Ladies of The Trees

“Hurry along Ladies,” Leo, the forty-five year old bus driver intoned in his most patient voice.  Leo had been driving these buses for years. He called them the “squirrel runs.”  This is definitely gonna be my last year, he told himself, as he watched an honest to god hippie climb the steps of his bus.  My god, look at the ass on her.....hope the wheels stay on the ground!

            Betty gave him a wink as she stepped daintily onto the first step. Her high heels made of different color straps matched the bold flowers of her orange, yellow and pink blouse.  “How’s it going,” she asked Leo in her most provocative tone, pausing mid stride for a response. “My name’s Bette by the way, you know....like Bette Midler.”

             Leo loved these flirty women, they at least made the trips tolerable.

“Just dandy, Bette, just dandy!” he winked back, noting the old broad still had a decent shape.

              “Oh for heaven’s sake!” Thelma complained loudly.  “BETTY! Would you just keep moving....you’re holding up the line...Betty! She nudged her sister in the backside with her  sturdy black leather purse. Thelma took great delight in bursting Betty‘s flirty bubble. “For God’s sake do you have to flirt with everything in pants?”         

            “Oh put it on the list!” replied Betty over her shoulder, taking even more time to enter the bus.

            Harriet, standing behind Thelma had to laugh, but covered her mouth so as not to be too obvious.  She found the sisters hilarious in their differences and made it point to be within earshot of the two when they were together.  Of course the two were never at the same table when they played poker, none of the ladies allowed it.  It was too distracting and nerve wracking.

            So Harriet was surprised when she noted the two were sitting together.  She found a seat directly behind them, next to Bobby, who was rolling her eyes in the sister’s general direction.