---

This is the fourth chapter in a six part series.

---

June of 1963 seemed to fly by.  Kelly was working a full 40 hours a week at the Happy Motoring ride at Six Flags, or occasionally filling in for crew members who’d called in sick or been sent home for violating one policy or another.  He’d actually filled in twice on the La Salle’s River Adventure Ride.  The second time, a mother with three small children in tow actually groped him through his uniform as he spoke into the microphone the narrative he’d been given to memorize.  Kelly told his cousin what had taken place and he just chuckled. “Happens all the time.  They pay four bucks to get in.  You’re just one more amusement for some of these folks.”

The only time Kelly had ever gotten into any kind of trouble on the job was one time when a supervisor walked by and saw him wearing sunglasses while on duty.  “I bought them at the company store, I just figured I could wear them while I worked.  It gets mighty bright in the afternoon,” he explained to his cousin.

“Company policy.  No shades.  Management wants guests to be able to see the whites of your eyes at all times.” Toby knew all the rules inside and out.  “I’m sure it won’t happen again.”

When the two cousins rode into work together they’d usually take Toby’s 1956 Ford F-100.  The old truck had been picked up for a song by Toby’s father and given to him for his 16th birthday.  In a shop out back of their house in Grand Prairie the father and son had rebuilt the 272 cubic inch V8 and added glasspacks.  The truck remained mostly stock, still wearing its original Springiest Green paint and oak lined bed.   Kelly thought the 15” red steel wheels gave the truck a classic look, barebones just like the sparce interior of the cab.

More than anything else, Kelly was jealous that Toby and his father had a relationship that enabled them to work on the truck together.  Kelly didn’t know if he’d ever even hear from his father again, much less share a hobby. Kelly never talked about his father with Toby.  Toby knew enough about it to leave it alone and not ask.  They mostly talked about work at Six Flags, new girls that might have been hired, and occasionally compared their old Fords.

The only time Kelly ever brought up Mindy McKinney was riding into work in the old Springtime Green Ford pick-up one morning.  “Do you suppose Mindy and that guy who is her male counterpart in all the big musical numbers have anything going on the side?” he asked his cousin.

“Duke Denison?  You’re kidding, right?” Toby replied.  “I doubt it.  Word in the park is that Duke’s gate swings the other way, if you know what I mean.”  Kelly thought he understood, but wasn’t sure.  He didn’t want to seem like a country bumpkin and ask for clarification.

Mindy McKinney got used to seeing Kelly at the side door of the Southern Palace after the last show.  He was walking her to her car more often than not by the end of June.  Though she was only a couple years older, she could tell Kelly had a crush on her and thought it was kind of innocent and sweet.  Toby had started dating a girl who worked in the El Chico restaurant in the Mexican section of the park, so he and Kelly were each taking their own cars to work more often.  Toby and his new love interest would go out at the end of their shift, or out to his truck in the parking lot, anyway.

For the 4th of July show that ran through all of July the cast of the Southern Palace was putting on a new show that downplayed the Confederacy and played up American patriotism.  At the emotional conclusion of the production Mindy, dressed as Betsy Ross, stood atop a small scale reproduction of Valley Forge while the blond guy, dressed as George Washington saluted her and the cast sang Ain’t No Land Like Our Land.  At the end of the number the entire cast dropped to their knees as Betsy pulled up her skirt to let loose a bald eagle that had been hidden there between her knees for the entire show.  The eagle then flew out over the crowd, dropping discount coupons for  Season Passes to the park before landing on the outstretched arm of Boyce Beaumont, the black kid in the cast, standing at the back of the theater.

Crowds who witnessed the event said it was one of the most moving things they’d ever seen, short of the Blue Angels fly-over the park on opening day.  The Today Show had a feature on the whole thing, but it didn’t translate as well to the small screen as being there for it in person.  “That girl is bound for good things,” Hugh Downs proclaimed at the end of the three minute feature.  Attendance at the park went up for several weeks after that.  Kelly was even asked to work overtime as a result, the park not having enough time to hire and train additional crew members before the unexpected rush.

In late July two things happened that would change things forever.  Somehow the eagle got spooked before the time came for it to fly out of Betsy’s skirt. It bit Mindy on her upper thigh, perilously close to her naughty parts.  Being the consummate professional, her expression didn’t change, nor did her voice as she sang the song.  Then, two days later, Mindy was waiting for Kelly at the end of his shift at the Happy Motoring ride.  He was shocked to see her standing there.

“Hey!  What’s going on?” Kelly said.

“You’re about to get off, aren’t you?” she asked.  She looked different somehow, but Kelly couldn’t put his finger on it.

“Yeah, what’s up?”

“I thought so.  I’ll wait for you while you change into your street clothes.  It’s my day off.  I thought we could see the park together.”  Mindy’s voice was sultry whether she was singing about Robert E. Lee, the greatness of America, or just asking Kelly on some kind of an unexpected date.  He was out of his Happy Motoring uniform and into his street clothes before she could change her mind.

The park got dark as they made their way around the different attractions.  “I suppose we better make our way towards the exit.  The park is going to close in a few minutes.”  Kelly said. He thought the time with Mindy had been great, but didn’t want either of them to get in trouble.  Mindy apparently had something else in mind.

She took him by the hand and headed the opposite direction of the employee exit.  As they wound their way through the park she led him all the way to Skull Island. The park, mostly deserted, was dark but for the red glow of the light coming out of the mouth of the Skull the island was named after.  “I thought you might want to see where the eagle bit me,” Mindy said softly into Kelly’s ear.

---

---

Before Kelly could answer, or respond in any way, Mindy had dropped her shorts down around her ankles.  As she was not wearing any undergarments, Kelly didn’t even notice the area where the eagle had latched onto her thigh.  He was completely enamored of other nearby scenery.  It was quickly obvious that Mindy had shown up with a purpose and had taken Kelly to a specific spot for a reason only she’d been fully aware of.

When it became apparent that Rice Krispie Treats were suddenly on the menu, Kelly mentioned something about going out to his car and retrieving the condoms he’d bought before leaving Fort Stockton, placing them in the glove compartment under the Texas map.  “They won’t let you back into the park,” she said.  As she spoke she had raised her blouse over the top of her head and tossed it to the ground.  Both hands were behind her undoing the clasps of her bra.  As she dropped it to the ground, her breasts were glowing red, reflecting the light shining from the Skull’s mouth.  Kelly was immediately in a trance like no pirate on Skull Island ever had been before.

All talk of condoms ceased, but the Rice Krispie Treats did not.

At the conclusion of the act they quickly put their clothes back on and made their way from the underbrush that had hidden their activity to a path that would lead them to the employee exit.  Neither of them spoke until they were in the employee parking lot.  Not having any experience in such things, Kelly had no idea what the conversation should be.

“You were amazing,” he said, grasping for the right words.

Mindy looked at him and smiled sweetly.  “Thank you.  I’ll see you tomorrow.”  And she was in her Nova before he could say anything else. The act had seemed more robotic than he had understood it to be, but considered it was probably because of it being the first time.

Kelly got into his Ford Sunliner and made his way home to Grand Prairie.  He didn’t say anything to his cousin, not wanting to share all the company violations that had taken place.  He didn’t know what to expect the next time he saw Mindy.  He was as confused as he was euphoric. He’d never dreamt of the encounter, and wanted nothing more than to repeat it.

But in the days that followed, it seemed as though that was not going to happen.  Mindy was sweet and kind when he saw her, but gave no indication that the episode on Skull Island was anything but a one time occurrence. In fact, as the days went on, Kelly wasn’t even sure if it had actually happened.  He thought that he might have dreamed the whole thing.  While Mindy was as cordial as she ever had been, she gave no indication that they had actually shared a Rice Krispie Treat, and certainly nothing indicated that another would be forthcoming.

That was, until late August.  That’s when Mindy showed up at the Happy Motoring ride again.  She was in street clothes.  It was again at the end of his shift.  Kelly’s first thought was that she’d come to take him to Skull Island again.  He hoped that after the act she would give him an explanation of how the relationship worked because he was still so confused.

“Can you change into your street clothes?” she asked.

“In no time flat,” he replied.  “Wait for me outside the employee dressing room.”

As he exited the building she took him by the hand.  But instead of heading towards Skull Island, she headed towards the employee exit.  Without a word they walked to her Nova, its top down and parked under the shade of a scrub oak tree at the end of a row of employee’s cars.  She got in the driver’s side door and he got in the passenger side.

“I’m pregnant,” Mindy said in a voice that was barely audible.

---

---