He climbed into the car, completely ignoring my question.
Weird.I opened up the passenger side door and got in too.
"How do you get back on the highway?" he asked as he started the car.
"Make a right and just keep going straight. There will be a sign in a few miles."
We were both silent as he pulled back onto the road. I studied him out of the corner of my eye. I should have been a little scared. I knew nothing about him besides for his first name and the fact that he was from NYC. But I wasn't scared. He seemed nice enough. A little closed off, but nice. Who cared if he was homeless? And as long as he wasn't running from the cops, what did it matter what he was running from?
He cleared his throat as he got back onto the highway. "So, you're in school?"
"Not anymore. I just graduated from Purdue."
"Good school."
Expensive school."Yeah, I guess. What about you?"
"I graduated from the University of New Castle a couple years ago."
"Where is that?"
"Delaware."
"And I thought I was from a small town."
He smiled, but didn't say anything.
"So, you graduated from college a few years ago and now you roam around the country with two shopping bags?"
He laughed.
"But seriously, what did you do in New York?"
"I'm a business reporter."
"Oh, so you're going back?"
He was silent for a moment. "No. I don't know. Maybe eventually, but not anytime soon."
Yup, definitely running from something."What does a business reporter do?"
"It's like business journalism. I write a lot. Sometimes I give speeches. I've even been on TV a few times."
"Really? I didn't realize you were famous." He definitely had a face for TV. I'd watch him any day.
He laughed. "No, it's not as glamorous as it sounds. What did you study in school?"
"Management."
"That's a good major for your business. How did someone in their early twenties acquire a bar anyway?"
"It's actually my dad's. He named it after me." I turned to look out the window. Guilt had suddenly decided to creep up on me.What the hell was I doing?My father was dying. And I had just abandoned him.Again.
"That makes a little more sense. Did you major in management to help out then?"
"I majored in management because one day I was supposed to take it over."
"Was? Are you not anymore?"
