ALAN AND TARA'S DAY IN THE CITY

Chapter Five

After riding the bus out to the airport, they located a Hertz near it.

"So, are we gonna get a sweet ride to cruise around Detroit in?" Alan asked Tara as they went inside.

"Yeah, get a Camaro like we saw in the GM building."

"Camaro it is," he said.

They walked inside and a man smiled at them as he stood behind the counter.

"Good day, can I help you?" he said.

"You most certainly can. We need a car for the day."

"Certainly, Sir, any particular car you had in mind?"

Alan glanced at Tara.

"Got any Camaros?" he said hopefully.

"We have one, Sir."

"Brilliant, we'll take the Camaro then," Alan said as Tara pumped her fist and said, "Yes!"

Alan filled out some paperwork while Tara watched him. Alan eyed her when she got too close.

"Thinking of learning how to do this so you can swan off with cars whenever you feel like it?" he said to her.

"You know it."

She giggled when Alan briefly tickled her before going back to his paperwork. Once he was finished, the man handed him his paperwork and the key and pointed out where the Camaro was. They thanked him and went out the door to the parking lot. They searched around and then found it. It was candy apple red with a black racing stripe down the hood. Alan grinned from ear to ear as they approached.

"Oh yes….yes…oooh….HELL TO THE FUCK TO THE YEAH!" he said while Tara giggled.

"Om…you just cuuuuuussed!" she said.

"Oh, like you don't," Alan said while she giggled.

He ran his hand along the hood.

"Oh yeah, I'm gonna enjoy this baby!" he said as he opened the passenger side door.

Tara followed him and started to get in but Alan beat her to the punch and sat down. Tara stared at him for a moment and then grinned as she ran around the other side.

"Cool! I get to drive!" she said, heading for the driver's side door.

She opened the door and got inside. She looked over at Alan and noticed the befuddled look on his face.

"Uncle Alan, what's wrong?"

She stared at him as he scratched his head and looked around.

"What?" she said.

His eyes settled on the steering wheel and he did an exaggerated double take.

"What? What the hell is the steering wheel doing over there?" he said as Tara giggled. "What kind of car is this? It's all backwards!"

"No, it's not, you're in America," Tara said.

Alan feigned confusion.

"Am I?" he murmured as Tara snorted out laugher. "Am I in America? I thought I was on Q-tip Nine. Fascinating."

"Can I drive then since you're confused?"

"NOPE! You're not old enough!" he said, getting out.

"I can fly the TARDIS!"

Alan leaned his head back in.

"Oh, right, just barely. I've seen your so-called flying skills. Now out! Scoot, skedaddle before I kick you in your saddle!"

"What?" she said as he sniggered.

"You heard me, Shorty! Time to vacate the seat and move your feet!"

"I don't wanna, nerd, you big fat turd!" Tara shot back.

She laughed when Alan gave her a long, hard stare.

"Right, I must resort to drastic measures then," he said, taking his head out of the car and standing up.

Tara giggled as he walked around the front, staring at her intently through the windshield while he did. He came around to the open driver's seat, leaned in and put his nose against her cheek. Tara laughed as he breathed heavily on it.

"No, I wanna drive!" she said.

"I believe I'm your elder, Tara Firma!"

"Nuh-uh, You're two and I'm thirteen! I'm YOUR elder."

"Nevertheless, they go by appearances and I look older. Now out before I have to grab you, pick you up, carry you to the boot and throw your tiny bum in. Out, out, out, out, out, out, out, out…"

"Okay, okay!" she said, swinging her legs out the door.

Alan stepped aside, let her pass and then got in. He watched while Tara hurried around the car and got inside. The moment she got in, they both slammed their doors and Alan put the key in the ignition switch and turned on the car.

"Oh yeah, listen to this little baby purr!" he said to Tara. "This is Suh-weeeeeetah!"

Tara laughed as he made an exaggerated show of checking everything before putting his hands on the steering wheel.

"Get your motor running!" he sang as he bounced up and down in his seat. "Get out on the highway! Lookin' for adventure and whatever comes our way!"

He looked at Tara.

"Take it, little companion!" he yelled.

Tara stared at him while he waited in anticipation.

"You want me to keep singing?"

"Indeedly!"

"I don't know the song."

"You don't know Born to Be Wild by Steppenwolf?"

"No."

Tara giggled as Alan looked at her with shock.

"You have lived a very sheltered life, Tara Firma."

"Don't I know it," she said.

"Just…sing what you think is the next part of the song then while I back us out of here," Alan said, putting it into reverse.

"Okay, um…we're gonna get in a car and drive real far. Gonna cruise the streets and then sleep under bed sheets."

She giggled when Alan stopped the car and gave her an odd look.

"I said, I didn't know it, you dork!" she said.

"There it goes; your eyes are crossing again."

"Oh, be quiet!"

"NO! I WANNA YEEEEEEEEEEEEELL!"

He put the car into drive and chuckled evilly as he gave her a maniacal look.

"Now, the real fun begins!" he said in a sinister voice.

He chuckled when Tara quickly put on her seatbelt.

"Oi, no safety belts for you, Missy! You need to live life on the edge!"

"No, thank you, I just want to live life, period!" she said.

"Aw, you're no fun! So, where shall we take this fine little motor?"

"Let's go get something to eat!"

Alan considered that for a moment.

"Why not? After all, we have a car, don't we? Let's go through a drive through and show it off, what d'ya say?"

"Yeah!" Tara replied.

"Very well then," he said as he turned the car and straightened it out. "To lunch we go and then…on to fun!"

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