Dialogue: These Boots Are Made for Walkin'

V

Whaaat? Ho-- How is that even possible?

Old wheels're up and runnin'…

V

Had enough of this convo. You ghost – now.

Lana

I told you clearly that--

V

Need me to pull heat on you? Really want that? Step away from the car. Do it, now.

Lana

Fuck you! Fuck you sideways, you cunt!

V

Thanks for the fixes. Clever girl.

Hahaha! Ah, like clockwork!

Johnny

Hate to sound like your conscience, wouldn't ever want that job… but dick move, V.

V

Not a nomad, no way you can understand. It's as if somebody klepped your guitar.

Johnny

Mhm. Somebody for who it was the last chance for a better life?

Enjoy your fuckin' ride, V.

Well, definitely no guy or girl magnet... but seems healthy under the hood.

V

Don't know the half of it. Wait till I open 'er up.

Johnny

Not afraid you might--? Ahh, what can it hurt. I'm dead anyway.

Floor it, V.

V

Ahh… Been a damned long while, old friend.

Let's see what we got here…

V

1AIt's warm. Engine was runnin' just a short while ago.

V

2ANew coil, plugs... Hm, an' somebody's clearly been tinkerin' with the camshaft. What's this, now?

V

3ASomeone cleaned the cooling fan and filled up the brake fluid... except... huh... with water.

3BHaha. New, but used. Salvaged from some other junker.

2AAll right. Seen enough.

Lana

2AHey! What the--? Hands off my car!

V

4AThi--? Wha--? N-no! It's my car!

Lana

4ANo! Why would you leave it rusting in a yard?!

V

5A'Cause it broke down and I--

Lana

5AAnd you abandoned it and now, outta nowhere, you remembered you'd left it? Likely story.

V

5BNot your biz.

Lana

5BNot my biz?!

4AThis last week, I've put in sweat, smarts... anything to get this heap running!

V

6AAll in all… did a pretty good job. Here I thought the car was done for, gone, but… ehh.

Lana

6AMust not've wanted it… cared as much as I do.

6AI need this car. To leave the city. Leave it and never come back.

V

6BTook a week? Pff. Piss poor mechanic, then. I'da brought it back to life in a day if I'd set my heart on it.

Lana

6BBut you didn't. Missed your chance, now.

V

6BDon't get it, do you. Car's a sacred thing to a nomad. You tinkering with it? It's like you dug up one of my loved one's graves.

Lana

6BFuck your philosophy of life. I don't care. You're not gettin' the car back. It's that simple!

V

6BWhy's that?

Lana

6B'Cause... 'cause it's my ticket outta this fuckin' city. My only way out.

V

6CShoulda started with the step motor. Woulda been quicker.

Lana

6CSays who? And why?

V

6CCause it's iffy, starts stickin'. But clear the carbon deposits and it starts runnin' like new again.

Lana

6CFuuuck… I replaced the entire throttle…

V

6CAh, see? Takes the owner to really know a set of wheels.

Lana

6CFormer owner. Car's mine now. Soon as I'm done doin' the basic fixes, I am leavin' this fuckin' city in a cloud of exhaust.

V

7AI'll buy this car off you. Pay you enough so you can get another.

Lana

7ABut... i-t's a wreck…

V

7AMhm. My damn wreck. C'mon, take the cash before I change my mind.

Lana

7AJeez... thanks... Not sure what to say.

V

7ASo give it a think… while I take this baby for a ride.

7CTiming chain's about rusted through.

Lana

7CSo?

V

7CYou'll wanna replace it, else it's liable to snap if you open her up even a bit, take her over thirty.

Lana

7CHold on, hold on… Mean to say I can have her?

V

7CMean to say ya can. Wouldn't have a use for her here anyway. Not your typical urban vehicle.

7CRoads rise to meet you, clever girl.

Lana

7CJeez... thanks... Not sure what to say.

Johnny

7CWell, well... This nomad planted roots? Could it be?

V

7CDunno. Hard to ruminate on that when you got a fuckin' time-bomb lodged in your head.

Johnny

7CIf it's any consolation, fuckin' time-bomb feels shitty about it, too.

V

7CI know, Johnny. C'mon, let's ghost. This place makes my skin crawl.

7DSeem desperate. Why you wanna leave?

Lana

7DNo way you'd understand if you have to ask.

V

7DC'mon, try me, tell me.

Lana

7DTell you what, dammit? Look around you. Dirt, rot, shit and scum…

7DI don't wanna live here. Not now.

V

1AFenders and trunk eaten away by rust... rest of the body's still holdin' up. Wonder what's under the hood...