Ch. 22
Finally Under Way
I awoke to a
beautiful spring morning, daffodils were blooming birds were singing, and all
this was possible because I left the windows open in my house . From my bed I
could look into my perennial beds outside and beyond to see my raised vegetable
beds. Statues I had carved had become depositories for birds and chipmunks to
do their daily thing of leaving me mementos of the soup de jour of the day
before as it stains the wood. I look
farther past flower beds and one can see in the foggy mist the beginnings of a
new day as the sun is starting to rise and burn off the fog that covers the river
surface. A few flops of the big catfish can be heard signaling a day of feeding
ahead for these giants of the deep. Some as big as a man’s body. The fog lifts and
a motor boat can be heard plying its way up stream carrying and early fisherman
out to check the night’s bounty from trout lines he had placed some time
before.
I arose and
started some coffee, more than usual as Ann and Lee was there to help me drink
it. I also started some breakfast frying
up some turkey bacon to add to some pepper stir fry which would be the makings
of an omelet. In the relative quietness of the morning I heard the door close
on the little house and could imagine Lee or Ann would appear momentarily so I
grabbed an extra couple of cups from the cupboard and poured myself my first cup.
Then Ann appeared with Lee behind her.
“Wow old man we
didn't think you would ever stir. We had been waiting over here in the house
for a while to see your lights come on and see you moving.” Lee said.
Ann says to me.
“Don’t mind him , he is in a hurry to get started and we still won’t be out of Ohio today as we
are going to Corner ,Ohio to meet a tree climber to show us the ropes, so to
speak about climbing.
Lee added, “It
is about two hours of instruction and then we plan on heading to Missouri and
do it again with another climber. And hopefully by the time we get out there we
will be experts our self on tree climbing. In fact I have scheduled one more
teaching session out there in the redwoods, where we actually will be climbing.
“
“I see it is becoming quite the thing to
climb in trees again. Used to do it in the old days without a helmet or a rope,
At times we would just find a low hanging limb and just climb up in and head to
the top. Used to get high and sit in the trees. A different world up there. “ I
said as I poured them each a cup of coffee and we all sat at my kitchen table .
I had laid out the cream and sugar as I knew they would be around soon along
with the spoons to stir. Ann begin to
shovel the sugar into her cup taking three huge spoons and then added cream
till it looked like a hot cup of dirty milk , then finally tasted it and added
another half a teaspoon of sugar and I grimaced and said. “No wonder she is so sweet,
my god she is half sugar Lee. Don’t leave her out in the rain. “
Then Ann smiled
a wild quirky smile and said. “Well thank you Guy , what sweet words wonder why
Lee never noticed. “
Lee said, “I noticed
just didn't want it to go to your head. But apparently it did via your coffee
cup. I will say she hardly ever eats anything sweet but when it comes to her
coffee watch out. Reminds me of Ellie Mae coffee from the Clampetts on Beverly Hillbillies
where Ellie would pour out the coffee she would make, out of the coffee pot like black molasses, so thick you
could cut it with a knife . “
Lee and I just
laughed and Ann tried drinking her concoction and looked up and smiled as it
was just right.” And said now that’s coffee! “Lee and I laughed again.
“So are you sure
you won’t come along Guy?” and again I told them I felt it was better the two
of them should go and if they needed anything I could help them from here.”
Come out and rescue you if you end up playing tunes on a player piano stuck in
a Mexican brothel while Lee does dishes just to pay your way along after you
lose all those millions in a casino in Vegas. Remember what happens in Vegas
stays in Vegas including all the money you lose. “
Lee said. “ Don’t
worry Guy, Ann isn't much of a gambler except on me and I don’t have a pot to
piss in or a place to pour it, so doubt I will be gambling on much , but I do understand that you want us to
be alone on this trip . Lately we have been getting a lot of alone time and it
is great. Still wish you were going. “
Ann said , “Well Lee was a sure thing
and even though we will be cramped in
the old van we still always have room for you Guy. We just want you to know. “
I said I
appreciated their asking and will wait for news of their trip here and they
needed to keep in touch with me and they assured daily. Then I finished
breakfast we all ate and enjoyed tales of our childhood experiences of places
we had climbed, to forts we had fought in, and battles won and lost . They
transferred the containers carrying their equipment and took showers in
preparation for leaving.
The old van
was loaded to the gills with items needed for their trip. Ann kept going over
things needed and Lee kept making mental checks as to where it was in the van
for easy accessibility. They were finally ready to go and Ann gave me a hug and
thanked me for all I had done. Which was practically nothing and then Lee shook
my hand and I said “What’s this , not planning on coming back.” Lee laughed.
Ann said, “We will be back. “In her worse
Arnold Schwarzenegger voice, I convinced her she needed to pump up her muscles
before saying that as it looked more authentic. She tried it again and still I
wasn't scared, instead just laughed along with Lee as she did look kind of
stupid.
At last they
were in the van and heading down my lane, waving out the windows as the vintage
van exited my drive and headed out of sight. I turned and looked at Susie and
said ,” Lets go”. Susie was Babes new friend for a couple of weeks, and we all three headed
into the house.
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