#20 Rest Stop

"Is anyone sitting here?"

I looked up from my sandwich. A woman stood holding a tray with a salad and a bowl of soup. She had a bottle of water in the crook of her arm. I scanned the other tables of the rest area food court and didn't see an open seat.

"No. Go ahead," I said.

"Would you really have sent me away if you saw an open table," she asked, smiling.

I smiled back. "No. I guess it was just reflex. I didn't know it was that crowded in here."

"So long as that's true, then I'll sit here," she batted eye lashes that protected green eyes. I finally noticed how attractive she was. She settled in at the table meant for four travelers.

"I hate long road trips. Especially driving someone else's car."

"I know what you mean," I said. "Nothing is adjusted just for you. It's like wearing someone else's clothes."

"That's too funny," she laughed. "Is your car comfortable at least?" She took a long drag from her water bottle.

"Yeah. It's a BMW and I've had it for a year. It fits like an old pair of jeans."

"Wow. Good for you. I'm driving to Ohio. How about you?"

"Not that far. Just New York."

"Is that home?" She drank more water.

"No. Maine is where I lived the last twelve years. I did grow up in NY, though."

"You know what? I really need to use the ladies room. Guess I shoulda done that before getting all this, huh? Would you watch my stuff for just a minute?"

"Yeah, sure. No problem," I said.

When she didn't come back I knew I just got scammed. I went to my car. The door was partially open. All my valuables gone. In the manager's office , the state trooper and I watched a video. Our table was visible from a security camera angled over the cash registers of Sbarro.

"There," the trooper said. "She's texting under the table. Told her accomplice what car and what state license plate to look for." He looked at me and said, "Hope you learned something today, buddy."

Three years later at the same rest stop, a woman asked the guy at the table next to me if the seat was taken. She held a tray with salad, soup and a bottle of water balanced in her arm.