"No, I don't really get out much."
"You don't say?" he teased, heading out of town. She appreciated that he was trying to lighten her mood. "Then, this is going to be a real culture shock for you." He laughed and hit the gas going at least ten miles over the speed limit. His driving wasn't unlike her own, but it had a whole different purpose behind it. Clarke sat back against her seat and relaxed into blank thoughts as Vince turned the radio back up, singing along to every song. She even found herself quietly humming to a few on the way, but not loud enough that he could hear.
Soon, they exited the highway and approached the "Welcome to Tuckahoe" sign. She watched out her window as the historic downtown area approached. It was booming with traffic on foot and in cars. There were people blocking parts of the street, and she could hear music playing over speakers that must be mounted outside the bars and shops that lined the area. Vince pulled up into an empty lot where cars were randomly parked everywhere with no clear parking spots and helped her out of the car. He walked with her up to the main street still lined with bricks from when the original town was built. She looked around to see people in shorts and cowboy boots or jeans and western shirts with cowboy hats. She suddenly felt very overdressed.
"I don't think we're dressed for the occasion, Vince," she commented loudly as they walked underneath a speaker playing a Garth Brooks song. Country had always been a strong culture in Virginia, but she had never really taken part. She was more of a hip hop and pop kind of girl. But there was a certain charm to the simplicity of everything.
"You look great, so why do you care?" Vince asked, leading her into a shop at the end of the block. He opened the door for her, and she looked at him for a second, contemplating what he said. He was right; they weren't at some high society party. It didn't matter what she was wearing as long as she felt good.
Clarke stepped into the door and instantly smelled alcohol; specifically beer. It was a small local brewery, and there were a few people hanging around inside trying various types of beer. Vince went up to the man at the counter and paid for a couple of glasses with the business name on it; "Virgil's Brewery". Vince passed her a glass. "Help yourself to whatever beer you want to try. The amber is over there to the left, the lagers are to the right and the ales are behind us."