Page 93 of Trading Paint
No matter how many times I told myself that, I still wondered what would be different if I didn’t let Sway leave.
Not that I could have stopped her had I told her I felt something; that I just didn’t understand if that something was more.
Would that have stopped the engine failure?
Probably not.Regardless, something had to give. I’d been running in the red too long.
Sway was always there. If I called in the middle of the night needing reassurance, she was there no matter what. Even though she wasn’t physically with me, she stood by me through it all. Despite being crabby and irritable most of the time, she was there talking me through it. She knew to leave me alone when I needed solitude and supported me when no one else did.
We talked often. She flew out to see me whenever she could and I even made the occasional trip to Bellingham. Sure, I made use of it by racing up at Skagit but I got to see Sway and that was the real reason.
During my 2000 season, I needed all the seat time I could get as my season was a string of shoddy performances in the USAC divisions. I was hanging strong with the World of Outlaws and even contemplated running their season full-time next year with a car from my dad.
It had been a while since I had last seen Sway as she had been concentrating on finals and my schedule had been tight so I sat alone in the hauler prior to the opening night of Las Vegas Nationals for the World of Outlaws and talked to her on the phone.
“Everyone knows you around here. They keep asking me if I know you!” Sway chimed. She seemed in good spirits today after her finals. It was now the middle of April and soon she’d be on spring break and I couldn’t wait for spring break.
“And you say?”
“I say nah, I don’t know him. I hear he’s an asshole though.” She laughed.
“That’s what they all say.” I laughed. Leaning down to pick up the shock on the floor of the hauler, I continued our conversation. “So when do I get to see your smiling face again. I miss you.”
“Um...well my finals are finished now so I was thinking by the time you are in Eldora I could come and see you.”
We had planned on her coming to Eldora eventually for the Kings Royal in July but May sounded a whole hell of a lot better to me.
My mood improved immensely.
“That would be good. I could use some Sway time.”
“I could use some Jameson time,” she sighed contently. “No one gets me here. They all look at me like I’m crazy.”
“You are crazy.”
“I know but jeez...they don’t have to look at me weird all the time.”
“Who looks at you weird?”
“Other girls,”
“They’re just jealous because you’re so hot.”
“Thanks,” she replied sarcastically and then laughed.
Spencer opened the door to the hauler and stuck his head inside. “You’re up for hot laps.”
I nodded and then yanked the door closed.
“HeySway,Igottago...call you after the race?”
“Yeah, sure, good luck tonight.”
“Thanks,” I said before bolting out the door.
I made fast time, no surprise there but I didn’t think people noticed until I got back to the pits, my grin ratted me out when a pregnant Alley came waddling up to me with a clip board.
“Must have talked with Sway,”
