Reality set in as he realized it was a nightmare. This was the first time he experienced a nightmare since he hit the road. Why now, he thought as he struggled to climb back into bed. Laying there he wondered what time it was. He remembered a clock above the work bench and he slipped on some slippers he found in the closet making his way to the work bench. The clock was electrical and not battery to his luck. The time said a little after five am, but it was still dark outside. He debated going back to bed or, as he search his mind, what to do now? Well I could sweep the garage out he thought. He turned the lights on and saw Sue bathed in white light without shadows. Ron glanced at the floor in front of the statue and saw residual spots of last night’s ejaculation. That was reason enough to sweep the floor until he realized she couldn’t see it anyway. He smiled to no one and made his way to the little room to dress for work.
Upon better inspection of her father’s clothes he found some shoes that looked like they might fit his size eight. They looked almost new and the inside said “Redwing” a brand he recognized as shoes for the work man. His father, semi-retired, was a wood worker in his three cars garage and swore by that brand for standing on cement all day long.
First thing was taking a shower, another shave and brush his teeth. His hair combed and put up in a pony tail he went looking to see how to raise the garage door. He found it locked with a chain and padlock on both sides of the roll up door. Ron looked around for a key and finally found it hanging next to the light switch. Two minutes later he had the garage door up making a lot of noise in the process. He looked around at the neighbors and drank in the fresh warm fall air. No stars were visible and he thought right that a cloud cover lurked overhead. Never mind he thought as he went to find the broom. Broom in hand he went to work. By the time he worked back to front he had the knack of broom use. After locating a dust pan he didn’t know where the garbage can was. I will find it later he thought and went to work cleaning the bench.
Starring at the bench he had not a clue how to clean a bench. Furthermore he was continually distracted by her presence growing more beautiful by the minute. He’d closed the garage door, but first glancing to see if there was any sign of her moving around. All was quiet as his heart rate fell back to normal. My God, he thought am I falling for this lady? Maybe it is pity that I feel, but once again he felt the old street Ron telling him that no it wasn’t pity as she had more than enough creature comforts to feel sorry for her and her handicap really didn’t seem to get in her way. He glanced up at the clock and now it was after six am and a dawn was breaking far to the east. He found a rag and wiped down the bench and restacked the magazines after he wiped them off looking at the cover of each one. Not one rang a bell in his head. Art was as foreign to him as snow to a camel. That job finished he decided to see what other works of art her father was working on before he left the garage. Against the opposite wall, on shelves stood many different works in progress of various shapes and designs he had not a clue about. He took his rag out of his back pocket and wiped each one of them discovering while he removed the dust curved lines seemed to attract him to wonder how and why someone would make such things. Yes, it felt good to the touch as last night brought a red face to Ron thinking about what he did in front of Sue. So close yet so far and the real one just a few yards away probably sleep peacefully dreaming in three D with color.
After that job, light was now starting to show through the glass door of the garage, he decided to look around outside and see what the neighbors were doing on a Saturday morning, if anything. Ron walked to the front of the house and sat on the steps looking east at the growing light, but clouds were hanging where Mt. Rainier should be.
Ron noticed he’d been sweating a little and now the cold was seeping into his shoulders and arms. All the neighbors were silent and only an occasional car went by. Ron grinned and thought the few cars contained early morning golfers struggling around the country club ready to indulge in the nineteenth hole sucking down beers or in Ron’s case vodka martinis.
His thoughts were disturbed by Amy nosing her way between his legs saying good morning and the tap - tap of Sue’s cane followed in the heels of Amy. Ron realized he would soon get used to cane tapping if he hung around very long. He was having doubts of the relationship, but soon warmed to other thoughts as he noticed her smiling face without sunglasses on. She said standing off to the side of him, “Good morning and did you have a nice sleep?”
“Indeed I did. And I woke up early and tried to run the broom around the garage, but the broom had a mind of its own,” he said with a chuckle that surprised even him.
She laughed and said, “If you’d like I have fresh coffee made and some toast.”
Ron realized he was a little hungry and the sounds and smell of coffee made his mouth water as he stood up looked at her for the first time since last night. She was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt that had Stanford written on the front of it. The blood red color of her sweatshirt contrasted her long blonde hair that fell to her shoulders. If the sun had been shinning, which it wasn’t, he thought of the corn silk term used for such hair. She heard him rise and turned to walk back to the kitchen door. Ron followed with Amy by his side and soon they were sitting down at the small wooden table with the checkered table cloth. A mug of hot coffee with milk and sugar sat next to his cup while a stack of toast made him hungry. He said, “Sue you’re going to spoil me like my mother did years ago.”
“If you don’t think I’m prying too much can you or will you tell me about your family?”
Ron felt much more at ease with her as he considered her question. What can it hurt he thought while he buttered some toast and sipped his coffee. He answered saying, “My parents live in Florida. They’re retired and my father makes wood products in his garage similar to your father’s life. My mother lives for playing bridge with her neighbors in their gated community. They’re happy and I’m sure they are worried sick about me. I’ve a sister who lives in Chicago with her banker husband and three kids. I stopped there on my way west and I didn’t leave under the best of circumstances, as she is older than me and thinks I ought to listen when she gives free advice. Somewhere in a small town in Montana I sent a postcard to my parents saying I was fine and not to worry. Well, that’s about it Sue,” as he munched the toast all the while never taking his eyes off her. He couldn’t drink enough coffee due to his throat being so dry. There wasn’t no doubt he was falling for this lovely lady and while she drank her tea and looked at him he felt a blush rising up from somewhere south in his body to his cheeks. He wished now he still had his beard to hide the red cheeks, and then realized she couldn’t see them anyway.
She asked, “Ron do I make you nervous or something like that?”
Ron answered way to fast saying, “Not at all. I’m just not used to having a conversation with another person. Street people are very protective of their history and almost never talk about who or where they came from. History is for books and the upcoming meal is all they think about. Finding food keeps them going; not conversation.”
Sue took two hands to set her mug down on the table and said, “Now I’d like to cook you some eggs. I love to cook, but am kind of slow,” as she rose giving him a look at her backside. Immediately he saw her statue and the perfect backside he’d run his hands over the night before. My God what a cute butt, he thought as she took out some eggs and bent over for a pan in the drawer of the oven. With the sweatshirt on her small breasts were only poking slightly out giving off the barest hint of breasts. Stop it, he told self. Stay focused and shape up. However the bulge in his overalls told a different story.
Breakfast over, dishes washed, he helped, drinking in the fresh scent of her clean hair they went to the living room. Arriving she asked, “Ron would you be offended if I asked to see what you look like?”
Ron knew what she meant and replied, “No not at all. I know what you look like and it’s only fair for you to do the same.”
Sue reached out with
one hand and placed it to his face. She started with his hair finding it long and thick. Next she moved to his forehead and back to his ears, returning to his eyes. All the while Ron never moved and he was sure she could hear his heart beating like a drum. So light was her touch and with a delicate feel she felt his nose and with two hands his cheeks. Back to one hand she traced his lips sending shock waves through his body. Taking both hands she moved from lips back to cheeks and down to his chin drawing a mental line of his contours. For the first time he could see her eyes and a serious look came from her while she felt his neck and then a quick check of the arms and chest finished off her inspection leaving him short of breath and a desperate need to sit down and hide his throbbing member.
“Thanks Ron. Now I know what you look like except the color of your hair and eyes.”
“Well,” as they sat down, “My hair is between blonde and brown I guess. My eyes are light blue. I don’t know how much I weigh, but I’m five ten and about one hundred seventy five pounds. Pretty much average I guess.”
“I think you’re a very handsome man and that thought will be my base. Now we must prepare for aunt Bee’s coming in a few hours. But first let me tell you what I would like for us to do on Monday.” She went on to tell him they would go to the drivers license place and from there to a car lot to buy a nice van. Not new, but a late model. After that a trip to the North Cascades for a look at the fall colors sounds like a nice Tuesday trip. Ron had no idea where the North Cascades were, but it sounded well as he would be with her and right then that was all he could think about.
For the next couple hours before aunt Bee arrived she showed him her computer room where she spent a lot of time. Sue explained to him about software that speaks to you giving you instructions to use the computer and search the internet like everyone else. “I can write and send e-mail and do all the things seeing people do. Once in awhile I need some help, but if that is needed I just pick up the phone and call for help with an organization of the blind that I’m a member of.”
Ron was impressed and told her so. She sat at her office chair and he sat in a single chair next to the window. She was telling him about her stories she sent to magazines and about her first novel she was about to finish when the door bell rang announcing her aunt. Ron, if she had noticed went rigid and was not in the least ready to face the music that was coming. Sue went to the door as her aunt let herself in. Ron stayed where he was looking for a way out without being seen. He was trapped and now standing waited for the introduction to take place. He heard voices and the grating sound of the aunt asking what needed to be done today while she had the next few hours free. Sue’s voice asked her to come into her office and meet her new handy man she hired.
Ron put on his best look and later wondered what that was as her aunt followed her into the office. Like his mother would say, if daggers could kill, aunt Bee had swords flying from her eyes as she took him in from head to foot. Ron remembered telling aunt Bee it was a pleasure and he didn’t remember the thousand questions fired at him like the front line of a battle. Sue took control and told Ron and her aunt to move to the living room and have a sit down while she explained why Ron was here. The aunt turned on her heels and made for the living room. Ron remembered her backside and it reminded him of a turtle on two legs from a nursery story. An orange flowery dress reaching almost to her ankles contrasted her shoes. High top running shoes with the ubiquitous swoosh made the exit to the living room.
Ron sat on the sofa with his hands in his lap as aunt Bee once more gave him a look of contempt. He had his best look, but a kind of shit eating grin was on his face as he looked at her burnt orange hair that probably a hair dresser made a mistake with the coloring, or did she? Her first question from her gravelly voice asked, “Young man what’s your background and what’s your work record?”
“Aunt Bee, you have no right to ask him any questions. I hired him and that is all you need to know. I’m not child. I’m thirty one and there’s not a lot I can’t do for myself. I appreciate your help and since mom died you have been a life saver. Now I would like some more independence and some companionship with people my own age.”
Aunt Bee sat there with her mouth hanging open revealing old people teeth without dentures. Ron guessed this was one of the few times aunt Bee was speechless as she swallowed her spit and said with a condescending voice, “ I understand what you’re saying my dear, but what do you know about this guy?”
“I know enough about ‘this guy’ that I spent last night with him and I was neither raped, mugged or was anything stolen. Besides Amy likes “this guy” and so do I.” Ron eyes were traveling back and forth like watching a tennis match when he heard, “spent the night” he thought aunt Bee would fall over on her wrinkled face smearing the purple eye shadow that reminded him of a raccoon with orange hair.
Aunt Bee caught her breath and exclaimed, “You did what? Spent the night with him? Sue Lyons have you lost your marbles? Might I be so bold as to ask where you met him?”
“I met him in the park and he walked me home. We had dinner and talked the night away. I never had so much fun since I lost my sight. Now, I suggest, aunt Bee you get used to him being around and you’ve been talking of going to Arizona for the winter, now is a good time to make good on your desire to relax in the sun. I’m fine here and even if Ron leaves, I will make due.”
Aunt Bee sat with a closed mouth and thought about what had been said in the last fifteen minutes of certainly not what she expected on this Saturday morning. Ron wanted to say something, but didn’t know what to add to what Sue had already expressed. Amy sat with her and cocked her head once in awhile wondering what was going on this morning with what probably no one expected happening. Aunt Bee said, fiddling with her giant bag looking for something inside. Digging out a handkerchief she wiped her nose and said, “Well dear niece, seems like you have made up your mind about this man, so let me think about it and I will stop by in the next few days and see how you are doing.”
“Thanks aunt Bee. Now would you like to go to lunch down at Ballard at a nice deli we both know about?”
“Next time perhaps, as I have some errands to run and some calls to make; if I decide to go to Arizona.” She stood up and looked at Ron with eyes of steel saying this isn’t over by a long shot buster and make a wrong move or something out of line and I’ll see you rot in jail. Ron smiled back at her saying with his eyes, come on sister and duel with me and you’ll see who comes out on top. Sue heard her aunt stand up and she rose too knowing her aunt was leaving without saying so. Sue followed her to the door saying, “Stop by anytime auntie and see how we are doing.”
Ron and Sue with Amy standing between them watched aunt Bee waddle to her car and drive off in a cloud of blue smoke from her old beater. Ron looked at the sky which was threatening rain. Sue turned to go back in the house and Ron flashed on the idea if someone was watching they would think an ordinary couple waving at an old person returning inside for the day.
Chapter IV
Ron found he was shaking a little as Sue plopped down in the overstuffed arm chair breathing a sigh of relief. Ron sat in his usual place still warm from what seemed hours ago that a storm descended on this nice house and rapidly blew away leaving two people tied up in knots. After a few minutes Sue said, “I like the idea of lunch at the deli. I can tell it is not nice day weather wise, but a bus comes by every hour and we can ride it to Ballard and you can see the locks.”
Ron had no idea what the locks were about but he needed to put some distance on the still heavy air of the orange turtle smelling like cheap perfume. He said, “I’m all for it and when does the bus come?”
Sue raised her wrist watch and pressed a button telling her the time. “In about fifteen minutes,” she said.
“Let me find some other clothes of your father’s. He was about my size and if you will permit me to wear his clothes I would appreciate it.”
“Off course you are can. It’s better to put them to u
se than hanging around waiting for someone to give them to Goodwill.”
“I’ll be back in a few minutes,” he said as he walked away through the kitchen and out to his new room. He found a pair of tan Dockers hanging in the closet and a long sleeve shirt of plaid design. Back of the closet he discovered a pair of slip on penny loafers that fit like a glove. He checked his looks in the mirror and searched for a light jacket in case it rained. His luck held as an old blue Seattle Seahawk wind breaker fit the bill nicely. He looked at his teeth which were showing signs of recovery and he decided to give them another going over. Now satisfied with his looks he left locking the door and went out to the front of the house not knowing whether to go back in or wait our front. Walking around to the front he noticed the door partly open signifying she would be out in a minute or two.
It wasn’t long before Sue came out leaving Amy in the house. Ron didn’t ask but once down the steps she took his arm and they walked to the bus stop around the corner. Ron felt like a neophyte on his first date with a lady on his arm. He wasn’t comfortable and she felt the tension by saying, “Relax and let’s enjoy the outdoors before the rain comes tonight.” He tried to relax, but being so close to her made him feel funny all over. He was glad when they stopped at the bus stop and after a few minutes they boarded the bus for Ballard. The driver noticed he had a blind person on board so he called out each stop over the sound system. When the call for Ballard Locks came over the speaker they got off and Sue told him the deli was a few blocks down the street with a green front.
Walking down the block Ron was in the swing of things and relaxed commenting on the nice area they were in. Nothing like New York City he told her and the green deli was right where she said it was. Walking in the fresh smell of just baked bread hit him first and then mixed smells of cheese and salami made his mouth water. With her cane in front taping on the floor seemed to make the lunch crowd take notice. An opening like the Red Sea lay before them as an old lady asked them what they wanted. Sue told Ron she wanted a roast beef on sourdough with a dill pickle. Some chips she told him would be nice too. He told the lady to double that order and she handed him a number and pointed at some vacant tables next to the window. Ron guided Sue to the window table and that when he noticed most customers were carrying sacks, probably taking advantage of no rain on a Saturday park somewhere.
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