some dialogue

"You're so quiet, Toby!" Vanessa said, slapping him on the shoulder.  "You're not a noob, though, I know.  You have extensive experience."  She gave him a wink.

"Barf, get a room," I murmured.

Toby shot me a glare but Vanessa just ignored my comment, instead continuing with her interrogation.  "What was your most memorable experience?"

"When I was in the Peace Corps in Paraguay, I became friends with a young woman from the village where I worked.  She was really sharp, came up with all these schemes to con people out of money.  It was a game for her, she didn't need the money much.  Then one day I caught her in the act.  She was so ashamed and begged me not to turn her in, tried to bribe me even, promised that it was the last time she'd do such a thing.  So naturally we came to an agreement that a spanking would be adequate punishment instead of sending her to the village elders.  

"We went back to my place and I scolded her, in English because my Spanish is muy mal.  I made her lean over the back of the couch, dress up, panties down.  The scene was as formal as possible, that's what would've been most effective for her, and I used a traditional South American implement — the rebenque, which is a leather strap."

Vanessa's mouth dropped.  "Whaaat really?  This doesn't sound believable!" 

Toby just nodded.  "I know.  Even I don't believe it sometimes."

But it was true — I'd heard the story from him years ago during a night of drunken confessions, but it had been in a different tone, and it ended with him telling me that along with the spanking, he also accepted the money bribe, which made him feel so dirty that after a wild weekend in the city, he ended up donating the rest to a village charity.  

Instead of wasting her time asking me, Vanessa turned to Molly.  "What about you?  Any crazy stories?"

"Hmmm..."  She tapped her lips with the tip of her finger, pondering for a second before looking back at me.  "The time that stands out in my mind was with Gabe."

Shaking my head I murmured, "Oh geez, I know what you're gonna say." 

"I was with a friend at a bar, doing drugs and gambling."  Now everyone glanced at me, assuming I was the friend, before urging Molly to continue.  "A fight broke out, someone called the cops, and I couldn't find my friend, who was underage at the time and I knew it.  I was so young, too, like recently turned 21.  I called Gabe crying so he came immediately in a panic.  My friend was in handcuffs and I was crying too much to talk to the cops, so was very relieved when he came and dealt with it for me.  But it was the most awkward ride home.  And then the next day when I saw him, he gave me the hardest spanking and paddling of my life."

He also told her to cut off said underage friend because of her bad influence.  It's funny the details people leave out.

"Damnnn!  You're wild girl!"  The giggle pierced my eardrums again and I sighed, rolling my eyes.

"How much longer til we're there?" I shouted, ready to get some steam off.

Izaak glanced at the GPS then back at me.  "Still another half hour."

So I plugged my ears with music.