’s stupid not to have satellite.

You are completely useless. I should have left you behind. I knew I should have. Now get out of the way so I can find some music.

Don’t hit me. Jeez. What the hell Jenny?

It’s all ads. Ah. There. Oldies.

Really? My Sweet Lord?

It’s George Harrison. He’s a Beatle Sully.

I hate the Beatles.

Take that back or I’ll pull over again and this time you can get the hell out of my car and walk. Got it?

I’m not taking it back. They were all assholes and two of them still are.

You’re an asshole Sully.

You’re not serious. Jerk was like a weird Hare Krsna or some shit.

Get out of my car. Now.

You refuse to pull over so I can take a piss but your gonna pull over and throw me out because I don’t like the Beatles?

Yes. Get out.

Ok. I take it back. I don’t hate the Beatles.

I don’t believe you.

Yesterday, all my troubles seemed so far away. Now it looks as though they’re here to stay.

Maybe we shouldn’t talk.

Suit yourself.

Why are you even coming?

Just to annoy you.

You think you’re going to inherit something. That’s why you're coming. Isn’t it?

I’m coming because I have nothing better to do. You called, I had nothing going, so I thought the trip would be fun. Wrong.

The exit is coming up. Can you see it?

That fog is getting heavier but I think it's up around that next curve. Hold on.

Sully? What the heck are you doing?

I’m sorry, I dropped a lit cigarette.

What? Get it? 

I’m trying.

You hit the radio. Stop that static. 

I can’t get it. It’s way under there.

Don’t make me pull over.

Ouch! I touched it and burned my finger.

Is it out?

I dunno. Just wait.

I smell burning hair.

I think I got it.

Did you or didn’t you?

It’s out. Pretty sure. We can check at the rest stop.

Uh oh.

Huh?

There went the turnoff ramp.

Oh come on. I’m starving!

You distracted me. Asshole. 

You’re driving. 

Now it’s sixty miles to the next stop.

Can’t you flip a bitch?

See, Sully, this is why you don’t have a driver’s license. You cannot flip a bitch on a turnpike.

Back up. If you pull it over now, maybe you can back up onto the ramp.

Sully, shut up. No. You cannot back up onto a ramp. That is insane.

I’m starving Jenny.

I have to pee and I can’t wait an hour.

Back up. There’s no one around.

I’m pulling over.

I’ll keep watch.

Quit smiling.

Hurry up.

Anyone coming?

Nope. Wait. Way back there someone is coming so chop chop.

Alright. Ready.

Flip the hood up.

Why?

Look.

Oh crap. Hello Officer.

License Registration and Insurance Card. Noticed you pulled over. Everything alright?

We overheated officer. We just needed to cool down.

Ma’am, ah, Ms. Burton, is that right?

Yes Officer. Everything is ok now.

And is this Mr. Burton?

Oh no Officer. This is my brother, Sully.

Driver’s license sir?

Hold on. My wallet it buried in my duffel bag. May I get in the backseat to find it?

Ok. Keep your hands visible.

Did I do something wrong officer?

We take note of anyone pulled over to the side of the road. I can see you …

Hey, where’s he going?

Sully! What the hell! Come back!

Look lady. I’m not up to chasing anybody today and I can see you are not in distress, so please, continue your trip. To where?

Our Grandma’s funeral upstate.

I’m sorry for your loss. And I hope you find your brother.

Thanks.

Mom? We had a little delay. About an hour or so. Sully was with me. I don’t know. He disappeared. Who knows? Yeah, he ran off. I’m back on the road now. Yeah. An hour ish. Hold up. Mom, I see Sully. I’ll see you soon. Yeah. Ok.

Jenny, Did they find anything on me?

What? The police?

Yeah.

No. Why? Did you do something?

Of course not.

Why would they think that then?

How long to the next stop?

Jesus Sully. Get in the car. What the hell? The clock is ticking.

Was that mom you were talking to on the phone?

Yeah.

So now she knows I took off?

I guess she does.

What am I gonna say?

I have no idea, genius.

Crap. She’s gonna kill me.

What the hell have you done Sully?

I need to make some cash fast. I had no choice.

No choice?

I’m glad the police didn’t have K9s.

Why?

Nevermind Jenny. Just drive. Forget about it. It’s over. Let’s just get through this funeral.

Mom will pretend it didn’t happen and not ask. She hates thinking you are as bad as you are. But dad. If she tells him…

She won’t tell him, will she? I mean, his mother died. She won’t lay anything else on him. Right?

Hope so. For your sake, I hope she doesn’t.

Are you going to tell him?

Probably not.

You have always ratted me out Jenny. Oh, Sully broke a plate, Sully ate the cookies, Sully slugged Janie on the playground.

That last one wasn’t me. Janie told her teacher and her teacher told mom and mom told dad. So that one is not on me.

He kicked my ass over that one.

Like he never hit a girl.

Hopefully mom won’t make too much of it.

Sully, you can’t smoke in here anymore. Put it out.

Why?

You got me pulled over by a cop because you dropped the last one.

It wasn’t my fault the cop stopped you.

You’re a cop magnet Sully.

Get off my back sis.

This is a good song. Let’s just listen to the radio a while.

I hate Boston.

I had all their albums. 

I say, Don’t Look Back.

I say, Peace of Mind. How about you take a nap?

I hated grandma. 

Why? 

She was a mean old lady. A resentful, bitter old bitch.

Oh, come on. She wasn’t ever mean to me. Not once.

Yeah, You she treated like her little Empress. Me, she called a low life. I was eight years old and she labeled me a loser. She said she could see it written on my forehead: rapist, killer, thief. I was eight. I didn’t even understand what that even meant. I cried and she called  me a ninny and a cry baby. It never stopped. 

You never told me.

I didn’t want you to think those things about me too. She kicked my ass every time I was over there.

Where was I?

I always wondered that. Where was Jenny when Grandma made  me stand in the corner holding a five gallon water bottle and balancing the Miriam Webster Dictionary on my head. She was creative. I’ll give her that.

You are full of shit. She wouldn’t have done that.

And yet she did.

You must have deserved it.

Ok Jenny. An eight year old boy deserves to stand in an ice cold shower and recite the pledge of allegiance for an hour. I don’t care what bad thing I may have done, and I don’t remember doing anything at all except getting in her cross-hairs, no eight year old deserves that kind of punishment. 

She did that to you?

She also burned me with a fire iron one time. On my ass. I still have a scar if you don’t believe me. She said I deserved it because I dropped a glass pitcher when I was doing the dishes and it shattered. 

Can I see it?

Take a look sister.

Wow, Grandma branded you. Are you telling me the truth?

I’m lying.

What? Come on Sully. I don’t want to play games here. I’m stressed to the fricking max and we are going to my grandma's funeral. I really can’t deal with your bullshit right now. Did grandma really abuse you like that?

Grandma branded me and she laughed while she did it. She called me a weak little worm who needed to toughen up.

Why are you coming to the funeral then? I sure wouldn’t have minded doing the drive alone. Why didn’t you stay away?

I want to have my say. I’m going to get up at that funeral and tell everyone what she did to me. She doesn’t get to die without paying. She really messed me up Jenny.

Please don’t do that. Please let her rest in peace. I’m begging you Sully. I believe you. I believe every word and I mean it. Let that be enough. Someone knows. Someone cares. I am that someone. 

Here comes the rest stop. Don’t miss it this time.

Sully, let's get some burgers and coffee and figure out what we will do because I really don’t think I can bear you announcing that grandma was a sadistic monster at her funeral. It isn’t fair. She can’t even defend herself.

Would you mind if I got off at this stop?

Sully, how will you get back? You should just come with me. We are so close.

The closer I get the more I feel sick. 

You should be there for dad.

Not if I can’t stop myself from telling the truth.

You have kept it to yourself all this time. Why can’t you get through just one more day?

She can’t hurt me now. I don’t want to sit there and hear what a kind and generous person she was. I cannot allow her to rest without exposing her. But you’re right. It would hurt dad. 

Are you sure?

I just can’t do it Jenny. I can’t promise you I won’t break down and tell all. I really can’t. I’m raw in a way that I’ve never felt before. I feel like my skin is pulling away from my bones. 

I’ll cover you. Please never tell. If you couldn’t confront her when she was alive, please let your secrets die with her.

Tell dad I came down with the flu and I’m sorry to miss the funeral. I’ll send flowers in the morning when I get back home.

I’ve got your back little brother. Finally, after all these years, I’ve got your back.