After my shower I take the dogs for a walk around the park. I see Terry watering an area empty of any guests. I wave. She does not wave back. I put the dogs back in the fifth wheel and walk to the restaurant.
By now the restaurant is in full swing. Many of the guests have their trailers ready to take off and are having a full meal for the trip. I can see why I have Sunday and Monday off. The place will be relatively empty.
Bubba’s special: DEEP FRIED RATTLESNAKE NUGGETS. I shouldn’t let that get to me so much. It’s just so annoying!
Helen is the waitress this morning. She is wearing white pants, red shirt with a flag pin, American flag tennis shoes, and her fingernails are still flags. Good heavens! What does she wear for the Fourth of July?
“Good morning Denise. Did ya come in for some breakfast?” Helen asks.
“Sure did, and I’m really hungry! I think I’ll have bacon and eggs over easy with a side of sourdough toast. Oh, and make my hash browns extra crispy.”
Helen has a hard time writing with those fingernails. I just can’t get over the fact that she dresses this way at her age! “Okay. Sit tight. We’re kind of busy, so it might be a few minutes.”
“I’ll be fine. Thanks.”
Ray walks over to join me at my table. He wants to measure my door. He and Little John will be over later to do that and fix my pipe. They will also get my water heater lit. Ray is a very sweet worn out man. I can’t help but like him, and worry about his health. Even so, it is not my business to ask him why he smokes when he needs oxygen. We are all hostages to ourselves!
My breakfast arrives and I inhale it. After paying for my meal, I walk outside. Terry is watering the front flowers. Most of them are newly planted small stubs of future flowers, not really flowers yet. I am able to get a better look at her. She is very tan! Too tan. She has a few tattoos on her strong looking legs and is wearing some beat up flip-flops. Her shoulder length dark blonde hair is healthy looking and her face is nice enough, but she has an overall bloated look of too much beer. When I say hello, she nods her head in acknowledgement. At least I got that much out of her!
A car pulls up and Ruby jumps out with a beer in her hand.
“Denise, hi!” Ruby says with a big smile.
“Hi Ruby.” I once again think about the twenty bucks she owes me that I need to forget about.
“My dog is fine now. Billy saved her life. $500 for the anti-venom! Her muzzle is still the size of a basketball, but the vet says it will go down in a week or two.” Ruby sucks down some beer with her head way back.
“Gosh, how wonderful of Billy to care like that! I’m very happy for you. Are you workin’ today?”
“Yeah, gotta clean the restrooms. I owe Billy big time! How’s the job comin’?”
“Just fine. This place is busier than I ever imagined!”
“No kiddin’. They sure do go through the toilet paper, that’s for sure. Well, better get goin’. Let’s get together later, okay?”
“Sure Ruby. You know where to find me.”
Ruby finishes her beer and throws it in the overflowing trashcan. It balances for a second and falls off the pile.
I return to my trailer and get a trash bag. I walk back to the front of the building and empty the tall ashtray on top of the trash, stuff all the trash into the can, pull out the current trash liner, tie it up, and re-line the trash container with the bag I had brought. I feel better now.
“That’s my job!” Terry has dropped the hose and is walking briskly in my direction. Her flip-flops are slapping at her feet as she tromps to face me.
“I’m sorry Terry. I just thought I’d help out. I had no idea it was anyone’s job in particular. It just looked so bad. I thought I’d clean it up.” Didn’t someone tell me that Terry didn’t really work here?
“Well, don’t do that, it’s my job!” Her hose was flooding where she had dropped it and mud was flowing into the parking lot.
“Sorry.” Screw you.
I carry the trash to the back where the trash compactor is, where the smell is, where the full flytrap is, where the old cooking oil drum is. There’s no doubt that this place has its few good points and its many bad points. I’m going to do what I can, when I can, while I’m here for Billy and Ray. Maybe no one here has ever heard of teamwork? Maybe they never met a team player? Maybe they’re dangerous? I wonder what they think of me anyway. I don’t believe I am doing anyone harm. Hopefully, Terry, Bubba, and Karen will eventually get the idea that I can make their jobs a little easier, maybe not. Who the hell cares anyway? Today’s my day off.
I have a large load of laundry to do. I take the dogs with me in the car and drive over to the laundry room, located next to the shower building. We can take a walk during the wash cycle. Ruby and Brenda must be inside cleaning the showers and toilets since the supply room door is open and mops, cleaning solutions, cigarettes, ash tray, and open beer are once again on the table and scattered about. Hopefully all the trash cans get emptied after Bubba finishes in the kitchen. It would seem more efficient to keep up with the restrooms and trash while we have guests, instead of after they leave. At least they could appreciate the fact that we do keep things clean for them.
I’m really amazed at the amount of waste produced by travelers—paper plates, plastic forks, knives, spoons, cans, bottles, cups, charcoal bags, paper towels, uneaten food, broken toys, broken barbeque grills, and lots of broken RV parts that have been replaced or fixed while they were here.
Two of the three washing machines are being used. All I have is this one large load, so that’s perfect. With the laundry started, I get the dogs out of the car to take a walk. The park is nearly empty of guests. I had noticed on earlier walks that there were a few trailers that seemed like they were just parked here, as if some guests leave a trailer here year round for future visits. Billy had told me that there are four guests that stay for the entire summer. That is probably who is using the other two washing machines.
We walk the dirt road for a while. Several of the cable wires coming from some spaces are pulled out and lying on the ground. I think they have been having trouble with the cable company. I had overheard a customer complaining about that yesterday. Obviously some of the guests don’t bother with the cable since they are set up with satellite dishes.
Looking toward the forest, I am once again curious about what is back in there. I have my pepper spray with me, so I decide to venture down the path to see. It is so quiet today. Logging trucks must rest on Sundays from their pillaging, chopping, and hauling. I feel relief for the disappearing forests. It gets even more silent as we enter the area of thick pine trees. Bandito starts to get excited at the sight of all the junk ahead, he’s a true junkyard junkie. I get a strange feeling in my gut as we walk along the dirt road of broken down and rusted vehicles, trucks, strange machines, broken farm equipment, trash, pans of old motor oil, a pile of barbed wire, motor home parts, a gutted motor home, another motor home that looks like it is stored back here, locked up, and possibly usable, pipes, fencing, an old flatbed truck full of trash bags, propane tanks, logs, hoses, sewer tanks, and various large unidentifiable rusted metal parts. I am horrified! The dogs are in heaven! Could this possibly be the ‘Twilight Zone?’ I see large paw prints by the dump truck full of trash and realize that these could be coyote or even possibly mountain lion, since some are so huge! I panic slightly, looking around me for signs of wildlife and prepare the pepper spray in my hand. The dogs smell the paw prints and Bandito starts to growl. Bonita is standing erect with her large pointy ears in the air. Her eyes are wide, her tail is sticking straight up and quivering, and she is sniffing the air. These animals are very near!
“Come on guys. Let’s get going. Come on. Let’s go now.” I do not run. I know better than that, but I do take the shortest distance between this area and the road encircling the park, which is through the trees. I do not see anything on my way, but feel slightly light headed from the adrenalin rush. Back on the dirt road, the dogs look
back toward the forest and pull on their leashes as if they would like to be let loose and set free to hunt for the target of the scent.
“Sorry guys. You don’t get it, do you? Those are not lizards!”
They keep pulling in the opposite direction of my destination, which is the laundry room. I put them in the car with the windows open part way. They are still looking in the direction of the forest as I go to dry my laundry.
With clothes in dryer, I go to the restroom for a much needed pee that I came close to losing over by the junk pile. While in my stall, I hear Ruby and Brenda come in. They do not know I am in here and are in a conversation.
“He’s just a fucking speed freak! Billy wants him out of here as soon as possible. He owes them over three thousand dollars! She said she was goin’ to suggest to him that he just leave debt free, in trade for his motor home that he has stored in back. He’s such a creep! Can’t stand to look at him and his rotten teeth! Him and Bubba got in a fight last week. That’s why he has the shiner. Bubba doesn’t want him livin’ in the trailer next to him anymore. He’s supposed to be fixin’ things around here, but he ain’t worth shit!” It was Brenda talking.
I presume they are talking about Little John who was coming over with Ray to fix the pipe. I flush the toilet and they become silent realizing that someone is in the restroom.
“Hi ladies! How’s your day coming?” I say as I walk out of my stall.
“Denise! Hi! We didn’t realize anyone was in here. How are you?” It was Ruby that spoke up. She is drinking a beer.
“Well, I’m fine now. I was walking the dogs and I think there were some coyotes or something out in the forest. Scared the holy pajesus out of me!” I wash my hands.
“Gotta be careful here. It’s not a good idea to wander out too far without someone else with ya. We’re havin’ quite a problem this year with them coyotes and lions.” Brenda responds.
“And them damn rattle snakes! Ya don’t want them little babies to get bit like my dog. I don’t think they’d survive!” Ruby adds.
“I’ll be more careful now that I’ve had a good scare! I better go get my laundry, so I’ll catch up with you later. Have a good day. Don’t work too hard. Today’s my day off, so I plan on getting things done. Bye.”
“Bye, Denise.” Ruby says as she begins spraying a mirror with Windex.
I stand in the laundry room gazing out the doorway at the forest while my laundry gets dry. The dogs in the car are still gazing in that direction too. I hear the golf cart over on the other side of the lake and look to see Bubba and Terry with trash in the back talking to Ray and Little John, who are near the fifth wheel. Breakfast must be over with. I suppose Billy is cooking lunch and dinner. Bubba’s voice rises in some angry words I don’t understand, but get the jest of. Little John responds in like manner. Ray speaks up to control the situation and Bubba drives off recklessly toward another trashcan. Ray and Little John walk to my trailer.
I throw the dry laundry into the car to fold later. They are at the trailer measuring the door when I get there.
“Hello pretty lady!” Ray greets me.
“Hello Ray. Sorry, I was doing laundry.”
“No problem. I saw your car over there anyway. Figured ya be here soon. I think we got the measurements, so if ya don’t mind; we’ll just go inside to fix the pipe. It could take some time to get the door replaced. Don’t know who makes this style anymore, or if they make it at all. We’ll just have to wait and see. Sure do need to turn these steps around! How’d they get like this anyway? Is that hose working to the holding tank?”
“Works great Ray. Thanks!”
Ray does not introduce me to Little John. He is definitely skinny, and his teeth are certainly rotten. He has a black eye and a cut on his mouth. From the looks of him, he had no chance in hell against Bubba. He is jittery and obviously on some sort of speed. I leave the dogs in the car while they are working on the pipe, but go inside to watch. Little John is quite handy in that tiny space and fixes the leak in no time at all. They go outside to hook up the water to the trailer and light the water heater. I can hear it flaming up. Yahoo! My own shower! Ray has Little John fill up my second propane tank and hook it up.
“Now yur set, young lady! Ya let us know if ya have any problems with anything and we’ll get ya fixed.”
“Thank you so very much, Ray!” I give him a little hug. He seems to enjoy my gratitude and gives me a pat on the back. Ray is huffing for air at this point and I can see he needs to get going.
I feed the dogs some of the restaurant leftovers. I hope they don’t get fat! It won’t be that simple to boil the chicken and brown rice that I have fed them for all their lives. Maybe I just need to add some brown rice to some of this food.
Lori must be wondering what’s going on. I need to call her. I should also call my parents and sons. I’ll need a new calling card when I go to Brandon to get supplies. Where’s my list? Yogurt, soy milk, eggs, juice, bananas, bread, coffee, brown rice, gin, frozen limeade, apron, duck feed, Lysol, calling card. I think there is enough time left to talk to Lori for now.
“You guys be good for a few minutes. I’m going to call Lori. I’ll be right back. Maybe we’ll go for a drive when I get back.” I always forget I shouldn’t tell Bonita these things. She understands too well, and goes off barking at me. “NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW! NOW!” Bandito looks at me from his bowed head.
“Quit hollering at me Bonita! I said in a few minutes. I’ll be right back!”
Lori is not home, but I leave a message that I will call tomorrow. As I walk back to my trailer, I hear the commotion of many engines coming from several directions. Ray is approaching from the forest driving a tractor. He is wearing his oxygen and looks very proud of his tractor, like a little boy. He also has a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Bubba has the dump truck and is driving to the rear of the kitchen. Terry is coming with more trash in the golf cart. When they all reach the back entry, Bubba gets out of the dump truck and starts up the trash compactor.
From the protection of my trailer, I watch the system they have together for the trash. Terry hands Bubba the trash. Bubba crushes it, and then throws the compacted goop into the front lift of the tractor. After the lift is full, Ray dumps it into the fragile dump truck. Bubba and Terry take a drink of their beer, while Ray dumps, and then the system repeats itself. The last time I saw this trash process, Bubba did not have the convenience of the tractor, because Ray and Billy were in Redding. Isn’t there a local trash company? I close my windows. The breeze is coming straight in my direction, and it stinks! Good time for a drive. Maybe I’ll go shopping now.
My pile of dry laundry is still in the back seat of my car, but due to the stink, I choose to bring it in after I go shopping. I bring the dogs with me. I won’t be spending too much time in the store. It’s not that hot, so I can leave them in the shade with windows partially open with a bowl of water. Anyway, they love to go for drives with me. I think I’ll get an iced coffee drink for my ride home when I finish shopping. Lori and I would always get ourselves an iced coffee when we went shopping together in Ashland. I miss her.
Brandon is quiet today. I see full parking lots at two churches. The sky is getting kind of cloudy. I wonder if it is going to rain at some point. I pass a feed store and make a mental note to pick up duck feed. It is on the opposite side of the road, so I will go there after I shop. I head first to Safeway. I notice a small thrift store a block before I reach Safeway. My car automatically turns into such places. I just love thrift stores! Bandito is not the only junkyard junkie in this family. I have found some wonderful treasures through the years at thrift stores. Most of those treasures were sold at my garage sale when I left Carmel Valley. Even at garage sale prices I ended up doubling my money. It’s easy to part with something that only cost five dollars or under. I go in and find an apron for work. It’s handmade, and has ducks on it. This will be so much better than the beat-up, stained, blue ones they have at Hacienda. Geneva and Betty ha
ve their own aprons, so will I.
A shade tree on the far end of Safeway’s parking lot is perfect for the dogs. I do my shopping in no time at all; sticking to my list, then head to the feed store for the duck seed. I sip on my iced café mocha as I leave Brandon and head back to the trailer. I can’t seem to find it in me to call that fifth wheel trailer “home”. I know it’s just a temporary shelter.
I fight off a feeling of home sickness, not just for Carmel Valley, Ashland, or Lancaster where my parents live, because I really have no home. I miss family support. I miss family noise, laughter, and congregating in the kitchen being silly, or discussing each others current state of affairs, aches and pains, joys, and updates on nieces, nephews, and grandchildren. I miss hugging my big handsome sons and reveling in pride at how well they are handling their own life journey. I miss my mother. Her entire life has been only for us five children. She always wants to know our every move in life. She is sweet, tiny, and gentle. My father is another story all together. It’s difficult to miss him. He’s really a bulldog in a jumpsuit. Being a retired test pilot and Major in the Marines, he has tendencies toward a gruff and self focused attitude. Making his moves and decisions at the speed of the A-4 Skyhawk he flew. I love him in a fearful way. He and I seem to knock heads a lot. Dad has always been a heavy drinker. I feel the pangs of tears welling in my eyes. Everyone is so far away. Perhaps it’s me that’s far away.
While driving the last few blocks of Brandon, I see a big sale going on in the parking lot of Rite Aid. They have canopies set up and on sale for $29.99. I need one of those! I need it over the picnic bench to shade the dogs and myself. That would be perfect. My own patio! I buy one, sacrificing more of my depleted funds.
GRILL! Page 8