The Kid & Me: Chapter Two: The Letters

(Author's notes. Hello, and welcome to the story of The Kid & Me. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing and putting it together. You probably won't be able to read The Kid & Me or its sequel, Laurie and Dag, in one sitting so you'll probably want to book mark this page. You can then use the links in the right hand margin to navigate between chapters, and if you are new you can start with Chapter One simply by clicking on the link to that chapter. In addition, there will always be a link at the end of each chapter to take you to the next one. Once again thanks for coming, and if you have any comments in regard to this story you may write to me at clydesplace@gmail.com or just leave comments in the comment section after each chapter.)

So where does one go to have some fun in the sun when he's just a two hour drive from the beaches of sunny Southern California? He heads east, to the sunny beaches of Southern Florida of course. The truth of the matter was that I wanted to be as far away from home as possible without leaving the country. It wasn’t difficult getting a flight on such short notice. It never really is when you’re willing to pay through the nose. It was the same way with the Hotel Reservations. Thanks to dear old dad, money was not object.

I booked me an expensive suite at the Bamboo Arms Hotel. After checking out the scenery, I quickly gave it the adopted name of Bimbo Farm Hotel. The room was large, the service was good and there the aforementioned scenery on the beach to take my mind off of both Susan and Frank. I did take time to plug up the laptop for all the good it did me. It was deader than the famous doornail. It had been ages since I had used it. The hotel concierge said he would see if he could scrounge one up for me to use, after I greased his hands with a few simoleans.


It was my third morning at the hotel, and I had managed to push the thoughts of what had happened at home into the back of my mind. I awoke early and decided to go for a stroll along the beach, followed by a quick dip in the Ocean. I finished it off with an icy cold Margarita at a little refreshment shack located at the back of the Hotel.

It was while I was sitting there having a mundane conversation with the bartender that I met Charlene who came walking up from the beach, and sat herself where she would be sure I had a good view of her very ample assets. It was a good thing she had those physical attributes because upstairs in the old noodle, the lights were not only off there didn't seem to be anybody home. It didn't make any difference to me though, as I'm not one to let such little details get into the way of having a good time. I mean, conversational skills are way over rated don’t you think. That’s probably why I can't tell you what we talked about. I do know that Charlene thought every syllable that came out of my mouth was the funniest thing she had ever heard.

The thing was, I wasn't trying to be particularly funny. Heck, if I knew it was that easy to make someone laugh, I'd consider performing at one of those comedy clubs. But to make a long story short, we sat at the bar a while, lounged on the beach a while longer, and then we went up to my room to check out the Hotel décor.. Yeah, I was beginning to feel like my old self again.

Only it wasn’t as much fun as it used to be. I honestly began to be bored with Charlene's company. She was an okay kid and all that, but even I needed a little conversation once in a while that didn't consist entirely of what I thought about Brad Pitt and Jennifer Aniston breaking up, was he really screwing around with Angeline Jolie, and didn't I think they would always be together, and so forth and so on. But finally, luck seemed to be turning in my favor and after about our fifth or sixth day together, she had to be on her way home, I think to Minnesota or Massacusetts. Maybe it was Maryland. I couldn't remember for sure except that it began with an M. At any rate she was gone, and I was happy, and our chances of ever meeting again were next to nothing or so I thought at the time.

The concierge finally hooked me up with a computer the hotel had long ago put into storage. It wasn’t much but it got the job done and I was glad to have it. After he helped me get it hooked up, which coincidentally was right after I hooked him up with some more Simoleans, I went in to check my email. There was no letter from Susan, but there was one from the kid which she had sent two days earlier.

Dear Joe,

I hope you don't get mad, but I am using the computer in your bedroom to send this email. I hope things are going well where you are. I would have written this from home but there were a couple of reasons why I didn't. The first is that Nick always has the computer at home tied up, and the second is that I couldn't take the chance of anybody sneaking a peak while I write because of what happened this afternoon.

I took you up on your offer to use the house and the pool, having decided to go for a leisurely swim. It was relaxing and helped take my mind off the events that happened before you left. Unfortunately, the relaxation didn't last long.

Your doorbell started ringing. At first I wasn't going to answer it but it just kept on buzzing until I thought it would drive me crazy. So I quickly dried myself off and went to answer it. As I started towards it, the door flew open and there stood Susan's husband Jim. I have to say he didn't look very happy, but frankly when he pushed open the door like that I just about jumped out of my bathing suit. He asked me....let me rephrase that…he DEMANDED to know where you were. I told him I didn't have a clue as to your whereabouts I was just watching the house while you were gone. He acted as if he didn't believe me, and started asking me if you were out of town or just gone for the day blah blah blah.

I said, "Look Mr. Dale, if you want to talk, then I'll come outside and we'll talk. Otherwise, I suggest that you leave." It kind of scared me in a way. No, not because I thought he would do anything rash, but it was obvious he was quite upset and people do strange things when they get like that, as you well know. (Leave it to the kid to find a way to get a dig in at me even if it was just a small one.)

That seemed to calm him down somewhat and he stepped back away from the door. Although it was against my better judgment I went outside.

He then asked me if I had seen Susan. I told him that I hadn't seen his wife and couldn't even remember the last time that I saw her. Then he wanted to know if she was keeping you company somewhere. I told him that although I didn't know for sure where you were, that you were on a trip, I was absolutely positive that his wife was not with you. It was then that he proceeded to tell me that she had left, leaving him nothing more than a note that said that she was leaving and that he should find someone else because she couldn't be the wife he wanted.

I told him I was sorry to hear about it, that maybe Susan would change her mind and return home. I said sometimes women just need a little space to clear their heads. I guess guys obviously do too sometimes, but that's neither here nor there. Anyway, he said he didn't think so. He said they had been having problems for quite a while, that Susan just hadn't been herself. Jim then started talking about how he always envied the friendship
she had with you, because she seemed able to confide in you about things she never would talk about with him.

I didn't answer that because then I would have had to start lying. Honestly, Joe, I don't think he really believes that she is with you. I think he was just kind of hoping. I kind of felt sorry for the guy, so I told him that if I heard anything about where she might be I would let him know. I also said that I would let you know he had been asking and he finally left.

He did get me to thinking, and I hope you don't mind me butting in. Well, even if you do mind I'm going to do it anyway. Joe, you can't just blame yourself because you slept with Susan. From reading the letter she wrote to you, I believe that even though Susan is your friend, there are things troubling her that even now you may not know about or understand. Of course, you know more about Susan's life than I do, so maybe I'm grabbing at straws. What I'm trying to say, Joe, is that she had already come to certain decisions and she was going to see those decisions through to the end. I do know that she obviously cares about you a great deal, which is why she chose to spend that evening together with you. Sometimes, no matter how hard we try to understand things, there are just no answers as to why things happen the way that they do. So we do the best we can to deal with the hand that is dealt to us, then it becomes time to move on. Anyway, I've butted in long enough. Graduation is just a few days away, and I can't tell you how much I hate it that you can't be there.

By the way, I have a job. Jace is going into the military as soon as school is out, so he recommended me as his replacement at the Mall. I haven't made up my mind about what I want to do, whether I want to go to college here, out of state, or not at all. I just can't seem to get a grip on it but will make my mind up eventually. Any recommendations? Take care, as I do hope you are working things out.

Always your friend,
The Kid

I had to chuckle at the fact that she had signed her email, The Kid. After all these years had she finally just accepted the fact that to me at least, she would always be that. I also had to chuckle at her not so subtle dig about guys needing space also and how people do strange things when they get mad. That may have been directed at Frank as well as me. I quickly wrote a reply, telling her that I was in Florida and what hotel, but unless anything other than a major emergency came up. She was not to tell anybody. I also told her that if Jim Dale showed back up and if she felt threatened to call Frank immediately. I knew she wouldn't lie, but I also knew that the kid was wily enough to work her way around it if she had to. I also told her to use the computer anytime she felt like it. And then after some thought, I ended it with this:

You may be right about Susan. I have always thought that I knew her. There's a line in To Kill a Mockingbird that says, "You never really know someone until you've walked in their shoes and stood on their front porch." I’ve come as close to walking in Susan’s shoes as one possibly could, but maybe close just isn’t enough. Perhaps I never knew Susan as well as I thought I did. At any rate, I'm grateful to have someone such as yourself who cares about my well being. I'm afraid I've burned a lot of bridges in my life, perhaps more than my fair share.

Tell Nick hello and congratulations on your new job. And congratulations on finally becoming an official high school graduate. Your graduation present is in the closet by the bathroom. Nick's is there also. I bought them sometime back, so you may have to blow the dust off. They're gift wrapped so you can't miss them. I had hoped to be able to give them to both of you personally but you'll understand why I cannot. I hope you like the gift and keep me informed, will you? Oh, and one more thing, check my phone messages and make sure that there's nothing on there from Susan or anything else I should know about.

Thanks for being a friend,

Joe

I knew at least for now, I could still count on the kid to be there for me. Of course that was probably until I did something to tick her off along with everybody else, something I was becoming quite adept at.

It was at the end of my third week at the Bimbo Farm that I met Dana. I had returned from town, hitting all the hot spots and had decided to take a moonlight swim. I did my swimming either very early or very late to avoid the Brady Bunch type family gatherings that would soon be running rampant up and down the beach, at the hotel pool, and in every nook and cranny of the Bimbo Farm. Christ, didn’t parents take their brats to Mickey Mouse World or whatever it was anymore?

When I went down to the beach, there was Dana, sitting in the sand, legs crossed gazing up at the sky. I looked upward and didn't see anything that I hadn't seen before as the moon was still there, and the stars were doing the same obnoxious twinkling that had inspired the equally obnoxious kid song. She seemed to take no notice of me standing there so I sat down next to her and looked upward. She continued to look upward, and so did I, but she did speak.

"Where's your little playmate?" she asked, "the blonde with the giggle disease?"

"She had to go home to Montana," I answered, still not really remembering which M state Charlene had hailed from. "Is staring at the sky a hobby of yours, or do you have some strange crick in your neck that I can help you with". For the first time she smiled.

"Astronomy is a hobby," she said. Then she told me about studying for her Masters in some field I couldn't pronounce or spell. "Do you know that the stars tell a story."

She lay down on the sand, which I did also, resting my neck up against her arm. "Most of the heroes of mythology are up there, like Cassiopeia, Andromeda, Perseus."

"Yeah, I saw that movie The Sure Thing too." I couldn't tell if she got the connection or not but when she laughed at my next line, I knew that she had. "Consider outer space if you will...." We both sat up.

"Yeah, I saw that one." she laughed. "Hi, I'm Dana." She offered me her hand, which I took and shook gently. I had a feeling there was going to be no fooling this one, and after Charlene from Mississippi, I was grateful to be having a conversation with someone who used words with more than one syllable and four or five letters. Not only that, she could spell them too. We ended up spending quite a bit of time together during that week. I took her out to the nightclubs, even a couple of movies. She told me a lot about herself, I told her less about mine but what was there to tell? I believe she had me pretty well pegged. What could I talk to her about? What did my life consist of but the many Audreys and Pams and Charlenes of the world. Yeah, talking about that would really win her over.

One evening while we were sitting on the beach, Dana turned to me and asked, "You don't have too many friends, do you? Otherwise, why would you be here in Florida, on the beach picking up some bimbo from Maine."

"I think it was Michigan" I laughed that she had picked up on the joke. "I've got lots of friends back home," I told her.

"I'm talking real close friends," she said, not every hot number in a bikini that walks by. I mean friends you can call and talk and confide your deepest darkest secrets to." I didn't like where this was going. At the moment, now that Frank and I were on the outs, I could count two....Susan, who was now gone, and perhaps the kid, and there were many things I wouldn't talk to the kid about. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"I have enough, more than enough." And to my way of thinking at the moment, it was true. I had many acquaintances, people I knew, people I talked to in the neighborhood, people that would come over to party. Other than that, I didn't feel like I needed a bunch of hangers on. She finally let the subject drop. About a week or so later though, it was time for Dana to leave and I was in front of the Hotel to see her off. After I had helped her with her luggage, and before she got into the cab, she looked at me, put her hand on my shoulder and gave me a brief but tender kiss.

"Poor Joe, you are such a lonely lonely man, and you don't even know it," She kissed me quickly again then was gone. I have to admit that after Dana left, despite the fact that the Hotel was filled to capacity, it suddenly felt empty. That’s why when I returned to my room, I was thankful for the email from the kid.

Dear Joe,

Graduation has come and gone, and I have much to write to you about. I wish I had been able to write sooner but my new job is keeping me busy along with everything else. Let me say from the bottom of my heart thank you so much for the heart necklace with the diamonds. It's the first time anyone has given me something like that and I will always cherish it. As a matter of fact, I've never owned anything with any kind of diamonds in it, so thank you again. Nick says thank you for the watch. I know both gifts were expensive because Dad said something about you just wanting to show off. Yeah, he's still mad. It doesn't matter though. I love it and that’s what counts.

I started my new job at the store at the Mall, and I must say it's much more work than I thought it would be. But having a job keeps me occupied while I come to some decisions about my life and I don't have to totally depend on Dad, even if there is plenty of money for college. You would think after all this time I would have my mind made up. If I decide to go on to college, I won't be able to go until next year because of my continuous indecision.

I finally apologized to Dad about what I said. He said we would talk about it after graduation, that he wanted Nick and me to go to Arcadia's for a graduation dinner she was cooking up. I think I made a face at him but to atone for my sins, I agreed to do it. Nick wasn't so easily convinced but he caved in. So after the ceremony, that’s where we ended up, one big happy family with a new unexpected addition, only I always thought if there were additions to a family they came wrapped in a baby blanket and not a granny’s shaw. Okay, I guess that wasn’t such a good joke.

It was all very awkward at first, and nobody had much to say. After dinner we were sitting around the table kind of staring at each other. Silence may be golden to some people, but to my way of thinking, it can be excruciatingly painful sometimes. So of course leave it to the my big blabber mouth to break the ice. I decided to apologize to her also, to try and smooth things over. Yeah I was still hurt about the way they had secretly been married, but as Dad had said, there ain't no changing it so you might as well learn to live with it. That must have started the ball rolling because then Arcadia started apologizing to me, and then Nick. Just like you though, Dad sat there in silence. He has never been much of one for apologies just like someone else I know. Even when I know he is sorry. What Arcadia said was that while it wasn't wrong for them to get married, they should have told us immediately. There were reasons why they didn't though. Here's the story.

It seems they had been seeing each other for quite a while. Remember back when we had that big flood in the bathroom from the stopped up toilet and she came over when Dad couldn't get it with the plunger. I guess he just started talking to her that day and it kind of got the ball rolling, and it kept rolling and rolling and rolling. She says Frank was one of the few people in town who didn't joke about the fact that she was a fix-it person, or make wise cracks about what she looked like wearing that tool belt around town and stuff. Arcadia was married before but her husband died quite a while back after having been taken ill. Anyway, it was Dad's idea that they go away for a week together, to try and be sure of their feelings for each other, and because basically he was tired of all the nasty remarks people made about her.

Remember that seminar in Phoenix Dad was supposed to be attending a couple of months back. There was no seminar, was no Phoenix but there was plenty of action in Las Vegas so to speak. Well I guess their first day there Arcadia began to throw caution to the wind and that's when she had the makeover done. Dad says she looked beautiful, but that their feelings for each other weren’t dependent on her looks. Yeah, but knowing how guys are, it sure helps doesn't it? Dad said he had never enjoyed himself or anybody's company as much as he did with Arcadia that week in Vegas. At least not since Mom died. They did a lot of gambling, went out to Hoover Dam, saw some shows one of which starred a guy named Wayne Newton, whoever that is. Just kidding again of course. And at the end of the week, they decided they were going to do it, get married that is. Arcadia says she needed somebody in her life, as much as Dad did. They were afraid that once they were back in town, they would both lose their nerve. I know what you are thinking, that this doesn't sound like Dad at all. Well, I've got something to say about that later, so sit tight and have a little patience.

Anyway, they went to one of the Vegas Chapels to get married. I think it was called the Love Me Tender Wedding Chapel. They even had pictures of Elvis Presley hanging all over the place. They had to grab a couple of witnesses from one of the casinos, and the way people get crazy in Vegas that weren’t a problem. Dad says the guy who performed the ceremony was kind of goofy looking and smiled a lot. Dad was very nervous about the whole thing. Arcadia says as they were holding hands, his palms were sweating like he had just come out of the sauna. Arcadia says that she was scared to death also, as it was for sure something she had never planned to do. "Yeah it was a crazy thing to do," she said, "but Frank and I both needed a little craziness in our lives after being such sticks in the mud for so many years". Those were her exact words. And she says they did think about us. Their flawed (might I add extremely flawed plan) was to come back home warm us up to the idea of them getting married, and then reenact the wedding ceremony again for us.

So now I feel even worse about what I said that night and going berserk the way I did. I think they both know it now. Of course they might have gotten away with their plan if someone hadn't been a big blabber mouth. Sorry, Joe, but I got to call them as I see them. I'm not saying that all the secrecy was right, if he had come to me afterwards, I would have readily accepted the idea. I'm sorry I called you a blabbermouth, because I know that if you had to do it all over again, you would have kept your mouth shut. I know you were upset about Susan, and I have a feeling Dad opened his big mouth also before I even got there, so I'm not letting him off the hook on that one either. I still don't know what was said between the two of you and this is something that you will have to eventually work out if that's at all possible. The problem is, you are both so stubborn that neither one of you will be willing to be the first to break the ice.

I do know this, much, Joe. Dad, in many aspects, has always been envious of your carefree ways and attitude. Don't ask me why, because I don't have an answer for that. While you always seemed so at ease with everyone, Dad was always shy and kind of laid back. He sometimes felt as if you were lording it over him with all your dates, your money, and everything. I don't think he ever thought that you did so intentionally, and I most certainly don't. But, sometimes people develop misperceptions about things for no reason at all. Now I kind of feel that Nick and I were the blame also for Dad never finding someone, as if we held him back in some way.

I do know that Arcadia is making Dad very happy. I told him as much at the table. Nick was his usual silent self. Arcadia said she had no intention of trying to be the motherly type, as both Nick and I were way too old for that. She just wanted us to be close friends, but only if we wanted to and not to force it. I guess Arcadia is one smart lady. Afterwards, before I left I gave Arcadia a hug, and gave Dad a real big hug and told him again I was sorry and that I hoped that Arcadia would make him very happy. When I let go, I think he said he had something in his eye, but I know better.

As for you Joe, I hope you just about have things worked out and have thought about what I told you in my last email. Sometimes I believe that you think you don't need anyone, but all of us need someone. Maybe someday soon, you and dad can work this mess between you out. I certainly hope so. One highlight of the summer has always been when you, dad, Nick and I would take in a Dodgers game. If we don't go this summer, it'll be the first time that I remember not going.

By the way, I checked your phone messages. There was a whole bunch on there from some woman who called herself Margaret Martinson. She says she desperately needs to get in touch with you in regards to your Cousin Veronica and something you inherited. Do you have a cousin? Yeah that's just what you need, is to inherit another fortune, as if you didn't have enough to go around. Remember me in your will, okay?

And here's a bit of news. The gossip around town is that Jim Dale is going to file for divorce from Susan. At least that's what your gardener, Erika, tells me. I don't know if that's good news, bad news, or I'm not sure kind of news.

As for yourself, I hope you'll be back soon. At least there's someone here who still cares about you. You've always treated Nick and I okay. What ever it is you are looking for, I don't think you're going to find it there. Take care,

The Kid

The funny thing about the Kids emails is at times she could make me laugh. At other times she seemed to see right through me. She was right about me and Frank though. Both of us were too stubborn to make the first move. I have to admit that I never knew I had given Frank any kind of an inferiority.

I wrote back to her:

Dear Kid,

I'm glad to hear that you enjoyed your graduation present and you are welcome. You can pass that on to Nick also. You can tell your Dad that I was not showing off, that I gave those gifts because of the friendship that we share and have always shared. As you know, the gifts I gave you and your brother express what I have trouble putting into words.

I am glad that your father is happy with Arcadia. You are also right about the stubbornness in both of us, and I have never been one for apologies. I wish I could say something to make you think that this rift will heal, but when you get to be my age, I guess it’s just too late to change your ways, although it certainly sounds like Frank has changed his. He is one that I thought would never get married during a wild week in Vegas, and I guess they did just up and do it and it wasn't something they connived and plotted about. I do wish I hadn't told you now about them being married, but what's done is done and you can't go back in time to change things, can you?

I don't know why everybody thinks I'm such a lonely person. You're the second person this week to imply that I was. I think I'm okay, and I certainly never lack for company as you well know by now although sometimes I wish you didn't. At least you never were judgmental about it as some people are, without mentioning names.

I never thought that I was trying to make Frank feel inferior in some way. I always thought he enjoyed hearing my stories, most of which I hope you never hear about young lady. So I can't apologize for something that was unintended. I am happy that you have worked things out though, and I do wish him the best in his new life.

What am I looking for? I'm not sure that I'm searching for anything. I am the person that I am, and there is nothing that can change that.

As for the phone calls, I know of no Mrs. Martinson although after racking my old feeble brain I do remember a cousin Veronica that I had. We only met a couple of times years ago when I was very young. I'd almost forgotten about her. I think she went overseas to do some missionary work or something. So I'm not sure what that could be about.

Honestly though, I'm okay. I've managed to push Susan to the back of my mind. I took to heart what you said in your last email, and I do understand that what happened was kind of fifty-fifty. She wanted to, and I was willing and weak. That doesn't mean that it was any less of a mistake though. I sent her some emails, but they came back as being undeliverable to that email address.

I don't know what to say about Jim except that he has to do what he has to do. It's not unexpected, just kind of quick in my opinion. Then again, it could be they've had much more trouble in their marriage than I thought. I never had anything against the guy, he just didn't care for me that much, but he's one in a long list of people in regards to that.

As for you, kiddo, I hope you won't let all those young studs wandering the mall try to take advantage of you. Of course since you know me, you should be wise to any of that sweet talk bologna they'll be feeding you.

I do miss not having you around even if you are a pain in my backside a good portion of the time, and if I make it back before summers over, we'll take in that Dodgers game. Nick can go too if he wants. Unless of course you end up going with Frank and Arcadia. Thanks for being there for me though. At least I know I have you in my corner, cheering me on. Maybe one day, some day, all you're efforts to get me to change will pay off. Just don't hold your breath. Take care, kid.

I sent the email and quickly shut off the computer. I thought I would head down to the beach and do some swimming, and see if I could find something to interest me. I did of course, and her name was Rachael. She was not much of a talker. I think she was into hand signals like running her fingers across my scalp and up and down my chest.. She came on to me like a fireball hurdling down a mountainside. Yeah, it was obvious she was going to be easy to nail, too easy. What was the fun in that? Better some company though than no company at all. Late in the evening, we ended up out on the balcony. She seemed to have a thing about us standing there necking four floors above the beach below. It was like she thought we were putting on a show for the whole world. It was all pretty easy, but eventually we left the balcony and ended up in my suite on the couch. The problem was, no matter how hard I tried, I just couldn't get interested and the more I tried to become involved with what we were doing the more I felt like I was just going through the motions. In other words, I was bored.

It wasn't Rachael's fault I guess. There had been plenty of women who had come on strong to me before, women like Charlene just a couple of weeks ago, and that had never stopped me. I eventually managed to shake myself loose, told her I was sorry that I had been feeling under the weather all day long and it had finally caught up to me. She just said she understood, although I don't think she really did. She left my room in a bit of a snit. It wasn't long before I found myself out on the balcony, alone with my thoughts.

Perhaps Dana and the kid were right. Maybe I was lonely for some good companionship. I had certainly enjoyed Dana's company way more than I had enjoyed being with Charlene or Rachael, and Dana never got close to my bed. I thought back over the days I had spent at the hotel. The most enjoyable moments were the moments I spent alone, walking along the beach or swimming in the early morning hours, the week I had spent with Dana, and the emails from the kid I had begun to look forward to reading. What had happened with Susan, had happened, and as the kid had said, there was no going back to change it. I missed Susan, I missed knowing that she would always be around somewhere, but when she finally did reappear, perhaps the many things that were troubling her would be a thing of the past. As I looked out at the full moon and the empty beach, I knew there was no longer a reason for me to be there. I quickly left the balcony and began to pack. It was time to go home.

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