His slow concentrated crawl seemed to attract the attention of a woman who, at the lights, indicated to him that she would like a ride. Having felt his soul float away, so now more convinced of his lack of moral compass, he paid attention; she looked drunk, drugged, just out of it on some substance, he decided no, then she walked to his car and tried the door. That thing that happens to those sensing the adventure happened, he unlocked the door and she climbed in.

‘Just down Sunset if you can. If you would. Thanks. Do you mind if I smoke?’

He had said nothing. And was not going to object to her smoking; you don’t pick up a girl and then impose the moral etiquette of no smoking.

‘Fine.’

He muttered.

‘How far you going?’

He thought of a cross street.

‘Highland.’

‘Thanks guy, I’m Mari.’

‘Hi.’

He said, not offering a name.

‘Do you want me to blow you for the ride, and maybe a few bucks?’

He gave this serious consideration.

At the next lights he looked at her long and hard. Why not being his first thought.

The roots had been growing out so long they could no longer be called roots. She was about thirty-five. User of something hard. Smelt of perfume, strongly. Wore leggings. Tight top, small breasts, all covered with a fake leopard-print coat. Thin face, not unappealing, not much make-up. Teeth, there at least, if not pearly. Eyes – dark. Ethnicity – Caucasian. He could see no reason why not.

‘Sure, how much?’

‘Twenty, take me to Cahuenga and you can fuck me if you want. Another twenty.’

Oh Christ it was getting worse.

‘No, a blow job is fine.’

‘OK, when we get to Cahuenga.’

‘Sure. OK.’

They continued with her talking about her music, how her boyfriend was not supporting her and that she couldn’t get any gigs anymore. She rounded off,

‘Life is going pretty good otherwise though, you know, nothing to complain about.’

My God, thought Ever, how positive is that. Sitting in a car offering to blow a stranger. And life was pretty good. It’s strange how strangers can get down to something as basic as sex without any circumnavigation when they want to. Yet in a relationship it becomes a major issue. They had reached Cahuenga.

‘Just pull down the street. Take a right.’

‘OK.’

‘Got the twenty?’

‘Sure.’

She went to unzip his pants and leant over to grab his cock. He wasn’t sure if he was going to get hard, already feeling there wasn’t too much that was sexy about this.

Then she vomited all over his lap.

Christ.

That was one thing that he could not cope with.

Vomit.

He thought of Clarissa and how he could never deal with Jacob being sick. It made him feel embarrassed at this predicament. As if they could see him. He grabbed the keys from the car and leapt out, screaming.