A Way West

by Peter Westaway

  Chapter Twenty-One

  He awakes the next morning. He’s not hung over though. He’s still a little drunk. Beer never does that, the hard stuff usually does, if you drink enough of it anyway. Jeff lies in his sleeping bag. Correction, one leg is in the bag, the rest of his body is on the plastic floor of the tent beside the sleeping bag. He straightens the bag out and stretches out on top of it. He can hear the crackle of a fire nearby and the clanging of some dishes. He then hears the laughter of some campers. The campground is starting another summer’s day. It’s a pleasant little buzz he’s got going. So he is almost in a good mood.

  Unfortunately, it accompanies a very empty grumbling stomach. He’s hungry and he has nothing to eat. At least he’s pretty sure there are no chips or chocolate bar left. He tries to remember if he has any booze left. Nope. He vaguely remembers pouring out the rest of it on the fire. The only other time he had ever seen booze poured on a fire like that was when he was a Boy Scout on a big group camping trip and one of the Scout leaders poured the rest of his liquor onto the fire to impress his young troops before breakfast. Back to the task at hand, it is the last day of his epic journey. It should have been the most exciting day. But instead of course it is the very worst. Oh well, he’ll get to Tom’s place and take it from there.

  He wonders how long it will take Monica to get back to Ottawa. Maybe he’ll write her a long letter. Maybe he won’t. All he knows is right now he wants to eat. Better get packed and hit the road. Thankfully there is a promising looking restaurant less than a mile after he leaves the campground. He orders steak and eggs. He figures he deserves to treat himself. The waitress serving him is a super cute little blonde. Jeff wonders if she is flirting with him or is just treating him the same way she treats all her paying customers. He can never tell the difference. Hell, does any guy ever understand any girl? Probably not.

  He sips his coffee trying not to be too obvious as he checks out her sweet ass while she is leaning over the table across from him to clear some dishes. Ya he’ll survive. There’s plenty of fish in the sea as they say. But... unfortunately his buzz is fading fast and he’s starting to feel sorry for himself again. Damn! Why do emotions always get in the way? Wendy (according to her name tag) flashes her friendly smile at him as she tells him to enjoy his food as she drops the plate in front of him. Sure he’s interested in Wendy (her sweet ass anyway) but right now he’s much more interested in the steaming steak and eggs. He digs in. Damn it’s going down good.

  Wendy refills his coffee with another one of those friendly smiles. Or is it a flirtatious one? What the hell’s the difference? Oh well, no sense worrying about that right now. It is another beautiful day out. Jeff see’s from the clock on the wall that it is ten a.m.. He figures it shouldn’t take him more than another four hours to get to Tom’s place. He knows Tom won’t mind that he’s a day or two late, but he hopes he’s not too upset. He’s only getting one worker in the deal. He can probably hire a local person if he has to. Jeff finishes every morsel on his plate. He drains his coffee. He heads to the cash register where Wendy is just saying bye and have a terrific day to an elderly couple. Jeff hands her fifteen dollars. She rings it in the cash and hands him his change. Jeff says, “No you keep the change, you gave great service to go with the great food.”

  She beams a bright smile, “Well thank you that is so kind. You have yourself a terrific day.”

  Jeff smiles as warmly as he’s capable, “Ya thanks, you too!” He heads to the door carrying his helmet. He hits the highway with very mixed feelings. He feels good, a little light headed but has a full and settled stomach. It’s so cool to be riding in the mountains and be almost back in Canada. But he’s still in an almost complete state of shock that he has lost his passenger. It sure is nice though to be finally off the big highways. Motorcycles are meant to be leaned into high speed curves, not just pointed straight and fighting off the urge to fall asleep from the monotony. It will be so cool to be touring all over British Columbia on his days off for the rest of the summer. If only his baby was going to be doing it with him. Ahhh fuck fuck fuck.

  The Canadian border is right in front of him finally. Well he sure had an interesting week of adventure in the big old United States of America. He made a couple of real nice friends in Pete and Issy. And he lost his damn girlfriend. He pulls up to the waiting Canadian border guard. This guard was short with glasses and a real serious look on his face. Showing him his passport Jeff says, “It sure is nice to be getting back to Canada where I belong.”

  The guard doesn’t even attempt a smile. He looks over Jeff, then his bike very suspiciously. “Are you bringing back anything to declare?”

  “No sir, not one thing.”

  The guard looks like he doesn’t believe him, but hands the passport back, “Very good, have a nice day.”

  Jeff puts his helmet on, kicks it in gear, pops the clutch, and enters British Columbia. He says out loud to the wind, “Ya, you too asshole!” Jeff feels a sudden sense of elation. He did it! He’s in British Columbia. As far as he’s concerned he just may never leave.

  He’s felt it was his destiny now for years, ever since he first fell in love with the Gatineau Hills outside of Ottawa. He had then looked in awe to the real mountains of Canada. And he’s finally here! Ya! To hell with Monica. He wants a girl that wants him. And if she thinks she can do better, well Fuck Her! He’ll show her, he’ll become rich and famous and have a totally bodacious babe for a wife.

  Jeff looks up again at the towering mountain peaks for the millionth time. He smiles sadly and says to himself. Ya right! If only it were that easy. Who does he think he’s kidding? He’s totally crazy about Monica. She’s the only babe he ever wants.

  Our journey is almost done. It began with Jeff, so it must end with Jeff.

  His confusion and depression of the last twenty-four hours is beginning to lift. This time when he looks up at the surrounding peaks he notices a hawk is hovering high above. Or is it an eagle? He has no idea. He wants to know. There is so much that Jeff wants to learn. He is getting this strong sensation that he has finally come home. This is where he belongs, amongst the mountains and the forests. He cannot believe how beautiful the forest is.

  As the highway winds its way through the surrounding trees and mountains Jeff’s mind goes back to the start of this life changing journey that began only one week ago. He remembers the feeling of intense exultation as they were first leaving Ottawa. He just knew from there that he had set a course that he was never going back on. Ah but that sure wasn’t how his partner felt. No, Monica had been unsure of things right from the beginning. It just goes to show that you can only control yourself. No matter how close you feel to the next person they will always have their own mind to make up.

  But after that first little hiccup at the phone booth on that first morning things started to really gel. That first dinner they had, then making love in the tent after. The feeling of ecstasy and freedom he had that first night was unbelievable. If only he could maintain that feeling forever. But of course he can’t. Life is supposed to be full of ups and downs. If you were never down you would never have any appreciation for when you’re up. Jeff then thinks about his emotions going through Sault Ste. Marie, the birthplace of his father. He glances to the sky above. He wonders if his dad is up there looking down on him, sharing this moment with him. No probably not, but it’s a nice thought nonetheless. Then it was the apprehension of entering the States. The bit of fear he had turned out to be unwarranted. The States welcomed them both with open arms. Thanks mostly of course to Pete and Issy.

  He didn’t get their contact info in Seattle but he knows Monica has it. He’s for sure going to give them a call. Sure, it was Pete’s weed that got him in trouble but he only has himself to blame. Besides for Monica, he had no real close friends. That was the same with Pete, he’s pretty sure. Close friends are really hard to find, one’s worth keeping anyway. And Jeff decided he wanted to keep them. Yep he’s goi
ng to visit Seattle real soon.

  Then there’s Monica. He’ll never forget how scared the poor girl was when she got that speeding ticket. He laughs at that one. Then there was Pete acting like the hero trying to rescue them, only to get shit by the trooper. He laughs again. What about the horses and buffalo. He bets that was the highlight of the trip for his baby. Thank God there is still such natural beauty in the world. How could any zoo ever replicate that scene, or experience? He just knows the four of them will remember that glorious day for the rest of their lives.

  And then there is this idea of the world changing charity that they were talking about starting. Jeff clenches his teeth in determination. That just might have been the main purpose of this trip. To bring together the four people who are going to change this world. Not so much change it, as preserve it. Jeff just knows it will all be destroyed if things continue along this path of reckless growth and consumption. Hell, everyone knows that, how could they not? That of course make him think of the emotions that he had in the battlefield at The Little Bighorn. How is it possible that this amazing thing called the human race can still be so intent on destroying each other? Can they not see that there can only be one conclusion if that mentality doesn’t stop? How can we be so smart, yet so stupid, or dumbasses as Issy would say. Damn she is as sensible as she is gorgeous. And Monica is right that we would be taking most, if not all the amazing and innocent animals with us. That brings him back to Monica.

  Monica. She is the most incredible and beautiful person he has ever even heard of. Not physical beauty, sure she’s gorgeous. But there’s lots of gorgeous girls out there. Even some more gorgeous than her, though don’t tell her he said that. He smiles again. Yes he’s totally infatuated with her. What a dummy for letting her down. Poor girl, she must be so sad heading home on that bus all alone. She’s probably crying right this minute.

  That decides it then. He has no choice but to win her back. They belong together and they are going to be together. It’s her birthday today, he keeps forgetting that. Shit! Poor girl is spending her eighteenth birthday on the bus alone. He’s going to make all of this up to her eventually. He just has to figure out how. He crosses a bridge over a small river. My God this place is beautiful! No wonder that is the province’s slogan, Beautiful British Columbia. He just knows he can convince Monica to come back here. She belongs in the mountains and the wilderness even more than he does.

  Jeff passes a sign that says Penticton 35 Kilometers Kelowna 45 Kilometers. It is the most beautiful sign he has ever seen. It was at this very moment that something quite wonderful happens. Jeff has a revelation that will change his life forever. It is very simple yet extremely powerful. Dreams Do Come True Ever since he was ten years old and started really thinking about his place on this Planet Earth Jeff has told himself over and over again that absolutely anything is possible. Now as an adult he finally understands what that means.

  It had been his dream for many years to come here to British Columbia, and for the past year he has been obsessed about it. Now he’s finally here and he just knows this is where he is meant to be. Sure, Monica isn’t with him, but that was all his own fault. He had full control of that and he blew it. He knows she belongs with him here and he knows that she will come back to him. Nothing can stop him from getting what he wants. As long as he works towards it, and more importantly, is smart about it, there is nothing he cannot do. Nothing he cannot achieve.

  Monica made it easy for him. If he gives up drugs he can have her, simple as that. But there is much more than that he can also have. Along with dreams, he believes in fate. And it was definitely fate that brought them together with Pete and Issy. Jeff just knows that the four of them will accomplish amazing things. The dream Pete was talking about of them ultimately achieving world peace sounds preposterous and juvenile. Yet why not? If they want it bad enough, work hard towards it, and are SMART about it, then it CAN happen. All they have to do is inspire more and more and MORE people to feel the same way and it WILL happen.

  The highway climbs up the side of a mountain. He comes up and over the mountain pass and is suddenly greeted by the sight of his destination.

  And it is a glorious sight!

  Stretched out below him is the most beautiful valley there could ever be. Between two straight lines of high mountain peaks is an oasis of green. He descends toward this lush strip of farm land thinking that this must be what people mean when they think of Paradise, Shangri-La, or Heaven. How else could he describe it?

  He passes the town of Penticton and goes along the shore of Lake Okanagan. He smiles as he thinks about Monica’s friend Christine wanting to find the mythical Ogo Pogo. Okay some dreams are not meant to be realized. He laughs at his joke. Turning onto Tom’s road his excitement level increases. By the time he finds the mail box with Tom’s address on it he wants to pee his pants with joy. Instead he yells into his helmet, “Ya Motherfucker You Did It!”

  Driving up the dirt lane past the rows of apple trees Jeff thinks of a man who recently died. He also had a dream to change the world. Steve Jobs used his experience at a commune in an apple orchard as the inspiration behind the name of his little computer company. Jeff pulls up in front of the small two story house and shuts the bike off with a flourish. He gets off and removes his helmet. Just then he notices Tom coming around the side of the house.

  “Jeff you’re finally here lad! It’s good to see you.” Tom wipes his hand on his jeans and sticks it out.

  Jeff takes the hand and gives it a hardy shake, “Hey Tom! Sorry I’m late; I love the looks of this place.”

  Tom smiles, “Uh, where’s Monica? What happened?”

  Jeff indicates Monica’s empty helmet hanging off the side of the bike, “Well she decided to head back to Ottawa...” He wasn’t sure what else to say.

  Tom keeps smiling, pats Jeff on the back and points to the shack a hundred feet past the house, “Well that’s okay. Why don’t you go check out your new home and unpack a bit and meet me back here in a half hour. I’ll make us some lunch and you can tell me all about it.”

  “That sounds great!” Jeff puts the helmet back on, but doesn’t do up the strap for the short drive to the shack.

  Walking up to the front door he is looking at a little motorcycle sitting beside it. He bends down for a closer look. It’s about eight inches high and fourteen inches long, and it’s practically a replica of his bike. The black plastic gas tank even has Yamaha written on the side. It doesn’t have the luggage rack and it has two exhaust pipes instead of one but Jeff is amazed that otherwise it is an uncanny resemblance of his bike.

  Shaking his head in wonder he opens the door.

  Jeff is startled to see what looks like a female leaning over the bed. She straightens up and looks at him with a huge smile on her face. She immediately runs to him. And into his arms. He’s in shock once again as he embraces her. He has a ton to say, yet none to say. So he just squeezes her tight.

  Monica lifts her head from his shoulder with tears streaming down her cheeks. “Hi Jeff did I surprise you?”

  Jeff steps back to look at her, “But how?”

  She pulls him to the bed and gets him to sit beside her, “Well I changed my mind and caught a bus here instead. Do you like the little bike outside that I got for you?”

  “You got that?”

  “Ya I was in Butte. I was about to buy my ticket back to Ottawa but first went shopping for a couple of souvenirs. I went to the back of the store and there it was. There were plastic car models in boxes, and kites hanging from the ceiling, but sitting right on the back counter in the middle was your bike.” Jeff was silent holding her hands looking with amazement at his dream girl. She continues, “Right then I knew it was a sign. A sign that I could not ignore. I belong with you Jeff, I love you so much.” Jeff can only stare, but his mind is happily racing. So she continues some more, “So I bought it of course. And I lucked out on the buses. I caught one to Spokane and was able to catch one
from there at about midnight that came right here to Kelowna. I phoned your cousin this morning and he came and got me, and here I am.”

  Jeff snaps out of it, “My God I love you!” He then gives her the longest and sweetest kiss that either of them could ever remember.

  Monica bounces up and down on her bum on the bed, “And guess what? I just got off the phone with Issy and they found Pete’s car. It’s banged up a little from a fender bender or something, but it’s going to be fine. And it even sounds like most of their stuff is still in the trunk. The lesbians are missing but who cares? Isn’t that great?”

  Jeff has a smile frozen on his face, “That is good news.” They enjoy another kiss. Jeff touches her chin softly with his fingers, “Monica?”

  “Yes Jeff?”

  “Happy Birthday Baby.”

  THE END

  Dear Reader, If you have read my book and enjoyed it I would be happy to hear from you. I am now writing the second novel with these same four main characters. I hope to make it an ongoing series and with some encouragement from yourself it has a better chance of happening. If you would like to email me at "peterscott3000@yahoo.ca" I would be happy to send you an excerpt of the upcoming novel. Thanks, Peter Westaway