Chapter 2

Stepping inside Laura's trailer I was taken by surprise, it was definitely a case of you can't judge a book by it's cover. The place was small but it was tidy and well kept, pictures on the wall were a mixture of kids, family, and exotic locations. She must of noticed me looking at the pictures and started telling me about certain ones, of course there were pictures of the kids, her and the kids, the kids with the grandparents, and so on and so forth. All at once she said, "where are my manners"? "would you like something to drink"? I told her yes, it'd been pretty dusty on the road and that was a taste that was hard to get rid of. Laura came back with a soda, "Sorry all I have is soda", Laura explained. "I don't keep beer anymore, nobody here drinks,at least not anymore", Laura's voice trailed off. "So I hope this will cool you off". I can't explain it but there was something about Laura's nature, the way she opened her home to a perfect stranger or maybe it was the way she smiled.Whatever it was, or wherever it took me I was brought back to reality by the slamming of the screen door. "Momma"!! a loud voice yelled, "I looked all over for Lenny and I couldn't find him anywhere". "I even asked them boys Lenny hangs around with, they called me bad names and said if I came back they'd throw rocks at me". I looked at the girl, she couldn't be much older then seven or eight. I had to laugh a little, she was just so serious about what she was saying. She then turned to me and said.."Who is this Momma"?, the little girl questioned. "This is the person who brought Lenny home", Laura explained. Well she turned to me and said "Are you a policeman?, 'cause you don't look like one". "Last month Lenny was brought home by a policeman, isn't that true Momma"? The little girl said looking at Laura. At that point Laura looked as if she'd like to hide in a hole, her cheeks reddened slightly. "Honey we don't want to keep bringing that up, it's just not polite". Laura gentlyexplained to the little girl. I leaned over to the girl and asked her name,"My name is Sue Bee, and I am eight years old", "Whats your name'? Sue Bee asked. "My name is Josh, and it's been a long time since I was eight", I said trying to make a joke. The only person who even giggled was Laura, at least my humor was totally wasted. "Well if we are going to eat I'd better get started on dinner", as Laura went to the kitchen. "Why don't you make yourself comfortable, it shouldn't be too long". Laura yelled from the kitchen. As I sat down Lenny approached me, he had changed and he had a book in his hand. "Could you read me this book, please"? Lenny asked. I looked at the book, "Cat In The Hat" was the name of the book, It took me back to when my Mom used to read to me, I had very good memories of those days, although they were few and far between. "Sure Lenny, I'll read to you".(chapt 2 cont.)
I had just read a couple of pages of the book to Lenny when Laura called from the kitchen, "Dinners ready, come and get it while it's hot".
Everybody sat down at the table as Laura brought the food to the table, looking around something passed through my mind..so I asked. "When I was talking to Lenny he said he had two sisters". Laura replied, "Yes I have another girl, her name is Jody". Laura continued, "She is at her Grandma's place for the day, it's kind of nice to be able to get somethings done without everyone underfoot". SueBee then spoke up, "That's where Lenny was suppose to be, before he run off with those boys". "SueBee, that is enough! Lenny was spoke to about this and now the subject is closed", Laura said..giving SueBee a look. Then Laura turned to me, "I hope you don't mind pot-luck, sometimes it gets a little patchwork toward the end of the month". "But I guess I am luckier then some of the people here in the park". "I see the owner isn't much for maintenance around here", I said. "Well people here at the park for the most part aren't rich, they're mostly on pensions and disability", Laura said. "You mustbe passing through", Laura said.
I asked her how'd she figure that out. "Well I know pretty much everybody around here, and I think I'd remember you if I had met you before", she had a little twinkle in her eye when she said that. "Momma and Josh sitting in a tree", SueBee started singing. "You hush SueBee, your food is getting cold", Laura said. It was kind of funny, Laura's face blushed slightly as she got up to clear the table. I was about to get up to help when Laura said "No you sit, I'll be just a minute". When she came back Laura asked "So where are you staying tonight"? "If your not picky about accommodations I have a couch. It's old but very comfortable". "I appreciate the offer, the weather doesn't look too good out there tonight", I said.After supper Laura, the kids, and myself went into the backyard, a yard as in a patch of grass and a beat up picnic table. A few kids toys were strewn around, just in case you didn't know any kids lived here. The dark clouds that were lingering had now cleared out, it was replaced by a beautiful blue sky that had tinges of reds and yellows in it. While the kids were playing Laura and I had a chance to talk, and we got to find out a little about each other and the lives we had led. I told Laura about my leaving home and traveling throughout the country, all the places I had been and people I had met along the way. Laura said it must be great just to go where you want and do what you want, without having to follow any kind of schedule. I told her that yeah the traveling was pretty good, but looking for someplace to sleep at three in the morning when the rain is coming down in buckets makes you question why you are doing this. I told her about going to college and graduating, thewaking up and realizing that I hadn't learned anything. How after a couple of years of several dead-end jobs, which included a three hour stint as a waiter in a Friendlys I decided to look for myself out on the open road. Laura laughed, "Three hours?, what happend with that"? I told her about the old woman who came in and wanted a bowl of soup, and when I brought it she complained it was cold. So I took it back to the kitchen and had it reheated, and then I returned it to her. Well she complained it was still too cold, well I took it back to the kitchen and put it in the microwave for a couple of minutes. When that soup came out there was no mistaking that it wasn't cold, I returned it to the lady and turned to leave. All I sudden I heard a shriek, I turned back and the old lady was screaming, yelling, and cussing all the same time. All I can say was the manager was not pleased with my imitative in the situation, oh well it was three hours of pay, minus taxes that I didn't havebefore. Laura was laughing so hard now that she almost fell out of her chair, "That was too funny, I can almost picture that woman and how mad she was". I looked at Laura laughing and thought that it must have been awhile since she'd had something to laugh at. All of a sudden a voice called, "Mama, where
are you"? Laura answered, "We're all back here honey". Around the corner came this little girl, she had beautiful curly black hair. Just the way she ran you thought any minute she was going to take flight. "Here is my beautiful baby girl", Laura said. "Yes I did, but Len-len ran away, and Grammy and I went for a walk to look for him", said the little girl.
"Mama who is he"?, the little girl questioned. SueBee, as I was soon to find out always had her two cents to throw in. "He's a policeman, and he caught Lenny stealing and now he's going to take him to jail, for a hundred years". With that said the little girl started crying, "Mama I don't want the police to take Len-len away". "SueBee, that was mean. You made your sister cry. What have you got to say for yourself"?, Laura asked. "Oh, alright. He isn't a policeman. He brought Lenny home cause he fell in a mud puddle and got all wet", said SueBee. Laura turned to me and was about to say something when we heard "Where in the hell is everybody hiding?, A person could get a heart attack and drop dead from all this walking around". "Alma, we're back here, do you need any help"? "Hell no I don't need no help, what do you think I am some friggin' cripple"? From around the corner of the trailer where the the little girl had came running a few minutes ago came this older woman. I swear thiswoman was a hundred years old, she had wrinkles on top of wrinkles. Little did I know but I was soon to meet Laura's ex mother in law, the infamous Alma Johnson. (end of chapter 2)