La Photographie Moderne

by Neil Crenner

feel better now. I rarely get an upset stomach, probably too much coffee this morning."

  "Oh?" Didier says, "You look like you've seen a ghost. Well I am glad you feel better, I was worried it might bother you the rest of the day."

  "Oh no, it's not that serious. An antacid usually takes care of it. Too much coffee and now iced tea."

  "Well good," Didier replies, "No ghosts today."

  'Little does he know,' Reason thought. They order tuna salad sandwiches with coleslaw. They eat and it is delicious, and Reason forgets about the vision and the upset stomach.

  "I was reading here on the back of this menu, the history of this place, it is quite old, it was started in 1927 by a Lisa-Maebelle who had married a Thurston Crowe, who was the lighthouse keeper. She filled her time baking pies and cobblers while he stayed at three different lighthouses. This bakery and then a restaurant she ran for 24 years and then she had an accident and could not work anymore. She retired and gave it to her daughter-in-law, Stacey. Stacey returned to her home back in Connecticut shortly after Lisa-Maebelle died in 1967. It doesn't say who owns it now, but that it is run in the tradition that it started in, with homemade pies and cobblers.

  45 minutes later

  "Didn't the sign on the lighthouse say 'Les Thurston's Fin'?" Didier piped up after finishing his Black Currant Cobbler.

  "That sign did say that. Maybe that was one of the lighthouses he would stay at?"

  "Or maybe it was the last one he stayed at?"

  "Yeah it doesn't say when he died, before or after his wife?"

  "Maybe the place is haunted?" Didier quipped.

  "Well that is interesting, I am so glad we stopped here."

  "Yes me too, the food was delicious. Well let's get going." They paid the bill and departed. Reason was thinking about the story of the place. Maybe that was Lisa-Maebelle Crowe he saw in his vision. Why would he see that vision he wondered. He couldn't figure it out and didn't want to just now. He wanted to enjoy the day, enjoy Didier.

  They were back in the convertible and heading home once again. Their stomachs were full and their bodies rested, it was a wonderful feeling. It just took another hour or so to arrive home, to Santa Barbara. The drive was tiring, and they didn't speak much. Just a point there, another one there. Reason had asked Didier to drive after lunch, he wanted to be chauffeured. Very lovely, there's nothing as good as a long drive on a beautiful day Reason thought. He didn't feel guilty about it, just totally immersed in the scenery. Those days it seemed were far too few in-between. That should change he thought, for the better. His mind was rattling on again. He wished he could turn it off and relax.

  "I can drop you off at your place and then take the car back to the car rental," Reason told Didier.

  "Yes, I am tired, I just want to get home and relax for a while. Then maybe a bite to eat later?"

  "How about if I order a pizza and we watch an old movie?" Reason asked.

  "That sounds good. I will call you after I nap." They headed towards Didier's place.

  When Reason was back on the road to return the car, his mind was racing again. He couldn't get the vision of the lady falling out of his head now, could she be the women who owned the café, Lisa-Maebelle Crowe, he thought. He was surprised that he remembered her name. The mystery was amiss.

  He was soon home himself. He had relinquished all those thoughts and was now sitting with Colbert. Trevor had come by and dropped her off earlier that day. She was so happy to see Reason, and showed it by cuddling up next to him on the bed, her tail wagging non-stop. He sometimes forgot about her, out of site out of mind. How awful, or thoroughly pleasant, he thought. He would lay there and take a nap as well. Or try to take one.

  Chapitre 17

  A short while later.

  When he awoke, it was dark outside. He felt groggy. The nap was longer than he anticipated it would be, just over an hour. Colbert was asleep as well. The still of the evening was upon him, and he lay there feeling it. It was sometimes an eerie feeling, the total quiet and darkness of the place. He laid there and absorbed it. It was the only way to make it go away. He felt alone during this time of the night. It bothered him, so he just lay there, soon it would go away.

  The phone rang and the eerie feeling departed at once. It was Didier, he had napped and showered and was famished. He was on his way over. Reason quickly arose and went to the bathroom to jump in for a quick one. Just to wake up. The next day was work, he dreaded that. It was always a dreadful feeling, come Sunday afternoon, early evening, even though the next day was Tuesday, and he had a hard time trying to relax in the evening. He forgot to call for pizza. He went to the kitchen to get the number. Just as he was ordering he heard a knock on the door. "Just one second." He laid the receiver down and went to answer the door.

  "Come in, I am ordering the pizza now. I forgot to after you phoned." Reason went back to the kitchen.

  "Yes, that's right, thank you," Reason said and then hung up the phone. "It will be here in 30 minutes."

  "I am starving. How was your nap?" Didier stood in the kitchen with a bottle in his hand.

  "Too long, I still feel groggy. You brought wine, yum, let's open it." Reason started to look for the opener.

  "I slept for about 20 minutes and that felt great. So what movie are we watching tonight?"

  "The movie is Laura with the handsome Dana Andrews. Have you seen it?"

  "Another movie about a big house with ghosts."

  "My favorite. Well there was this movie that I watched when I was a child and I can't remember the name of it and so I am trying to watch all the movies with big houses with ghosts to see it."

  "Pour the wine and let's watch it," Didier smiled as he said this.

  "I am doing the best that I can." Reason poured the red wine into two glasses. "The movie is in the DVD player already, let's go."

  They went into the living room, Didier sat down and patted the cushion next to him, "Sit here babe."

  Reason sat down next to him and put the bottle on the coffee table. "The remote is next to you, just hit play." Didier grabbed the remote and pressed played.

  "The movie's starting, no talking," Reason said and giggled.

  "You brat," Didier said and rubbed Reason's head.

  20 minutes later.

  The doorbell rang and Reason jumped up. "Pause it please." Reason went to the door and pulled money from his pocket. "Just keep the change. Thanks."

  "Let's get some plates and eat in front of the TV"

  "We can just eat it out of the box," Didier suggested.

  "It's too hot, I need to sit it down on the table."

  "I am coming." Didier followed Reason into the kitchen.

  "Here's a plate, get all you want."

  "It looks delicious. Pepperoni, black olives, mushrooms and jalapenos. I'll be on fire later."

  "You might not, cooked jalapenos are not as hot."

  "Good to hear that."

  "I am ready."

  "I see why you like this movie. It reminds you of the weekend."

  "Yes old mansions are so romantic. I would love to live in one.'

  "Maybe one day you will," Didier suggested. Reason's eyes widened.

  "Now that's a thought." They returned to watching the movie.