Running Northwest

by Michael Melville

  “Well just be glad you don’t have a girl” Derrick said.

  “Speaking of girls, have you talked to Tracie today at all since I saw you earlier?” Thomas asked.

  “Yes for a little bit I did when I stopped to get some coffee, she was bitchy as ever. I told her you were trying to get a hold of her. And that she needed to call you and check in about the shop” Derrick said.

  “And what did she say to that?” Thomas asked.

  “Well…she got pissed of course, than I told her she better knock it off, grow up and get rid of the damn chip on her shoulder or she was gunna get fired” Derrick replied with a huff.

  Thomas seemed to think about this for a moment. At first, he wanted to berate his friend for being so hard on Tracie. However, Thomas knew that Derrick had known Tracie for a long time and been her boss. But more than that, he knew that his friend was right to say what he said, regardless of how it pissed off Tracie.

  “Did Erin say anything about her?” Thomas asked as he stared off into space, focusing on nothing while his mind thought of everything all at once.

  “She says Tracie has cold feet and is being stupid more or less” Derrick said even though he was holding back.

  Derrick and his girlfriend Erin had in fact had a few long talks about the situation between Thomas and Tracie and had seen issues develop a few weeks ago, especially on Tracie’s end. Derrick was waiting for the opportunity to bring it up with Thomas before it go too far and their thing ended with too many bad feelings.

  “And what do you have to say Derrick. Be honest man, I pay you to give me advice and you’re my best friend so I want the truth, whether it’s hard to hear or not” Thomas asked as he looked at Derrick with all the seriousness in the world but concern showing on the edges of his eyes.

  Derrick looked at his friends face, studied it and silently picked his words. When talking to Thomas it was not what you said but how you said it, the words had to hit him just right for them to matter. After all these years Derrick knew how to do it.

  “Are you in love with her Thomas? Not like normal people love but your kind, that weird intense shit you believe in?” Derrick asked coolly and bluntly.

  “No…not even close” Thomas said without even blinking and pausing to think about it. But I had that once actually twice and you know how it worked out”

  “Then cut your losses now man, I don’t know what her issue is but I kind of agree with Erin. You are too old to be dealing with mind games from a little girl that cannot get her head out of her ass. I know what you went through especially with Stephanie and as far as Tracie is concerned I don’t know what changed or why with her for sure and I have ideas but there just ideas and nothing concrete yet” Derrick said.

  Thomas was silent for a minute or two and let what Derrick had said sink in. He knew Derrick was probably right, and it was a concern he had about dating Tracie from the start but he tried to be hopeful. Derrick watched his friend and knew he was rolling around what he had said in his head.

  “At least try and talk to her but assume the worst, it’s easier to deal with that way man you know that. She has been odd the last few weeks, getting distant and things like that, even with Erin. And you and me have dated enough women to know what that means,” Derrick said.

  “You’re probably right, this has been one of the things that have been on my mind all day,” Thomas said.

  “I know…I knew it this morning when I saw and you should not have been thinking about it at all today. But okay then what else you got going on up there in that head of yours Tom?” Derrick asked.

  Thomas was silent and was not sure how to proceed with his own thoughts then finally said, “It was the weirdest thing today, I was going into Santos Café up at Cannon Beach and I was holding the door for this woman that was coming out. I didn’t really look at her face at but after she walked away her perfume lingered in the air. It smelled so damn familiar I could not let it go all day. It was as if I’d smelled it before and I cannot remember where or when. It was one of those unique smells, the kind that just clicks in your brain. Sounds kind of weird huh?”

  Derrick was silent himself for a moment and not sure what to say. What Thomas had just told him gave him a strange feeling in his gut. “Yeah that is weird man, really weird,” was all he could say.

  “It almost reminded me of the perfume Stephanie used to wear but I can’t be sure, it’s been so long since I’ve smelled it,” Thomas said lost in thought.

  The fact Thomas had brought up Stephanie struck a chord in Derrick’s brain and thoughts started to go into his mind. However, more than anything he wondered why this “smell” reminded Thomas of Stephanie after not bringing her up in a long time; at least not to any great length.

  “Well, sometimes perfumes can smell similar, especially ones associated with memories whether there good or bad,” Derrick said grimly then adding “so what about this woman that was watching you at the beach?”

  “How did you know about that?” Thomas asked.

  “Your son told me, he said you were acting funny and kind of nervous. And he said you don’t usually get nervous in front of people, he just thought it was odd” Derrick said

  “It was odd man, the whole thing was odd…hell the whole damn day was odd. Daniel and I are on the beach and he is crying because he misses his mom, the two of them went up there a week before she died for the day. I am on my knees in the wet sand hugging him trying to make him feel better, I look up, and this woman was standing on the deck of a cottage on the beach just watching us. Normally I would be freaked out by that, but for some reason… I don’t know I just wasn’t. I could not take my eyes off her, and then when I finally did she was gone, almost like a ghost,” Thomas said as he took a hit of his cigarette.

  “A ghost huh” Derrick said with mild curiosity. “And what did this ghost look like” he added with careful curiosity.

  “It was really hard to tell, she was kind of far away. She had long brown hair and it was blowing in the wind, and she had a black sweater on, or maybe a black coat I do not know. Her face was too far away to distinguish though,” Thomas said

  “Was she cute?” Derrick asked with a smile.

  “She seemed to be but like I said it was hard to tell since she was so far away. When I picked up Daniel and put him on my back, I turned around to look for her again but she wasn’t there anymore. Hell she was probably just a tourist here for vacation and pissy because of the rain, you know how they can be,” Thomas said.

  “Yeah probably man, I would not worry about it too much. It was probably just one of those weird coincidences, know what I mean” Derrick said even though his gut was telling him otherwise.

  “Yeah probably man, but yeah besides that the day was fine except for getting fat on pizza, wet and sand blasted” Thomas said with a laugh.

  “Well at least you and Daniel had fun, and that’s all that matters” Derrick said.

  “Oh and by the way man, when we were up there I saw a spot for rent. It might be a good place for a coffee shop; we should go and look at it sometime”.

  “You thinking about another shop”? Derrick asked

  “Always, but nothing may come of it” Thomas said

  “Well maybe next weekend you, me, and Daniel can shoot up there and have a look at it, just for the hell of it” Derrick said.

  “Sounds good man,” Thomas said.

  Derrick looked down at his watch, up at the stormy sky and then back at Thomas. “Well brother I should probably get going before this weather kicks up any worse, then I’ll have to stay here and Erin would be pissed” he said.

  “Yeah brother for sure, thanks for getting up here to give me a hand I really appreciate it, tell Erin thanks for me,” Thomas said as he shook Derrick’s hand.

  “Anytime man no worries, and don’t forget if things get too dicey up here for you guys get your asses into town and stay with me and Erin until it clears up. This storm should last at least two days” Derrick said.
>
  “We will man, I’ll text you if we run for cover” Thomas said. A minute later Derrick was in his own truck and pulling out of the drive, most likely over to whaleback before he went home. Thomas went inside and joined his son on the couch. He had the TV turned to a Portland news station and was watching reports on the storm; farther south there was already mild coastal flooding and damage reports and the hardest part was not even here yet. Thomas turned his head, and through the wooden boards over the windows he could hear the wind blowing against the house and even could hear the wave’s crash on the beach outside his home.

  Thomas looked down at his son who was glued to the news reports and noticed the boy tense up slightly when the wind blew hard. Daniel was trying to brave but he knew the boy was nervous as hell so Thomas said, “Hey buddy, you want to sleep in my room tonight. I think you, me and the dogs can all fit in the bed all right”

  The boy exhaled deeply and then said, “Yeah Dad I would like that, I’m kind of freaked out a little bit this is bad.”

  “I know buddy, listen I’m not gunna let anything happen to you all right but I’ll make you a deal. If you get too worried and are not comfortable here tonight in the storm, you just give me the word and we will get the dogs and haul ass over to your uncles and camp out there with them,” Thomas said.

  “Will they mind if we do Dad?” Daniel asked then adding, “If we have to at least”

  “Not at all, Derrick offered right before he left. I just have to send him a text message and let him know we are on our way,” Thomas said.

  “And the dogs can come to Dad” the boy asked as he rubbed Harleys head that was resting on the boys legs who was also shaking a little. Harley had never fared well in storms as long as Thomas had her.

  “Of course, their part of our family bud, we can’t leave them here alone,” Thomas said as he rubbed his sons shoulder with his large hand trying to reassure him a little.

  “Okay Dad, well I’ll let you know” Daniel said then adding “hey Dad, our house isn’t going to get washed away by the ocean is it?”

  “No big man, it won’t I promise, we’re still pretty far from the ocean and the surf, even when it is high like it is. But the wind might shake the house a little bit at times” Thomas said.

  The boy was silent and said nothing to his father. Daniel in the past had dreams about giant waves hitting their house before and those dreams may have been what was going through his mind. Thomas looked at the TV and then said, “Hey why don’t you put your rain coat on and we will take the dogs out to go to the bathroom and check out the waves, then you will see there not gunna hit the house. And then when we come back in we will make some popcorn and turn this news crap off and watch a movie”

  A smile finally came over the boy’s face and he jumped up and said “okay” excitedly.

  After getting their coats on the small boy and his large father stood near the side of the house staring out at the raw, frothy churning ocean in front of them. The surf was petering out about 50 yards away from the house still but Thomas thought it might get higher. Harley and Layla ran around in the sand next to the cottage chasing bits of things that blew by. Layla at one point got a little too close to the waves and got wet which sent her flying back towards the house with her tail between her legs. Harley sat quietly shaking behind Thomas as the thunder and lightning crashed around them. The wind was strong enough to blow Daniel over so Thomas held onto his son’s shoulders to hold him steady. After about ten minutes they had enough of wave watching and headed inside. As promised by Thomas, they made popcorn and watched a movie, during which the power flickered slightly as the gusts of wind blew ever harder. Thomas made a fire in the fireplace just in case the power did go out so they would still be warm. Harley sat quietly next to Daniel on the couch and Layla was fast asleep on the large oversized dog pillow in the corner of the room.

  . . .

  Stephanie had slowly made her way through the pouring rain and driving wind and parked on the side of the street in downtown Cannon Beach. Now she was sitting at table surrounded by five old people who had to be at least her parent’s age. Nevertheless, despite their age they were some of the funniest people she had ever met in her life and had made her feel welcome and relaxed. Sitting next to her was Ann and another woman named Beth. On the other side of the wooden table was the familiar face and laugh of Ann’s husband Ben, Beth’s husband Jack and another friend of theirs named Larry who they called “Pockets”. Apparently Larry’s nickname “Pockets” came from his past as a supposed thief and a conman and Stephanie wasn’t sure if he was telling the truth or not but his stories made her laugh and wonder all at the same time. The women sat with glasses and bottles of wine in front of them and the men sat with their tall glasses of beer. They talked about the “old” days of Cannon Beach, before the large crowds and the business that tourism brought. The town had always been a tourist spot but unlike other coastal towns in Oregon, Cannon Beach had managed to maintain is small town feel and was unique. It was not a haven for young spring breakers like other places.

  Beth and Jack were born and raised in this area and Jack himself helped build a majority of the buildings in town when he was still working in construction. Ann had told Stephanie repeatedly about her feeling on tourists; she liked the money and investment they brought to the small coastal town but was not thrilled with problems that came with them. It seems the “rudeness” that some of the visitors brought to their hometown had offended Ann and Beth quite a bit. Larry or “Pockets” as he preferred to be called; talked about all the connections he had made with the tourists and how he could get you anything you wanted at any time.

  Jack and Beth owned the small pub they were sitting in which was the called Riptide. It was their pride and joy and opened it about 15 years before. They did not really run it themselves and let one of their sons run it for them. Jack told Stephanie the benefit of being retired and owning your own business was that you could afford to step back and let someone else take care of it for you, as long as you trusted them. Beth, who was crazy about Stephanie from the start, wished the young woman had come around a few years before when her son was still single. Stephanie laughed it off and took the joke in stride.

  Stephanie had some wonderful fresh salmon for dinner and was surprised at how different it tasted from the salmon she had eaten in Michigan. Jack told her that her that salmon was just caught in the ocean about two days ago and that his son buys the fish fresh from the “source” who was a local angler. When Stephanie looked at the menu she was surprised at all the things they served that were caught or grown locally in Oregon or at the very least the Pacific Northwest. She felt it added to the hominess and the charm of the Rip Tide and the town in general that seemed to promote everything “local” and ignore everything that was not.

  As Stephanie and the rest of her group sat, talked and drank the building noticeable shook and their glasses rattled. Pockets looked over at Jack and said, “I got 10 bucks that was an earthquake”.

  Jack who was looking around the restaurant replied with a gruff “oh hell no Pockets, that was a gust of wind from this damned storm.”

  “I don’t think so Jack it felt an earthquake like to me?” Pockets said.

  Then Ben joined the conversation and said “Pockets you think there’s an earthquake when you pass gas. You wouldn’t know an earthquake if it swallowed you up whole I think.”

  Stephanie was slightly nervous because she was the only one she felt who seemed to be noticing the constant rumble and vibration through the table, which made her clutch the arms on her chair. Ann must have noticed and said sternly “would you three dumb old farts knock it off with the damn earthquake talk, you’re scaring the hell out of this poor thing.”

  Pockets looked at Stephanie, apologized, grabbed her hand lightly, and kissed the top of it. “Don’t mind us Stephanie, us old men just get going on something and don’t let up. There wasn’t an earthquake, don’t worry Sweetheart,” he said.

>   There were not very many people in the Rip Tide tonight except for a large group on the other side of the room and a few other locals bellied up to the bar. A moment later, there was a loud roar coming from above that was so loud it muffled some of the music. Stephanie’s group turned and looked out the window. It had been raining for a while but now it was raining so hard that it looked like a waterfall in the streets of Cannon Beach. Lightning flashed in the dark and the sky above them and lit up the night. Pockets seemed to sense everyone tense up and said “well goddamn looks I’m gunna be doing some drunk driving tonight my friends, I isn’t walking in this crap” which made everyone laugh and lightened the mood. Jack turned around and yelled at the bartender to turn the music up.

  As her new friends talked, Stephanie glanced up at the television that was hanging against the wall, it was showing the news. The brunt of the storm was finally starting to hit shore after having stalled a bit in the ocean and gaining energy. The storm was worse now than they had predicted and news crews were up and down the northern coast of Oregon and Washington State getting video of the damage and weather. The area around Tillamook was being hit quite hard, some streets were starting to flood in places, and certain roads were now impassable. As the news was flipping through different video footage, they showed a picture of Sunset Café, Thomas’ café. Its lights were on and a few people were inside riding out the storm. Stephanie did not think too much of it at first until from across the table Jack said, “Hey there’s Thomas’ place.”

  Pockets spoke up next and said, “Speaking of Thomas, I saw him earlier today. He was up here in town with his kid and their two big ass dogs. I ran into them when they were going to get lunch at Santos Pizza over on Hemlock”

  “I was wondering when he was gunna get back up this way, I haven’t seen him or his boy in a few months. His son, what’s his name Daniel I think has to be getting big I would say,” Ben replied.