After spending an hour or more in locating a service station that had a proper set of spark plugs for the truck-camper, followed by yet more wasted time, waiting for the attendant to install them, in between pumping gas and servicing other cars, the afternoon waned, which made Stan and Lois quite late getting to the State Park.
Stan had become irritable and grumpy because of the delays, and as they had continued on to the park, he was more snappish with her. He ate the meal she had prepared for him, in silence, then he decided that the radio had not been working right. As Lois tidied up the camper, washing the dishes and cooking utensils, he had taken the radio out of the truck's dash to fix it.
Now, he was fully absorbed in it, tracing out the circuits and testing various parts. Lois knew that it was one way he had of excluding her. He would be too busy… again…
She hadn't really figured out, yet, what had gone wrong with their marriage. Stan was only thirty years old. He was strong… virile and potent. Sure! He worked hard at a responsible job as shop foreman. But, lately, he had been full of excuses… Lois was pretty sure that there wasn't another woman although the idea had crossed her mind. God… it'd just kill me… if I ever found out that Stan was s-sleeping with another woman… making l-love to her…
Then, she'd tried to look at herself, objectively. She was only twenty-two, and she knew she was attractive. Always she did everything she could to enhance her loveliness… so she couldn't be driving him away from her on that score.
They argued. Most of their disputes centered around money… and sex. Wryly, she thought about it; the parody was almost comedic. Five years ago, when they were first married, there was too little money… and too much sex… as far as she was concerned. Now, with Stan's promotion to foreman, the financial problems were no longer acute… but sex…? Well, it seemed almost as though Stan had lost interest, gradually… until they reached their present state.
That's why she was wearing her tight hot pants. She had bought a couple of pairs, especially for this vacation trip, hoping that showing off her figure to Stan would regenerate some of his former interest. Nothing had happened… yet… at least not with Stan. He had only made some snide remark about not showing her ass like that in public… and to put on something decent.
Yesterday, she remembered she had gotten attention because of her hot pants… but from the wrong man. Ugh! That motorcycle rider… the same one that passed us on the road… and said those awful things to Stan… and made that nasty sign with his hand… He's the same one that was looking at me… and almost undressing me with his eyes! I could almost tell… what he was thinking…! She flushed, slightly, and glanced over at her husband, nervously. He was totally absorbed in his tinkering with the radio, not paying any attention to her at all.
Finishing up her housekeeping chores, Lois decided she needed some fresh air and an invigorating walk. She put on a light sweater, picked up her purse and told her husband, "I'm going out for a walk… honey. Would you like to go with me?"
"Huh…" Stan looked up at her, reluctantly, "No… you go ahead… I want to finish up on this…"
She left the camper, knowing that it would be useless to try getting him interested in her… again, tonight… The last time had been the middle of last week! Damn it! She was instantly sorry she bad thought it… but that was really what she felt. If I were some kind of an old hag… I could understand it! I want to be a loving… giving wife… but just because I won't let Stan do some of those… awful, far-out things to me he gets all upset… and won't do anything…! At least, that's what it seems like…
Thoughtfully, she walked along the blacktopped Park Road. No one stirred in the semi-darkness. Tents, campers and trailers were curtained or in darkness, and she began to wonder whether or not she might have made a mistake in venturing out.
Suddenly, she stopped dead. A man's voice roared out of the darkness, somewhere over to her right. "TERRY! GET YOUR FUCKING ASS OVER HER… RIGHT NOW!"
From the slope above, the frightened voice of a girl called back, "I'M COMING! I'M COMING!"
The words were shocking. She had no intention of listening to such vulgar people, so she took a few more hesitant steps in the direction she was headed, torn by indecision. Perhaps, she should go back to the camper… but I've only been out here a few minutes. As she walked on, the voices were too low for her to hear, but then the commanding voice of the man came clearly to her again, "ALL RIGHT… GET THOSE GOD DAMNED RAGS OFF! I WANT YOU BARE-ASSED NAKED!"
Now, she knew she didn't want to listen. It must be a man and his wife, she decided… And, he wants to… make love to her! Something like that was too intimate… too personal. I'd die… if I knew somebody were watching… or listening to Stan… and me…!
Lois stopped, turned around and headed back toward their own campsite. The unseen man's voice cracked out, "NOW… give me your belt!"
The girl's voice trembled, "P-PLEASE MICKEY… I-I REALLY DIDN'T HEAR… Y-YOU…"