Running Northwest

by Michael Melville

  Thomas knew moments like this, the four of them together just hanging out were coming to an end. So he enjoyed as many of them as he could. He looked over and smiled at Daniel who was feeding Layla a half-burned marshmallow. Thomas and his son talked about school, nature, fishing and their Christmas visit to Michigan. Before long, Daniel began yawning and said he was going to bed. After tucking his son in and giving Layla a quick head rub he and Harley went back outside and sat by the fire. He looked up at the stars that were out bright and clear above him. Thomas looked down at Harley then said, “Hey big girl, let’s go for a little walk,” and then stood up and walked down the sandy path that led to the open beach.

  He and Harley walked slowly down to the left of where they lived down to where the land curved outwards and rocks and trees met the ocean. Thomas sat down in the sand, lit a cigarette, and lay on his back. Harley stood on his chest with her two front legs; it was her way of demanding a belly rub. Thomas gave in to her then eventually the dog curled up next to him in the sand as he looked up at the stars and she out at the ocean.

  Thirty Nine

  For Stephanie the drive across country had shown her more things than she ever would have imagined both visual and in her mind. She saw parts of nature, small towns and people that she never knew existed, new ways of living and a new side of America. At many points, she found herself having conversations with her dog Shadow or people that were not there such as Thomas, Karen even her mother. Thomas told her once that when you drive across country alone you sort of lose it a little; she knew now he was right. The Rocky Mountains were well behind her now; the states of North Dakota, Montana and northern Idaho were amazing to see as she went through them.

  She stopped for a night in a place in the northern part of Idaho in a small town called Sandpoint. It was peaceful as she strolled around the small shops that lined their main street, which were already gearing up for Christmas time. On the top of mountains all around her as she drove west, she could see snow was already on their peaks. When she drove thru Glacier National Park there was already snow on the sides of road and down in the deep valleys below. That particular part of the drive was nerve racking for her since she was mildly terrified of heights. At one point, she stopped at a scenic pull out so Shadow and her could stretch their legs and take some pictures as well and collect her nerves. Shadow began growling as they faced some trees and a moment later, a large bull moose emerged from the growth. Stephanie practically had to drag Shadow back to the SUV as the moose made grunting noises and Shadow barked and growled spastically.

  She was nearing Portland, Oregon; it had taken her four days to get this far. She was far less intimidated about Portland this time around. It was nearly 2 pm, she had gotten a late start this morning choosing to sleep in a while longer To her right the Colombia river was giant and majestic, she never realized how large it was. The high cliffs to her left were hard to see and she found herself awkwardly arching her neck to see whatever there was to see while she drove. Once she got closer to Portland it began to rain a little, however she was not surprised at all. The once rocky and barren cliff side to her left began to change into an overgrown jungle of dark green spruce trees intermixed with other. At one point, he saw a giant waterfall off to her left. She briefly thought about turning around but decided that was a trip for another day. In just few hours, she would be in Cannon Beach, her new home, her new future and her new life. She smiled as she looked over at Shadow who sat quietly looking out the window with great curiosity.

  Once she was past Portland, she would call Ann or Beth and let them know she was nearly there. The last time she talked to them was somewhere in eastern Montana when she stopped for a night to sleep. They were obviously excited and busy getting everything set up for Stephanie. Stephanie’s things had arrived by truck already and Ann, Beth and the others took it upon themselves to move and arrange Stephanie’s furniture at least temporarily. They wanted to make her feel at home from day one. Ann made sure the movers put boxes in the rooms they belonged.

  The passenger side window was down halfway and Shadow had her nose stuck out of the window. She smelling the new air the new scents and trying her best not to get rain on her. Stephanie listened to her GPS as it began to guide her through the confusing highways of the greater Portland area. The tall buildings of downtown Portland went by her on the right as she edged the river driving through the city. She crossed over another river, went through a tunnel and eventually came to The Sunset Highway. She thought it was funny how much this “big” city reminded her a bit of Grand Rapids the way it was set up. Portland was, however, cleaner and better looking; with a much bigger river running through it. Portland was a sharp contrast to the small town she was moving too; she could never handle something this busy. She understood why Thomas avoided it when possible when he first moved out here. Instead, he chose the coast, the ocean, the smaller and quieter towns…a more laid-back life. He was never a busy person and moved at his own pace for better or worse.

  As she continued down the busy highway parts began to look familiar to her from her previous trip. She felt a mild amount of exhilaration as she realized she knew where she was. Ahead of her she could see the rolling coastal mountains getting closer as she kept heading about as far west as someone could go in the continental United States. She ran her finger through her brown curly hair that was pulled back in a ponytail, remembering it was time to call Ann. She reached into the console next to her and pulled out her phone, finding Ann’s number then dialing it. A few moments later, the old woman’s voice was on the other end.

  “Hey Ann it’s me” Stephanie said with a big smile on her face and waving to an old lady who was not even there. She told Ann she was just passing an exit for a suburb called Aloha.

  Stephanie put her earpiece in talked to Ann so she did not break any laws for about 10 more minutes. She told her friend about the things she saw driving today since she had left Idaho. By the time she got off the phone, Shadow was fast asleep in the back seat. Stephanie turned the volume on her radio up and kept driving, mentally trying to figure out everything she would need to get after she moved in, as well as thinking about all the “other” hypothetical things that could happen.

  She had been thinking about what Karen has said a few days before, accusing her of moving to Oregon for Thomas. At the end of the day, she knew she was terribly in love with him still and had known she had always been. She was moving to Oregon because of Thomas, yes, but not for him, and not just to be with him. Rather because of what he had meant to her and her life and how he changed it. It was because of him she went to Oregon where she fell in love with state and the coast on her first trip. She went to the coast in May to see him but never actually ended up speaking to him, but instead had found a part of herself she never knew was there, a part of her she needed that was why she was going. She had hopes about him though, those hopes she generally kept to herself. She had no idea if she and Thomas would end up together, but hoped at the very least that they could be a part of each other’s lives again.

  . . .

  The coffee shop was slow as he sat in the corner and read the paper. A few old men sat at the table next to him drinking their coffee and talking about sports, fishing and how much their wives pissed them off. Thomas was bored for a change at the shop. He was training someone new to work the shifts when Tracie was not there. The new kid was local, born and raised and had a good head on his shoulders; at least so it seemed. His name was Jackson, his father’s name was Archie, Thomas had known him for a while and he was a good man. Archie’s son Jackson wanted nothing to do with that life. He wanted to run his own business here on the coast that was not fishing-related, perhaps somewhere in Washington State. He was a freshman at the local community college so Thomas hired him to work two days a week and would teach him a thing or two about how business worked in the real world and not what the books said. Jackson trained one day with Tracie but she scared the hell out of him so Thomas did it instead
. The boy picked up the basics of making coffee and espresso drinks quickly, but the finesse and details would take time.

  Thomas periodically looked over the top of the paper to make sure his newest employee was at least trying to keep himself busy in between customers. He was reading the sports section from the Detroit Free Press that his sister sent him which he she did every week. She did it for him because the papers in Oregon were short on Detroit Lions news and Thomas missed his favorite pro football team. Football was not a deeply reported sport in the Oregon papers unless it was about the Beavers or the Ducks down in Bend and Eugene. He reached for his coffee cup and took a sip when his phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Derrick. He flipped his phone open and began talking as he stepped out the front door and lit a cigarette.

  They talked briefly and made plans to meet up at the bar in a few hours for a drink and catch the football game. Tracie was babysitting Daniel for a few hours that evening. The boy had a test in math in a few days and Tracie was going to help him study. The math was simple enough but Daniel felt more comfortable with Tracie helping him than his father. Thomas did not argue with his son about it since he just wanted him to understand it and do well, and more importantly not hate it as Thomas did as a young boy.

  Just after he came back in the front door of the shop, a large group of ten people came in. Regulars the bunch and Thomas knew what they wanted this time of year. Eight of them always ordered hot cider and two got coffee, they were usually good for two drinks each since they would sit and play cards for quite some time. Thomas decided to jump behind the counter and help Jackson whose eyes got noticeable wider when the group walked in the door. New baristas always got nervous with large groups especially when they were still learning. Thomas understood and had no issue helping, besides the fact he did not want his valued regulars getting upset…it was bad for business.

  Thomas began chatting with one of the regulars whose name was Parker he was an older man, a retired chiropractor from Montana. He explained to the man that Jackson was new and the group of older people laughed and understood, one of them saying “don’t rush young man just get it right”. It made Jackson less concerned having Thomas there and he began making the large hot apple ciders while Thomas got the two coffees ready. Jackson was having some issues with the cider so Thomas jumped in front of the steamer and showed the boy what he was doing. A few minutes later, they were done and the customers were sitting at their seats. Thomas chitchatted with Jackson as they were cleaning up. Thomas then spent some time showing Jackson how he kept track of supplies and explained a few other things to the boy, who asked questions which Thomas liked.

  After another two hours of a steady business the barista for second shift came around 3 pm. Thomas left a list of things he wanted Jackson to do since he was there for another hour. Thomas talked with his other employee for a few minutes and walked out the door. He had a few stops to make before he picked up Daniel at school at four then he would bring him over to Tracie’s house. The two of them were going to hang out there for a bit doing homework and eat dinner. Then Tracie would bring Daniel home and stay with him until Thomas got back around 10.

  . . .

  Not too far away Shadow was standing next to a waterfall off the side of the road. Stephanie found this same waterfall on her first trip out to the coast. The dog gently and slowly put her paw in the water below the waterfall, studying it. Then she walked closer to the small falls itself and backed away fast when she got too wet, sticking her rump in the air and barking as she backed away. Stephanie was watching this unfold and laughing harder than she had in weeks. They had been here for about 20 minutes already and it was almost time to go. They were almost home and Stephanie could not have been more excited and nervous with what she was feeling.

  She had earlier decided to take the longer to way to Cannon Beach instead of the faster highway that ran up to Astoria from Portland. She drove the through the mountain highway just as she had before when she came and left the coast. The drive would take her through Tillamook, the farms, the downtown area and past Thomas’ coffee shop, around the large bay, past his house and then eventually her rented cottage. She could not wait to see the small place again but this time with her own stuff inside. As she was getting Shadow back in the SUV her phone started ringing, she looked and saw it was her mother. She decided to talk to her as she drove, well aware that her mother was worried that her only daughter was driving across the country alone. The higher in elevation that Stephanie got while she drove, the harder the rain began to fall. Therefore, she ended the phone call with her mother.

  She looked over at her dog and said, “You know, Shadow, I just don’t get that woman sometimes. I live in Michigan and go weeks and weeks at a time without seeing or hearing from her. But now that I’m moving to the other side of the country she calls every few hours and acts all concerned.” Shadow who was sitting in the passenger seat just cocked her head to one side and then set a paw on Stephanie’s legs. Stephanie smiled and said, “Yeah, yeah, I know…you just want a belly rub and snack.”

  The rain became a mixture of rain and mist on the green trees on the sides of the road. The mist meandered in and out of the forest, over the road and seemed a little creepy at times. Up a head there some flashing lights, flares in the road. It was then she saw a state trooper parked in the middle of the road with his hand up as she approached in her car. She slowed down he came up to her window with a smile. Next to her, she could hear the throaty growl of Shadow, the dog was not happy about the man in the hat walking near them. She rubbed the dog’s head and ears to try to calm her down.

  “Evening ma'am sorry for this, but I’m going to have to hold you here for about ten minutes or so” the officer said.

  “I guess I don’t have any choice I don’t want to turn around and go all the way back the way I came; besides I’m not in a hurry. Is everything okay sir?” Stephanie asked as the rain cleared up enough where she could see more police, fire trucks, an ambulance, and some other machines.

  “Oh There was an accident with a logging truck a bit ago, quite bad people got hurt and we’re still getting things cleaned up” he said to Stephanie.

  Oh wow, that’s too bad. Well is it okay if my dog and I get out and stretch our legs a bit sir?” She asked.

  “Yes that’s okay just stay on the side of the road in case other cars come” The trooper said as he looked at Shadow who was still growling a little.

  “Your dog isn’t going to bite me is she,” he asked.

  “No she’s just being protective sir, she’s a little ornery from the long drive,” Stephanie said.

  In Oregon, vehicles had plates on the front and back, the trooper noticed Stephanie did not have one on the front so he went and looked at the rear of her SUV. Stephanie was on the passenger side getting Shadow out. “You’re from Michigan huh?” he asked then adding, “What brings you out here, that was a long drive” as he saw Shadow go into the grass and go to the bathroom watching him the whole time.

  “Actually I’m moving out here, we just spent the last four days driving out here,” She answered.

  “Very nice, it’s amazing out here isn’t it?” The trooper said.

  “It is very much, I came out in May on vacation and once I got home I eventually decided to sell my house and move out here,” She answered.

  “Wow, that’s brave. Are you moving into the Tillamook area?” He asked.

  “No I actually met some wonderful people up in Cannon Beach on my last visit and one of them is renting me their cottage for as long as I need until I find something else,” She answered.

  “It’s really nice up there; my wife loves that town because it’s so quiet. It’s pretty brave of you to move out here all alone without knowing anyone really,” The trooper said, making small talk as he kept looking up the road and listening to his radio.

  “Well, I have two old friends that live in Tillamook; one of them owns a coffee shop,” she replied withou
t thinking.

  “Oh really? Which one?” the trooper asked.

  “Umm…The Sunset Café,” Stephanie said, instantly realizing how she had slipped up.

  “Big Tom’s place? I know that place very well. I go there about once a week with the wife; she loves his tea. Once in while I stop in there during a shift to get coffee. Tom is a hell of a guy, gives me free coffee. His buddy Derrick owns The Whaleback Bar,” he replied with a big smile.

  Stephanie became irrationally paranoid that the trooper would call Thomas or Derrick as soon as she drove off. Yes, she wanted to see Thomas, but not her first day; she wanted to be settled in first. She thought fast about what to say.

  “How nice. I’m going to surprise them. I’m not supposed to be here for another two weeks…so don’t go telling on me yet,” she said with a wink and flirty smile, flipping her wet, dirty hair and giggling like an idiot trying to look attractive when she knew she clearly wasn’t.

  “Oh your secret is safe with me, Miss,” he replied with a smile just as his radio squawked with action.

  He walked away, put his ear to it, listened and then said, “I’ve got one coming through.”

  A moment later, he came back to Stephanie and said, “Well it looks like we can get you through now if you’re ready. Just drive slowly, there are big logs all over the road yet.

  Stephanie smiled and thanked him. She loaded Shadow into the passenger seat of the SUV, got herself in and put her belt on. Before she began driving, the trooper wished her luck on her move and reassured her he would not tell Thomas. Then she headed down the road. The accident looked horrible up close, a semi was on its side and a car was partially crushed by giant logs. Silently she wondered how often this happened.