Who: Jimmy Darling lobsterboy & Heather Miller heathermiller What: Bike Trouble When: Early November Where: Orange Crush Interchange Rating: General Audiences Warnings: None. Status: Closed/Completed GDoc
~*~
"Stupid bike. Unbelievable."
Jimmy rode an '83 Yamaha XV500K Virago which had seen better days. The dual seat was a dull color from wear and the chrome wasn't nearly as shiny as it'd been even a decade before. He was having connection issues which caused it to short out. The thing had been one of the intro models for the permanent magnet system used to charge the battery. He only had problems when he didn't spend a few hours twice a month cleaning the charging system. His battery had died off likely due to a grimy connection closing in on the alternator.
So much for Locktite's famous guarantee.
He had pulled out his kit which was small, just enough to get him by on the road, to start working at it, but he would stall out at the worst intersection on his route. The Orange Crush was famous for the sit-and-wait times going through it. Jimmy usually didn't mind on his bike because he had no issue with overheating courtesy of its older model engine design. This was a bad run of luck, nothing else. He had managed to pry off the cover gasket and was spraying off the worst build-up on the stators he could see. The electric connections would start to charge immediately if he could get them clean enough. Sure, he'd be late for work, but he'd get there. That was something.
No one had to tell him he was in a rough zone though the proximity of his bike to the insane traffic running behind him was enough to have his heart beating too fast in his chest. Jimmy's hands were cramping from the intricate work when he heard someone approaching. He looked up from his bike with a frown, hoping whoever it was? They weren't with the Highway Incident Team. Jimmy already had enough points on his license for his bike without getting a tow on his record. He could pass it off as taking a break due to leg spasms if he had to once he got the covers replaced.
"Irony, thy name is Jimmy Darling."
He was grateful to see it was only someone in a pick-up likely looking to be a Good Samaritan. He could deal with that. Had it been anything else? He would have been likely to wind up in a mess of trouble his new job wouldn't help him out of this early in his employment.
"Stopped to help? Nice of you, but aren't you worried someone will take you out trying to illegally pass on the shoulder? I got no real choice. You could just travel right on by, right?"
Jimmy was worried someone was going to take him out. This lady had to be halfway to crazy to want to try to save the day on the side of the Crush.
~*~
"Well shit." Heather muttered underneath her breath as she spotted a bike pulled over on the Orange Crush. Heather hated to see someone in trouble, especially in a place that was so heavy with traffic. With no one else pulling over to help, Heather pulled over and pushed her hazard lights on. After turning the engine off, she moved over to the passenger seat to exit out of that door just to be safe. Heather might've been a little crazy, but she didn't have a death wish.
Heather laughed, "I could've, but we don't do that where I'm from. You see someone that needs help, you help 'em." Heather's voice was loud enough to carry over the sound of traffic, and she approached Jimmy carefully. Heather might've wanted to help, but she wasn't stupid. She'd pulled far enough off the road to make sure that no one would clip her truck by being a lookie-loo but they might actually hit her if they did try to pass.
That was one of the reasons why she had her hazard lights on, and she was keeping as far away from the white line as she possibly could.
"If they do manage to take out the beast? Well, good on them but they'll be buying me a new one." The black Dodge Ram was her baby, and vital to her business as well.
Heather didn't know anything about bikes, but she could offer to call someone or haul the bike somewhere for him. "Is there anything I can do to help?"
~*~
"I like where you're from," Jimmy answered easily, grinning at her, "I'm Jimmy Darling. Here's home for me since I'm a native. Don't sound it, I know, but that's from my ma. She was from out east. I try to help when I can. It's a nice surprise to get a little turn around for a change. Good Karma paying off, I guess."
He stood, wiping his hands on a pocket rag while he looked his Samaritan over. She was stunning. Jimmy would have taken her more for the model type than a pick-up girl. Beautiful women weren't unusual local, but they tended not to be the type to offer help with mechanic work. There was a good chance she was interested in real work instead of anything in the industry. Today could be a great day for him if he had managed to meet the one gorgeous girl in the whole county who appreciated mechanics.
"Not too sure how much you know about bikes, but my electrics are off. Basically? The battery is dead since too much crap corroded my connections. It happens faster than I like on account of the age. I can clean it off and get it charged up in about two hours or if you want to be a hero? I can load it in the bed and pay you for your trouble to take me to my garage. It'd save me from potential homicide working in this lane plus I wouldn't be late for work."
She didn't know him from Adam. Jimmy wouldn't blame her if she told him she was glad he could handle it before driving off. A part of him really hoped she didn't do that. It'd be nice to get to pass the time with a looker for a change.
Well, a looker of the female variety.
Winchester was a pretty guy and all, but Jimmy much preferred the ladies for his viewing pleasure.
~*~
"That would be Texas." She replied with a rather large smile as she stepped up a little closer to where he was with his bike. "I'm Heather Miller." She offered with a small nod. Normally Heather would've offered to shake his hand, but she didn't want to get greasy before getting back into her truck and putting her hands on the wheel.
Her face screwed up into a look of confusion as he talked about what was going on with his ride. Again, she knew very little or nothing really about bikes. All of her knowledge about mechanics was limited to trucks or cars. Her father, no matter how much of a dick that he was, had made sure that she knew how to do simple things to her vehicle in the event that something happened while she was out.
Heather thanked God for small miracles there, since she'd had to help jump people off before and she'd had to change a flat or two in her day.
"I honestly don't know a damned thing about bikes." She gave him a small smile, laughing softly. "However, I can help you out by taking you and your bike to your shop. Besides, you won't even need to lift it, I've got a ramp in the back of my truck that you can use to roll her on up." The ramp was there so she could haul whatever she needed to without having to depend on anyone else to help her lift it up onto the bed of the truck. "I've also got some cables that you can use to secure it."
Heather turned, and walked around to open up the rear passenger side door so she could reach in and pull the cables out from behind the seat. With them in hand, she went around to the back of the truck and hopped up into the bed. After sitting the cables down, Heather grabbed one of the ramps and began to push it out over the edge of the tailgate. "Now, don't let my goodwill bite me in the ass. I do know how to defend myself, and I may or may not have something in my truck that will help me do just that." Heather didn't carry a gun, but she did have a nice piece of steel pipe tucked beside her driver's seat in the event that she ever needed it.
~*~
"Never been to Texas, Heather, but I do know I wouldn't mind visiting if all the locals are as nice as you."
And as nice looking, Jimmy thought though he kept that to himself. It was a breeze to secure the cover over the engine again before rolling the bike up the ramps into the bed. Heather had nice bungee cords which clipped into the side of the truck bed. He had no fear the bike would roll, tip over, or get tossed right on out. Jimmy would have kissed her for her trouble if he had been the kind of guy who kissed strange women as a thank-you. He settled for snorting at her retort.
"You don't have to worry about me. I'm not the type to assault a woman even though I've been assaulted by more than one. Actresses are a mess. My mother was always trying to break into the industry. I grew up on sets. I know all about keeping my hands to myself."
Jimmy knew all about how not to keep his hands to himself as well. There were some who always thought they should get a little from him seeing as how they'd given a little to his ma back in the day. He had yet to worry over it too much. There were too many reasons to go along with what they wanted and too few not to for him to protest actively. Jimmy got the feeling Heather came from people who had set expectations of how everyone was to behave. It was only a feeling, but it was one he'd have been willing to stake a pretty penny on without feeling the burn of gambling with money he didn't have to spare.
Making his way to the side of the truck, he let himself into the passenger side, buckled his belt, and tilted to watch Heather climb in, "You know where Rainbow Motor Repair is or you need directions? I can make myself useful since you're being courteous and all."
~*~
"They typically are." Heather gave a small inclination of her head in Jimmy's direction, a slight smile on her face. At least, she thought the people in Texas were nice for the most part. Some were a little harsh considering their views in regards to religion and everything else. The good, however, tended to outweigh the bad in her opinion.
"Ouch," Heather spoke with a shake of her head, "I would imagine that they are." She'd not dealt with any of those types yet, well, not that she knew of. Most of the people that she'd met out in Cali so far had been real nice, but Heather also kept her guard up since she didn't feel like getting burned again. "But that's good to know. That you can keep your hands to yourself, that is." She gave him a wink before pulling the ramp back up and shutting the tailgate.
Getting back into her truck, Heather put her seatbelt on and then started the engine. She shook her head as she turned off her hazard lights and flipped her blinker on. "I don't know where it's at. So direct away." She finally managed to pull back onto the road after several minutes, and let out a long breath. Traffic didn't bother her, she was just trying not to cuss out everyone and their brother for speeding up when they saw her getting ready to pull out.
It was fine. They were back on the road, and heading toward the garage so he could fix his bike. "How long have you been working at this garage?" She asked, keeping her eyes straight and on the road.
~*~
Heather was a lot better at merging with traffic than Jimmy would have imagined. Traffic on the Orange Crush was terrible all the time, didn't matter what hour of the day or night it was, and it'd taken Jimmy a while to get used to moving through it on his bike. He wouldn't have wanted to try it in a pick-up with a load in the bed. There was a great sensation of freedom once they were back heading in the right direction; he took it as a sign he was going nuts since it meant he was relieved to be heading to work where he'd basically be the grunt all day.
"Not too long," Jimmy answered, "A few weeks. Winchester is the head mechanic there, but he's busy trying to become a lawnmower mogul. I got no idea what is happening in that guy's head. All I do know? If he winds up quitting? More power to him since it means I'll likely take over as head mechanic. They already depend on me to do the majority of the work."
It went without saying he was also a grunt in the machine there. Heather could likely read between the lines to figure out Jimmy was currently pulling his weight plus someone else's for the same pay as if he were working one job. There were plenty who'd complain about it. Jimmy was simply grateful to have steady work he could keep busy with where he felt as if his skills were being put to use. His hands were sore every day, but that was a sign he was earning his keep. In spite of the life his ma had wanted, Jimmy was pleased enough to live a life of labor since it was also a life of love.
"I usually get home tired and sore, but it's honest work. Helps I love it. I've always liked working with my hands. What about you? You like the work you're in? I figure you gotta do something a little physical yourself to need a truck complete with stay cables and ramps."
He made sure to point out their next exit early as they went along so Heather could keep in the right lane. Traffic kept them moving slowly yet steadily toward their destination. It was better than sitting still which could happen from time to time. Jimmy had never been one to like sitting still. That was why he chose a bike over a car or truck. Everyone else could sit around for hours. He'd be taking the gaps between them to make his way steadily onward. His life wasn't blessed enough to let him work his own hours.
~*~
Being the low man on the totem pole sucked. Heather remembered being the low man on the totem pole back when she was interning back at the butcher shop. She'd had to do a lot of the grunt work there as well, but it had taught her a hell of a lot so she was thankful for the experience.
"I gotcha. Well, hey, if he does quit that means more money for you in the long run." At least that was the way Heather saw things. Money wasn't the only thing in life, but it was important if one wanted to live comfortably. "Of course, you might not have any free time. Being the boss isn't always what it's cracked up to be." Heather loved what she did, but there were times that she wished she had more free time. It was fine though, she was happy enough and she really wasn't looking for anything more than a good time. If things happened? They happened, but she wasn't pushing for anything really.
She could also understand that. "I love the work that I'm in, and yeah, you could say that my work is physical." She turned her head to glance over at Jimmy quickly, before turning her attention back to the road. "I'm a butcher. I moved here and started up my own business after being mentored by our local butcher back home. He was a great teacher, I owe him a hell of a lot." She could never repay that, or the life that he'd given her.
Heather made sure that she in the lane he indicated and pulled onto the exit ramp as soon as it came up. "So that's what I do. Much like you I come home sore, and stiff but I love every single moment of it." She took the next turn that she was directed to take, and then glanced over at him. "What type of vehicles do you work on?"
~*~
"Don't really need a lot of free time," Jimmy countered easily, "I'm not what you'd call a social butterfly. More like the guy who'd rather be at home with a beer and my couch waiting on my muscles to relax."
Mechanic work was physical in a way most wouldn't understand. Heather had the kind of job Jimmy wouldn't have expected a woman to go in for, especially a woman who looked like her. She had a pretty face and a body which didn't stop. Jimmy figured she'd be more likely to be a model than a butcher. He supposed it was all a matter of environment. No one would have expected him to have landed in a mechanic shop given he'd grown up surrounded by stage folk. They all thought he'd want in on The Scene.
They were all wrong, too.
Jimmy liked being just Jimmy. He didn't need an audience for his life to matter.
"I work on pretty much anything which comes in though the garage specializes in older model cars. Classics and hot rods. We get a few of the newer models in a month who are referred by their insurance after an accident. Mostly it's collectors or people who love their ride."
He wanted to have a car like the kind he worked on some day. Eventually Jimmy figured he'd get an early model Ford truck so he'd have a way to haul his bike around when it broke down. Did he want a better bike? Yeah. He wanted to own his own house, too, but that was a long way off. Jimmy knew the truck would run him less than a new bike given the connections they had at the shop. Winchester could likely get him in good with someone junking a truck out; they got discounts on parts through the shop's suppliers. It'd be easier for him than anyone else.
"I don't suppose you like cooking the meat you're butchering?"
~*~
Heather could understand that. She wasn't exactly a social butterfly either, although she didn't mind meeting new and interesting people, her work did keep her occupied enough. She nodded in understanding, eyes still on the road in front of her as she drove.
If asked Heather would've stated it was something that she enjoyed doing, regardless of how a lot of men in the field felt about women working in shops. Heather believed that she was just as good at her job as any man, although there were challenges that she faced but there was one she'd yet to overcome. Heather was, if nothing else, determined to prove a lot of people wrong.
It was cool that he had the opportunity to work on classic cars. Heather had always admired them, and had owned an older model Mustang when she'd lived in Texas. It had been a gift from her dad for her 16th birthday, but she'd sold it right before the move to California and after she'd gotten her truck. The truck had proved to be extremely useful, and Heather woudn't trade it for anything in the world.
"I see. That's really cool." She offered with a smile over in his direction, and then her attention turned directly back to the road.
Laughing, Heather lifted a shoulder, "I do, I like cooking it better than anything else." She still wasn't that keen on cooking, but she did have to eat so why not some meat that she knew was top grade, organic and not injected with all sorts of dyes to keep it looking fresh while it sat on a shelf for days on end.
"It's better than anything they have in stores at least. It's organic, not injected with dyes to keep it looking like it's just been put out, and at the end of the day? I rest easier knowing that." She shrugged and made a few turns that Jimmy indicated as she drove. "You should swing by sometime and buy some for yourself. You'll definitely see the difference."
~*~
While they were pulling up to Rainbow Motor Repair, Jimmy grinned at Heather, "I'd be glad to come buy some if you're offering to cook it. I'm not even that good at microwaving myself."
He was willing to flirt with a beautiful woman any time of the day or night. Heather was his type in a way he couldn't explain based on her looks. She was out of his league in terms of looks, but professionally? They should be able to make a go of it as a mechanic and a butcher. They were both people who worked with their hands. They'd even managed to find common ground in that they loved their jobs. It was rare to meet a woman who loved the work she was in when her work was physical.
Jimmy wouldn't mind getting physical with Heather if she wasn't interested in more.
"I happen to be very good with my hands. That's my selling point. We're here so you think about letting me talk you into sharing a meal with me and avoid looking directly at the senior mechanic. Winchester is pretty enough to cause people to stop being able to think around him. I'd swear it was some kind of magic except I know for a fact he's against all that."
Dean Winchester wandered out to glare in the direction of the truck as Jimmy got himself out, starting to take the tie-downs away from his bike so he could unload it. Heather didn't need to hear him get yelled at for being on time instead of early. The look he shot his coworker was apparently enough to have the guy rolling his eyes at him before stomping back into the garage. It was good enough for Jimmy. He'd take what he could get where Winchester was concerned.
It was the work of minute to get his bike down Heather's ramps. Jimmy had seen her set them up once. That was plenty of experience for him to be able to duplicate the process. She had done him enough favors for the day by bringing him in. He hoped he hadn't made her late to wherever she was headed. Was she off for the day? Heather had mentioned being the boss at her place. Jimmy supposed it really didn't matter if she was late when she was her own boss. Who would fire her? Herself?
Hardly.
Rolling his bike toward the garage, Jimmy called out, "Thanks for the lift, Heather! I'm on Valarnet. Jimmy Darling. The one and only. Give me a shout out if you want to make good on that offer of a steak sale in exchange for dinner."