Joan's Knife

Smelling the promise in a new day, Joan tossed her cellphone in her purse, switched off the lights, exited the house, locked the door. She fired the ignition and backed out of her drive into "Boring" street and smiled to her soul as the sun warmed her in her topless Jeep. "Getting up early" to take the top down was tabbed a good beginning to the day. After three subdivision blocks and close to a dozen kids standing not too intelligently in the street, she turned on to Bobbi Davis Road. In less than a quarter of a mile, she saw "that guy" who had been wandering up and down the road for the past week. Joan clicked her tongue against teeth and shook her head as she slowed down enough to pull over to the side of the road. She wondered why she was doing "this." She maneuvered her Jeep right up to the guy. He turned his head toward her with a look of total incomprehension. What's going on here Joan wondered.
"Hey buddy, how ya doing?" Joan asked. She ran her hand through her short black hair as she noted the thick, sticky brown hair on the unshaven guy. She reflexed back slowly when she saw tears form in the guy's eyes. His head moved slightly left to right. Joan cautiously slid her hand in pocket for a clear grip of her knife. The guy looked at Joan with distant eyes.

"I can't remember," he muttered. He's helpless Joan assessed before killing the ignition.
"Is there anything that I can do for you?" Joan asked and almost cringed for having stopped in the first place.

The music was loud and exciting to hear. The big firs lining the drive felt like old friends leading the way. Joan almost chuckled to herself at the confused wonder look on her passenger's face. Better laugh now before Kathy raises hell when she sees this guy. As soon as the firs stopped, cars were parked everywhere. The gathering looked bigger than Joan had expected. She hopped the turnout might quell some of Kathy's reaction. As soon as the Jeep was parked, laughter could be heard even over the music. Joan turned to her rider whom she had dubbed Guy.
"Stay here. I'll be right back," Joan informed Guy. He gave her that same look of confused wonder yet without tears. Joan started walking to the rock path on the side of the manor that lead to the back gardens. Before she even got the path, the front door opened and Kathy greeted her.
"Finally. I was afraid you might have met someone interesting on the way over and well, ... whatever it is that you always do on my invitations," Kathy laughed with a hint of alcohol on her breath. She hugged Joan with champagne in hand. She was about to comment on Joan's fitness when she noticed Joan's distracted expression. "Oh, I'm just teasing hon. Come on, let's go have some fun." With her arm around her young friend, Kathy tried to lead the way to the party. When Joan didn't budge, Kathy stopped and immediately asked neutrally, "What's the matter, Joan?" Joan pressed her upper lip tightly on her lower one and gave a slight as possible look toward her Jeep.
"I was," she began. Kathy looked toward the Jeep, squinted to focus. She tried to continue, "wondering if you, ... we could, ahm, ... oh, I just ..."
"What the hell is that, Joan?" Kathy asked with displeasure.