GrayMatter
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- Jan 19, 2014
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On to point #3…M&M gas station. It is very close to "downtown" Courtland which is a railroad , a church, a fire station, a defunct car wash, an abandoned wood church. You cannot really call it a town! As headed east out of Courtland and turned North onto hwy 51. The gas station was literally a minute away. The main gas station was well lit, the empty buildings to the south were not lit, nor was the gravel parking area located on the north side of the station. I walked my dog and observed the area, thankfully she took a while to do her business. The store was a remnant of an old station back when 51 was a main road. It had grills across all the windows and doors, the windows were a greasy yellow, and inside smelled thickly of deep frying food. Business was steady and increased the whole time I was there. I arrived around 5:40-left at about 6:15 (tried to be there at a similar social hour as JC was). At first, I was a little nervous being alone at this station considering my background knowledge, especially since my husband went to pick up my daughters from Notre Dame and then on to Michigan and I didn't tell him about this adventure I was planning. He thinks I went to go look around at property at Lake Arkebutla-I didn't want to have him worrying about me.
People were generally courteous and it also seemed like they were curious. "Who is the tall white woman with the long hair and long legs and driving a big black Suburban?" I am sure that most suspected I was there about the JC case in some manner or another. I got many looks, nods and hellos from the men. The women had different responses than the men, they were polite but not nearly as friendly. Almost every customer was African American, I only remember two white guys. Everyone was generally 20's to 40's range; only one child (2 years next week) came accompanying his mom. He was excited for Santa to come. Interest in the child relaxed everyone toward me. Soon some banter struck up. I had one man kept talking to me, I couldn't understand a word he said…I tried to be as polite as I could. Anyway many of these men came in and hung around kept asking for this and that , looking at things while I talked with AA. I avoided talk of Jessica mostly, partly because there were too many ears.<modsnip> The men all laughed, sorry I'm a terrible flirt, but it can have advantages as the men were now finding me approachable and conversation got better.
Inside there is not a lot of room at the register area and everyone gets clumped up together and the other customers either have to be polite and try not to be in your business or they are looking right at you…I'm sure tonight they were looking at my legs. Let's just say, I used them to my advantage and it was planned ahead of time. Anyway whether the men were interested in my legs or the conversation most of them stayed near the register for 20 or more minutes while I talked to AA just a little further past the register. There were others hanging around outside, cars were at the pumps to the north of the door I only saw one car in the dark part of the gravel lot.
Next bit after a quick break…conversation with AA.
People were generally courteous and it also seemed like they were curious. "Who is the tall white woman with the long hair and long legs and driving a big black Suburban?" I am sure that most suspected I was there about the JC case in some manner or another. I got many looks, nods and hellos from the men. The women had different responses than the men, they were polite but not nearly as friendly. Almost every customer was African American, I only remember two white guys. Everyone was generally 20's to 40's range; only one child (2 years next week) came accompanying his mom. He was excited for Santa to come. Interest in the child relaxed everyone toward me. Soon some banter struck up. I had one man kept talking to me, I couldn't understand a word he said…I tried to be as polite as I could. Anyway many of these men came in and hung around kept asking for this and that , looking at things while I talked with AA. I avoided talk of Jessica mostly, partly because there were too many ears.<modsnip> The men all laughed, sorry I'm a terrible flirt, but it can have advantages as the men were now finding me approachable and conversation got better.
Inside there is not a lot of room at the register area and everyone gets clumped up together and the other customers either have to be polite and try not to be in your business or they are looking right at you…I'm sure tonight they were looking at my legs. Let's just say, I used them to my advantage and it was planned ahead of time. Anyway whether the men were interested in my legs or the conversation most of them stayed near the register for 20 or more minutes while I talked to AA just a little further past the register. There were others hanging around outside, cars were at the pumps to the north of the door I only saw one car in the dark part of the gravel lot.
Next bit after a quick break…conversation with AA.
lol
