Ch.38
Fire and Damnation
Darla awoke the next morning before in a
flannel whatever it was that had footies. I thought to myself so goes that wet dream
and chuckled. It will teach me to not let my imagination run wild as she
breezed past my couch bed, trying to be quiet . I lay there on my couch bed and
wishing I had the engineer’s neck who designed this bed, and at the same time
wondering what she was doing up so early when she had such a nice bed to sleep
in till at least eight anyhow. She was being quiet trying to make coffee and
breakfast without making any noise and she wasn’t doing a very good job. Sometimes
muttering ‘now where are the pans?’ Loud
enough for me to hear, as she would open this door and then the next. Ann was responsible for loading the kitchen
cabinets and stocking the road warrior as that was her forte , organizing. Sure
wasn’t me I am kind of let’s see if it fits here. I always admired those
perfect pantries but when in my house you better watch for avalanches when
opening cabinet doors. But this was still Lee and Ann’s Road Warrior and so I
would put everything back as I should. Now
it seems as if Darla can’t find anything or she was trying her best to wake me
up. I could think of better ways she could wake me up, I thought to myself and chuckled.
I heard her cuss under her breath as again she couldn’t find something so I said.
“Morning Darla. Need something?”
“I can’t find the coffee, an essential for
me this morning. Could hardly sleep last night. I just tossed and turned.” Darla
remarked.
“Top
shelf above the coffee pot. Ann laid it out,” I said wiping the sleep from my
eyes and still laying in the couch bed and watching her bounce around in the
flannel whatever and scooting her footies against the carpet in swooshing noises?
“Figures, I never let her organize
anything when I was at Gunnite. Told her it was my job and that she had more
important things to do. Sorry I woke you up, besides you are wasting the day. I
guess I should have said good morning Guy, I figured I would get up and cook us
something to eat. How about some French toast and an egg?”
“So you can’t sleep and coffee may help.”
I asked sarcastically already knowing the answer.
“Well I don’t think it will help me with
that but thought I could get moving and then take a nap this afternoon, imagine
we will need a break if possible. We are our own bosses aren’t we?” She inquired.
I laughed at that thought. I wish we were.
You are always answering to someone on some level. I was going to get up but was
confined to the bed as I slept with boxers and just a sheet over me and only since Darla or
someone else was in the Road Warrior. When at home and alone I would usually sleep naked . I secretly hope that if I
should happen to die in the middle of the night then I can at least make people
wonder what I was up to that I ended up this way. I think about that and smile
before going to sleep so that I can add to that effect if found. Better than
being found naked is dying naked man with a smile on my face to really get them
going.
I finally said to Darla as she was doing
the coffee. “I need to get up and I only have my boxers on. Could you step in the
bedroom please for a minute?”
She says “ Oh sorry , sure in just a
minute.” I waited for her to finish the coffee.
She
then steps into the bedroom and I grab my shorts and slip them on and find my
shirt and say to her OK as I head to the bathroom after switching on the news
on the TV.
And I hear: “The fire appears to be
contained about six miles from Fortuna but you need to stay tuned to Ch. 5 News
updates for more information. Again the forest fire north as it appears on the
map and east of Lincoln appears to be under control. Further advisories will be
posted to this station if other warnings are issued. It appears to have burned
2 houses and has scorched over six square miles of forest. Conditions in Southern
California are very dry and fire warnings are being issued. Make sure all campfires
are thoroughly quenched and under control. You are responsible for the damage.”
The TV announcer stated as he read the news cast.
I told Darla I was in bathroom, and she
reappeared in shorts and a t-shirt from the bedroom and returned to what she
was preparing our breakfast. I washed my
face and looked at myself in the mirror and hoping the coffee eliminates some
of those lines in my face otherwise I may have to get a job as a raisin. I look young for my age but it is the eyes
that tells the tales and maps the road to your life. And right now my eyes look
like a road well-traveled. Oh well what would she expect when I am sleep
deprived. I washed my face and reentered the kitchen, slash my bedroom with
that couch bed and that damn prodding bar. It was then I realized I needed to
change my attitude as I was just hurting. Hurting from nerves’ frazzled. I figured
I needed to take a couple of Tylenol and my prescriptions and smoke a joint and
drink a couple of cups of coffee and it will all be better. Trying to spark a
conversation I asked Darla if she heard the news report about the fire being so
close to us.
She returned with. “I thought I saw smoke
over the hill behind the camper. It was out
the back window.”
I went
to the back of the Road Warrior and looked myself and sure enough there was
smoke coming up over the hill.
I said. “Wow you’re right; I bet we may be
close to that. I am going outside and see if I can find out anymore, you listen
to the TV and see if you can find out more. We can also Google forest fire
alerts – California, and see what comes up. We may have to get out of here.”
Darla says to me, “Yes you go ahead and
see what you can and I will check it out on the internet and see what I can
find. You may check with the office at the campsite. They should be the first t
know if there was an alert and we have to move.”
I said I will and I hurried out the door
after taking a swig of coffee and swallowing a couple of Tylenol . I went
around to the back compartment where I hid my pot and grabbed me a joint and
a lighter and started walking in the direction
on of the office and took a couple of quick hits off the joint and quickly put it
out as I approached the office and saw the sheriff cruiser with its lights on. A
crowd had gathered at the park office and was waiting to hear an officer speak
as I walked up to the crowd. He was in the process of asking us to move out of
the park and evacuate. He said : Although the fire was under control now it
could flare up anytime and that we need to be vigilant in watching for changing
conditions but asked as a precaution we evacuate further south . Driving south
or north along highway 101 would be acceptable but we need to avoid north and
east of where we were now.
I had been north and we need to go to Sequoia
National Park and that is southwest, so I figured Darla and I better pack it up
and get out of the park as soon as possible.
I walked back to the Road Warrior and told
her that we needed to get out of there as soon as we can. That there was an alert and evacuation notice
and we may be in trouble. She said breakfast was ready and asked if there was
time for a shower and I said sure they are asking us to move out not requiring us
to go. Should have plenty of time as I could use a shower also.
We hurried with our breakfast and while Darla
was in the shower I again hooked the jeep to the rear of the Road Warrior and
rolled up the awning and stored all our stuff. Checked the fluids on the Road Warrior
and then went inside to shower. Darla was finishing the dishes and cleaning and
storing everything as I came out of the shower. I went outside and unhooked the
water, sewer, and electric and was soon seated in the front of the Road Warrior
not having really planned on much as to where we were going, but to just get
the hell out of there as fast as we could.
I started the Road Warrior and pulled onto
the access road to the office was soon stuck in a convoy of pickups with travel
trailers, motorhomes and cars, all headed for the front gate. A sheriff was sitting
at the front gate as I could see the smoke over the hill growing in intensity. And
here we were in a forested RV park and sitting in a metal coffin waiting to get
out of here. I tried to be calm but drummed my fingers on the steering wheel
and Darla sat there in the other captain seat silent knowing my silence meant
we were in danger. Finally we get to the gate and I turn on my turn signal and
signal turning left and the sheriff stopped me and warned me there were reports
of smoke across the road and maybe I should go north. I felt we would be
alright as long as we were not sitting in the path of a fire. He said be careful
and drive slowly in the smoke if visibility is reduced. I pushed on the
accelerator and gunned the engine and soon we were headed down the highway to
the south and hopefully away from this danger. As I rounded the corner away from
the park entrance, I looked ahead and smoke was making its way across the road.
(To be cont.)
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