CALIFORNIA
IS
MY HOME
(BUT I STILL LOVE TEXAS)
PREFACE TO THIS STORY
This is another of my auto biographical, action adventure stories. This one is based on bringing Honey (my motorcycle) back to Santa Cruz, California, from Austin, Texas. Hopefully you've read my story entitled "Sometimes You Find Love In The Most Unexpected Places," it will explain in more detail why I had left her there, and why I went back to Austin, to bring her home.
WRITTEN BY:
Ned Opdyke
nedopdyke@gmail.com
opdykeconstruction.webs.com/
OTHER STORIES BY THIS AUTHOR
The Gospel According To Ned - December1989
The Return of the Gospel According to Ned, Part II - March1990
The Yucatan Peninsula vs. Hurrican Wilma - October 2005
Please Allow Me To Introduce My Selves - November 2008
From Here To There And Back Again - June 2009
I Love Texas - May 2009
Sometimes You Find the Love In The Most Unexpected Places - July 2009
The Last Adventure… (of 2009)
SATURDAY 9/26/09: SANTA CRUZ (CA) to KILLEEN (TX)
I slept in. It was 6:30am, and I didn't know it then, but I would be grateful later.
I did a short workout at the gym, which basically amounted to a soak in the hot tub, a few minutes in the steam room, and a nice hot shower. I didn't shave, I'd already warned Gaeir that I was gonna be nice and scruffy for her when I returned from my trip in a week. She says she likes me clean-shaven… that I look younger. Darn these gray hairs.
I was leaving for my brief, temporary home of Killeen, Texas, to retrieve my motorcycle Honey. I'd spent the last two months without her, after leaving her and flying back to Santa Cruz, to give Gaeir and my relationship a trial run. It had gone better than anyone could've possibly expected. Even better than I could've dreamed, and I have a pretty good imagination.
In fact, I have been accused of having an overly active imagination, and sometimes spending too much time in my fantasy world, instead of our real one. To these people I say, "poo-poo on you-you." I spend plenty of time in our real world… please don't condemn me for wanting to enjoy some time away once in awhile.
Besides, more often than not, my 'fantasies' are based on something going on in the real world that simply needs some embellishing, in order to make it 'taste' just a little better. Don't worry though, this story is goanna be like all my previous ones… true blue through and through. You can trust me on that. Honest. You all know me well enough by now don'tchya?
When I got back to the house after my 'workout' and finished packing, I still had over an hour to kill, so I emailed G another package of pictures of myself, hoping she would find one or two of them 'work safe' enough for her to print and post at her office, to prove to her coworkers that I really exist.
That's not really true… Jayme, her right-hand man, had met me already… she just wanted to have something at her desk to remind her how supremely lucky she is to have such a good lookin' boyfriend. I wonder if her eyes are gonna roll back in her head when she reads this.
I had a small panic attack because she was running late, but she dropped me off at the San Jose airport right on schedule, which meant I had an hour to kill. Just enough time to relax at the Shark Tank with a double Crown Royal on the rocks, and talk with her on the phone, trying to apologize for my really bad joke about her most previous relationship…
I had made a comment about the fact that she wanted to maintain a platonic relationship with this guy, even though it was very clear that the only kind of relationship he was interested in, was a sexual one.
I told her, "I guess beggars can't be choosers," and we parted at the airport with me feeling horrible for the comment, and her just feeling horrible.
I'd forgotten how fragile her self-esteem was. My argument for my forgetfulness continues to be unchanged. Gaeir is one of the most intelligent, beautiful, and enlightened beings on this planet, and I find it very difficult to understand how she could possibly have any doubts about herself in even the slightest way.
Of course in reality, I really don't know her all that well yet. I suppose there's the possibility I'll find a skeleton or an abusive uncle in her closet. I'd be surprised if I do though… she's been very forthcoming and obviously sincere in opening all her doors wide open for me, including her closet.
As I was boarding the plane, I remembered something she'd told me on the way to the airport. I'd told her I generally wait until everyone else has gotten on the plane, so I'm not stuck in the sardine can any longer than necessary. She told me that she likes to board as soon as possible and goes straight for the 'emergency exit row,' which has more legroom. I'm so glad she told me about that. I'm not sure why I'd never thought of it before. I'm always gonna do that from now on. Don't tell anyone about this ok? Let's keep it our little secret, shall we?
I'll never understand how these things fly, and will always be amazed, but sure as I'm sittin' here… our big metal bird got us to Killeen right on schedule.
I called Taumie (my niece) to find out what kind of a car I should be looking for. As I walked outside, lit my cigarette, and finished the conversation, I drooped my head… shook it sadly and slowly side to side… and let out a sigh. She had forgotten me.
Her words: "Derrick is leaving in my truck right now and should be there in less than an hour." It was 7:05pm. At 9:05pm, I walked over to the front of the line of taxis and asked the driver to take me to Killeen. Derrick's cell phone 'died' so we didn't have any idea where he was, but I couldn't afford the time to continue waiting. I wanted to be on the road by 8am the next day, and I knew it was gonna take a couple hours to prep Honey for the trip, and it was gonna be well after midnight before I would get to sleep… if I got in the taxi and started towards Taumie's house now.
The unexpected $160 out of my very limited travel funds was gonna hurt, but my butt hurt even more, after sitting on the concrete bench outside the airport for as long as each of my flights had been to get to Austin.
As I was getting to Taumie's house, she called and said that Derrick was ok. He'd taken the 'long cut' to get to the airport, and had been pulled over twice on the way, because Taumie's truck's license plate lights were not working. Then… to top it off, instead of driving up to the arrivals sidewalk to get me, he'd somehow decided it would be better to park in the garage and walk into the terminal to look for me. Derrick is a nice kid, but he's not the brightest bulb in the box, by any means.
When we got to Taumie's house, I paid the cabdriver and went through the house and directly to the back patio where she and her friend Kristie were… doing what they do so well… smoking and talking. I barely acknowledged them, and went straight to Honey. I walked around her three times… stroking her, and telling her how much I loved her, and how sorry I was for leaving her unattended for so long. Then I went back and sat down with Taumie and Kristie and joined them for about an hour and a half, smoking and talking… and drinking. After the ordeal at the airport, I needed a beer… or six.
We played catch up on the two months that had passed since I'd left Honey in their backyard. They were both sincerely happy for me, but said they were also sad that I was not going to be staying with them. Taumie can always touch my heart. My eyes watered… she loves me… she really loves me. In bed and asleep at 12:30am.
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