“You don’t patronize them ‘cause you ain’t got no money. Got nothing to do with discrimination or anything else, especially not because of your high moral standards,” Bella said. “Trying to steal my cigarettes shows me your high falutin’ standards, you old thief.”
“Lost the wife not long after that store closed. Cancer,” Don said. “I got unemployment for a while but after that dried up, I just sort of gave up. Lost the house and been on the streets ever since. Without any money, I took some lessons from those shoplifters and stuck it to The Man every chance I got. Never did get caught. I see now why all those employees stole the place blind. As far as I can tell, minimum wage workers are still sticking it to him. I used to catch them, those shoplifters, and now I’m one of them. Management hasn’t learned a goddamned thing in fifty years as far as I’m concerned.”
“The rain got me down so much I got the hell out of Seattle. Smartest move I ever made. Thumbed a ride across country, mostly got rides with those long-haul truckers. I been damn near everyplace, Spokane, Missoula, Boise, Salt Lake, you name it, now I’m the King of Mud Flats, here in Des Moines. Best job I ever had. “You didn’t have no goddamn cigarettes to steal. Least ways, none that I could find.”
“Oh yeah, real smart move, now you have two feet of snow and twenty below to worry about,” Bella said. “And it ain’t long in coming either. If you haven’t noticed, some of the nights have been turning a bit nippy lately. That’s just a hint of what’s coming. Snow ain’t far off. If I make it through another winter, I’m considering heading south, maybe Florida or New Orleans. They got nice weather in them places, year ’round.”
“Ain’t nothing worse than that Seattle rain, and that’s a fact,” Don said. “That shit never stops. Every day for months at a time. Your goddamn underwear get moldy.”
“You ain’t seen the river flood yet. You’ll be praying for a little of that Seattle fog, your tent will be relocated to the low branches of one of them cottonwood trees down by the river, once it rises, Mr. King Mud Flat. I seen it happen, more than a few times. And that, King Mud, is a fact. Another fact, the rain ain’t the reason your skivvies are moldy, you gotta’ change ‘em every month or so.”
“That old John was a pretty nice fella, wasn’t he,” Don said.
“Yeah, a real polite fellow. You could stand to take a few lessons from him, that’s for sure,” Bella said. “Help you to elevate your sagging moral standards.”
“You folks ain’t supposed to be down around here. There’s cameras all over the place and they’re watching,” the old lady said.
“Who’s watching,” Priscilla said.
“The authorities. They have surveillance cameras everywhere. The police will come down here and arrest you. You’re not supposed to be here,” she said. “It’s illegal.” She looked over her shoulder when she heard a car passing on the bridge over the river. She pulled her collar up to hide her face from what might have been a police cruiser.
“Hi, my name is Priscilla. This is Jake.” Priscilla approached the woman who was standing about ten yards away on the grassy knoll. “Do you live down there?” Priscilla pointed to the cluster of tents near the river.
“I live over there.” The lady flipped her hand in the direction of the river.
“Would you like some food? We have some sandwiches and you are welcome to them,” Priscilla said. “What’s your name?”
“My name’s Bella,” the woman said. “I ain’t giving you my last name. Ain’t nobody’s beeswax.”
“Well, it’s really nice to meet you, Bella.” Priscilla held the Styrofoam plate of sandwiches wrapped in saran wrap out to the woman as she walked toward Bella.
“We can’t take no food from you people.” Bella said taking several steps backwards. “The police will come here and arrest anybody talking to us … probably arrest me too.” She leaned a walking stick against her shoulder and took a butt from her pocket and a matchbook from another, looking up to keep the two do-gooders under surveillance, like a squirrel popping upright every other second, watching for hawks. When she pulled the match from the book and struck it, a puff of wind extinguished it. On her second attempt, she succeeded and her first drag induced a convulsive hack.
Jake pulled on Priscilla’s coat sleeve and turned her away from Bella and spoke softly. “Maybe we should just leave the sandwiches and let her alone. She obviously has some issues and we are just causing her stress.”
“It’s nice to meet you Bella,” Priscilla said again loud enough for Bella to hear. “I’m just going to put the sandwiches here on the ground and if you like, you can come over and get them. If you like. I just made them.” She gave her a goodbye wave and started back down the grassy knoll, away from the lady with the scraggly grey-brown hair, over-size Navy pea coat, soiled blue jeans, and worn pink sneakers. “Come on Jake, I think it will be okay just to leave them here and Bella can come get them if she likes.”
“You people should stay away from here. The police are watching all the time.” Bella pointed her walking stick in the direction of the overpasses. “They have cameras and they’ll arrest anyone who brings stuff down here. It’s illegal.” Bella turned toward town and walked across the field away from the tent village, looking like a member of Robin Hood’s band with her walking stick and oversized coat weighing on her narrow shoulders. When she reached the road, an old man limped up beside her and they stopped and looked back at Jake and Priscilla. Bella raised her walking stick and pointed it at them, then toward the bridges, then lowered it and the two continued toward town.
“That’s interesting,” Jake said. “That old man must be another member of the tent city there. I wonder how many people live in those tents.”
Jake walked toward the river and saw several tents, no two alike, erected beneath the tall trees along the river along with several makeshift lean-tos fashioned with blue, green, and orange tarps slung over ropes stretched between trees. When he got closer, he could see that all the tents and lean-tos were empty. There were blankets and sleeping bags crumpled inside of each and the flaps were fluttering in the wind. Makeshift tables made of random lengths of boards or plywood were placed near the campfires pits. Stumps or logs were the chairs. A few of the coals were still grey with heat in a few of the fire pits. He took the remaining cello wrapped platter of sandwiches and placed it on one of the makeshift tables and walked away toward Priscilla waiting on the grassy knoll.
“I didn’t see anybody,” Jake said when he reached the top of the knoll. “There’s lots of blankets and sleeping bags in the tents I could see in. They’re pretty trusting to leave all that stuff.”
“What else are they going to do with it, put padlocks on the tent flaps,” Priscilla said. “They can’t take all that stuff with them when they go out.”
“Yeah, I guess you’re right. It looks like quite a few people spend their nights here all right. I wonder where they are. It’s like a tent ghost town.”
“It sure is creepy,” Priscilla said. “These poor people at least have tents. I wonder what they do during the day.”
“I have no idea. Probably look for food.”
“It’s really strange that Bella wouldn’t take the sandwiches,” Priscilla said. “She appears to be hungry. Did you see how skinny her face was? Her skin is grey. She obviously has a mental problem.”
“I wonder if the police do hassle these homeless people down here,” Jake said. “Sometimes you hear about homeless people getting rousted out of places like this.”
“Well, something makes her think she is being watched,” Priscilla said. “I wonder where she got the idea that there were cameras all over the place.”
“I know she is homeless and obviously has problems but she gives me the willies just the same,” Jake said. “They’re probably all harmless. But I still wouldn’t want to come down here at night.”
“It makes you wonder when you see little kids like our little sweetheart,” Priscilla said. “And to know that some of tho
se tiny, sweet kids are going to live in homes with mommies and daddies and at some point they no longer do. To think they will end up being old and smoke Camels butts and have grey skin and pink tennis shoes and live in a tent along a river like this. It makes me want to cry. Or worse still, no tent.”
“What do they do in the winter?” Jake said.
“I’ve seen the tents here when there is ice on the river,” Priscilla said. “It’s terrible to think people are here when it is below zero.”
“Or even close to it,” Jake said. Maybe the city rounds them up and provides shelter when it gets that cold. I know there are places that provide food and beds for homeless people. They must know where those food kitchens are. There’s not much we can do except to bring them sandwiches.”
“I know,” Priscilla said. “Let’s finish up our walk and go home.”
Jake took her hand and they walked down the grassy knoll, across the bridge to the asphalt biking trail and followed the river back to the parking area. Halfway back, they stopped and sat on a bench and looked across the river. They looked at the tents and tarps where the homeless people lived, where they had just left the plate of sandwiches. The white Styrofoam plate of sandwiches was still sitting, unmolested on the table where he left it. The camp still appeared deserted. Priscilla hugged Jake’s arm with both of hers.
“I love you,” she said. “We’re really lucky, aren’t we?”
“I love you too. Yeah, we’re pretty lucky.”
They continued on to their car, silent the remainder of the way back.
“Hi, Bella,” Priscilla said as they passed the old lady in the heavy blue coat and limping man lifting the lid on one of the garbage cans on Court Avenue.
Bella, jumped at the sound of the voice and looked up at Priscilla. Her walking stick slid from leaning on the trashcan and hit the ground. The streetlights had come on but they were all in the shadow of an awning and obviously couldn’t see clearly the person addressing her. She didn’t say anything. Don stepped forward and stood between the two women.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you. I’m Priscilla. I met you several weeks ago near the river. You remember Jake, don’t you?”
“Oh, yeah,” Bella said. “I remember. The sandwich lady and her man friend.”
“And this is little Bella,” Priscilla said turning to look at Bella who freed herself from Jake’s grip and bent to pick up a plastic spoon from the sidewalk.
Jake caught her hand just in time. “Sweetie, don’t pick things off the sidewalk, they’re yucky.”
“Hello, sweetheart,” Bella said to little Bella who looked up at the old lady with the curly salt and pepper hair.
“You have my name,” little Bella said. “Are you sad?”
“Yes, sweetheart, we have the same name. No, honey, I’m not sad, I must have gotten something in my eye. You are such a pretty little girl, Bella. Is this your grandpa?” the woman in the pea coat said.
“This is my Papa,” she said.
“So you liked the sandwiches?” Priscilla asked.
“Yeah, they were alright. I don’t like dill pickles. I gave those to Don.”
Don took a step back and remained silent.
“Hi, Don.” Jake put his hand out to shake and Don put his hand out in response.
“Good to meet you,” Don said.
“I’m glad you enjoyed them,” Priscilla said. “Have a nice day.” Priscilla could see she had somehow caused the old woman stress. Bella kept glancing around as if someone were watching her movements, her dark, curly hair whipping around her face as she looked.
“Bye, Bella,” little Bella said.
“Bye, Honey,” the old lady said and reached out and stroked the little girls dark curly hair.
“Do you know those tourists?” Jake heard Don asked in a voice of an old man talking too loud.
“Yeah, I don’t really know them, Bella said as she turned and watched Priscilla, Jake, and little Bella walk away. “I met them a couple times. Seem nice.”
She looked at Priscilla and Jake, and settled her gaze on little Bella holding fast to Papa’s hand then returned her attention to the garbage can while Don held her walking stick.
When Priscilla, Jake, and Bella completed their walk across one bridge and returned on another across the Raccoon River, the sky was dark. Bella had tired and was in Jake’s arms hugging him, both her arms stuck inside his jacket, keeping them both cuddly warm. They saw Don and Bella with her eco-friendly bag filled with cans and bottles and her walking stick heading toward the river in the direction of the tent city.
“I sure hope they find better shelter. It’s not cold yet but it is going to be snowing before too long and it makes me sad to think of those people living in tents,” Priscilla said. She pulled her collar up around her ears. “It’s only six and the sun is almost to the horizon. I hate the thought of winter coming. Not only no flowers, but it will be dark when I go to work and dark when I get home when we get on standard time.”
Jake put his arm around her shoulder and they continued down the street toward their car. “I’m glad we don’t have to sleep in a tent tonight,” he said. “I have your butt to keep me warm.”
“Maybe Bella’s butt keeps Don cozy at night,” Priscilla said.
“Probably,” Jake said.
“This one and that’s it,” Don said and he picked up the lid on the final garbage can at the parking lot at Knappa Freight Company yard.
“Looks like the jackpot again,” Bella said and pulled six soda cans from the trashcan and put them in her bag. She looked over at the loading dock of Knappa Freight and saw a trucker standing there next to a big rig. She gave him the high sign and caught a return wave and she and Don headed for the old homestead.
“That little girl must have reminded you of your little sister, didn’t she?” Don asked. “That’s why you were crying, isn’t it?”
“Yes, she looks just like little Gracie,” Bella said and wiped her eyes with the back of her sleeve to clear her eyes again.
“Look at this, Don,” Bella said and displayed the treasure she discovered in the trash bag tucked behind the electrical box. “Look what that nice man, John, has done.” She held an open envelope and Don saw several bills peeking out.
“How much you got there?” Don asked.
Don walked closer and stood while Bella fingered the bills. “Six,” she said. Four for me and two for you.” With a smile, she handed him three dollars.
“Nobody likes a smart ass,” Don said. “What else is in the bag?”
Bella spread the contents on the asphalt and they looked at fruit, rolls, and even a bottle of Aspirin. A Ziploc bag had two frosted cookies. Bella offered Don one who took a bite.
“Pretty good,” he said.
“I’m saving mine,” she said and put the Ziploc bag in the big pocket of her pea coat.
“Aspirin.” She said, picking up a 100-count bottle of generic aspirin. “John must think we are going to get sick.”
“Nah, I think he is just a nice man,” Don said.
In another envelope were four cigarettes. Don held the cigarettes in his hand. “Three for me and one for you.”
“Nobody likes a smart ass,” Bella said and took two of the cigarettes.
They stuffed the contents back into the garbage bag. Don slung it over his shoulder and Bella picked up her eco-friendly bag with the rattling cans in one hand and her walking stick in the other and turned to finish their can collection tour around the city.
When they reached the picnic bench near the library, they stopped and spread out their trove and had lunch.
“Hi, Bella,” little Bella said. She was holding her Papa’s hand and they were walking down the sidewalk in the afternoon sun when Jake spotted the two old hobos and slowed to a stop for Bella to say hi.
“Well, if it isn’t my pretty little friend with my name,” Bella said. “What are you doing out today? My goodness, why is your hair all wet?”
“I
was swimming with Papa,” Bella said.
“She was wading in the fountain over there by the library and she got a little carried away and laid in the water,” Jake said. “She has been learning to swim at the Y.”
“Well, Bella, it is certainly nice to see you again sweetheart,” Bella said. “Would you like a cookie?”
Little Bella looked up at Papa. “Go ahead,” Jake said and nudged her forward. Bella reached out and took the frosted cookie.
“Thank you,” Bella said and she took a bite of the cookie. “Yummy.”
“What nice manners you have, Bella. Your mother taught you very good manners,” Bella said.
“My mommy works in the hosta-piddle,” little Bella said.
“No wonder you are such a nice little girl, your mommy is a nurse,” Bella said. “You are quite welcome, sweetie,” Bella said. “It’s good that you are learning to swim. I was always afraid of the water. You look like you are a whole inch taller than when I saw you last.”
“Bye,” little Bella said.
“You stay close to your Papa,” Bella said when she saw little Bella suddenly stop and bend to pick up a shiny bottle cap. “Hold on to his hand.”
“Look Papa,” Bella said and held up the Pepsi cap.
He took the cap from her. “That’s yucky, Sweetie.” He put the cap in his jacket pocket and took her hand.
“Bye Bella. Bye Don,” Jake said and walked down the sidewalk holding on to Bella’s up-stretched hand. “Nice to see you again.” Jake gave a wave to the two.
“You’re getting awfully friendly with those tourists there, Bella,” Don said.
“I just love that little Bella. She looks so much like little Gracie,” Bella said. “Besides, I think that Jake is a nice man. He looks after little Bella.”
The Trouble Way Page 31