Romance in a Ghost Town

by Robert P McAuley

  “If a pack of desert animals are searching for food I don’t think they stop at a certain boundary line.”

  Bob wondered out loud, “Do coyotes attack humans?”

  “I’m not really sure. Maybe a child or small dog.”

  He tilted his head towards the sleeping bags, “Why don’t you lay down? I’ll stand watch…or rather, sit-watch.”

  She laughed lightly, “I think it’s better if we both enjoy the desert experience together so I’ll sit-watch right here with you, cowboy Bob.”

  Both sat awkwardly near the window dozing off now and then only to be awakened by the movement outside. Finally, almost with a start, the sun was breaking the horizon and they could see all around them, greatly enhancing their courage.

  Anne looked at him and rubbed his slightly whiskered chin as she said with a soft smile, “Good morning, my hero. Standing at the moat’s edge, ready to thwart any and all enemies that might try to bridge the gap and carry me off to lands unknown.”

  “And good morning to you, dear reader of too many fables.”

  They laughed and she said, “Well it’s time for my morning trip to the women’s washroom.”

  “Can you wait until we check out what was running around here last night?”

  She cringed as she shook her head, “Not really. And there’s nothing out there now. I bet the sun scared them off.”

  “Which outhouse?” Bob asked, “Ours or the one back at the hall?”

  “I thought ours. After all it is part of your home. Correct?”

  “Correct,” he said as he tried to straighten out his right leg after sitting on it for most of the night. She noticed a grimace on his face as he tried to make as though nothing was wrong. She also wanted so much to ask if she could help but knew that asking would hurt him more than he was hurting at the moment. She feigned a cramp in her leg as well as she got up and limped away towards the door.

  “I’ll start a breakfast of fried eggs and ham if that’s good with you?” Bob asked.

  “I can almost smell the ham already. Be right back.”

  The sound of the front door as it closed let Bob know he was alone and he grabbed the windowsill and, with clenched teeth, pulled himself up to a standing position. Then using his left leg only, he hopped over to the, still covered, easy chair and sat down in a small cloud of dust. He was sweating as he rubbed the circulation back into his leg. After a few minutes he stood and went into the kitchen feeling much stronger. He took four eggs and ham out of the cooler and, using the frying pan over the wax burners, started the ham as Anne returned. She was dressed in tight blue jeans and matching shirt.

  “You changed?” he asked approvingly, “Boy do I feel grimy now.”

  “Too bad the water’s not running now, I’d love to have taken a shower,” she said as she placed her folded clothes on a ledge in the kitchen.

  “That’s next on my list.” He pointed at the ham and added, “Will you keep an eye on the ham while I use the outdoor facilities? Be back in a moment.” At her nod, he handed Anne the long fork and went out the door.

  Ten minutes later he returned and after replacing her in the kitchen, Bob looked up as he lifted the eggs, “Sunny side up or what?”

  “Sunny side will be fine, I’ll pour the coffee,” she said as she took the thermos and poured the hot coffee into two Styrofoam cups. Soon they were sitting at the table enjoying their breakfast when she said, ”You will never believe what that was walking around out there last night,” she said as she sipped her drink.

  “What?”

  “Horses! That’s what. I saw their hoof prints all around the area. I heard of them running around the desert but never saw one.”

  “Oh, my gosh!” said Bob slapping his forehead, “That’s what Ed said they were! I completely forgot.”

  She shrugged as she offered them both an excuse, “Well, it was the middle of the night when they woke me up. Boy, you were in a deep sleep.”

  “Yes,” he said excitedly, “like I said, being out here is great for sleeping.”

  “Maybe it’s because you work so hard during the day?”

  Shaking his head he pointed to the sink and said, “If we heat up some of the water we brought along and then stop up the sink we can wash some dishes for tonight’s feast.”

  “Sounds like a plan. Tell me, does Chef Robert have a special dish he’s planning?”

  “Could be,” he said grinning, “Just could be.”

  After cleaning up they drove up to the well and, following the instructions, Bob started to dig a fairly deep hole in the sandy ground. He was delighted that Anne jumped in and started to dig when he took a break. At first he was miffed as he thought she was helping him because of his leg, but soon realized that she truly was into the environmental movement and wanted to be active.

  After the hole was finished, they inserted a six-inch wide, telescoping, stainless steel pipe into it and together they placed the twin solar panels from the kit on the top of the pipe and bolted them down. Finally they dropped the long flexible tubing down the well and connected it to the motor.

  “Now comes the big test,” said Bob wiping the dirt off his hands and then showing that he had his fingers crossed, said, “Plug her in,”

  Anne took the long, wired plug from the panels and inserted it into the motor as Bob depressed the panels flat to increase the amount of sunlight that would be captured by them. They both stood side-by-side with hands on their hips and waited as nothing happened.

  “Maybe it needs time to charge up or something?” said Anne wiping dirt from her hands as she chewed on the inside of her cheek.

  “Shouldn’t have to,” said Bob with a shrug. “The sunlight is the charger and the store guy said that the batteries were fully charged already…“

  Suddenly there was the sound of gurgling coming from the six-inch tubing followed by a thick, brownish blob of mud and water that slowly exited the opening. They looked at each other and when clear water suddenly surged out, both turned and embraced each other cheering and hugging at their accomplishment. The scene was reminiscent of an oil strike.

  In his excitement, Bob dropped his cane and as he tried to keep his balance and grab it as they embraced, he lost his footing and they fell together on the hard, sand packed ground.

  He gritted his teeth and closed his eyes in frustration and wanted to hit something, as this was what always seemed to happen at the wrong time. It was always followed by others laughing whenever he fell and Anne was no different as she was laughing so hard it made him open his eyes. It was then that he realized that she wasn’t just laughing at him, but rather she was laughing at both of them! She was pointing at their wet, muddy clothing as the water, now surging from the well, splashed all over them in their seated positions. For the first time in years, the sandy soil was now a thick, muddy substance.

  She stood first and offered her hand but Bob tried to get his cane. Reaching down she quickly grabbed his arm and said, “You know, silly, sometime a person just needs to accept another’s offer of help.”

  He looked up and instead of seeing kids laughing at him, he saw a beautiful young woman with a grin on her face, offering to help rather than take pity on him.

  “C’mon, silly. Let me help you up and out of that water. Heck, I know we both need a bath but why should you be first? Just because you’re the mayor? Mmm, I think not!”

  He grinned as he allowed her to help him and said, “I thought you said we needed the majority of the town to vote me mayor?”

  “Trivial matters,” she said as he stood and she picked up his cane and passed it to him. “Now look what you did to us,” she said pointing at their muddy clothes.

  “And,” Bob said pointing to town, “the cleaners isn’t open on Sundays.”

  She grinned and wiped some mud from his forehead. “You know, City Slicker, you have one the fastest minds I’ve ever come across.”

  “Ha,” he said brushing the compliment off, “everyone in the big city
thinks fast. They have to in order to survive.”

  She stood with her hands on her hips and said as she shook her head, “You just will not take a compliment. Will you?”

  He looked at her sheepishly and answered in a low voice, “I guess not. It’s just that…well, you know. Compliments don’t usually come my way, that’s all.”

  “Well then,” she answered in the same low tone of voice as his, “you should accept them when they do come your way. It’s not easy for a girl to say certain things and sometimes a guy has to read between the lines.”

  “I-I guess,” he stammered as he looked down at his mud-stained boots.

  “Well, now,” said Anne looking at the water coming out of the well and spilling all over the ground, “how do we get the water down to the house?”

  “First,” answered Bob, happy to have had the conversation changed, “we drag the tin holding tank over here, fill it up, shut the pump off and then fill up a few of the empty five-gallon cans we have and bring them down to the house.”

  “Sounds like a plan to me. Let’s go.”

  They easily dragged the lightweight tank over to the pumping hose and in a short time it was full and they turned the pump off.

  “Twenty gallons of clear water,” he said as he closed the top and secured it.

  “Do you think its drinkable?” Anne asked wiping her forehead and leaving a streak of mud.

  “Not sure, but to be on the safe side I have a filtering system that we run it through before trying.” He went to another of the cardboard boxes he had left there and ripping it open, removed the filtering system. Next Bob went to the port on the side of the holding tank and slipped it over the port securing it with a steel clamp. He then turned the spigot and the water from the tank entered and after going through the unit, came out and Bob caught it in his cupped hands. Anne closed the spigot as Bob tentatively took a taste. He looked up and smiled as he said, “Tastes like everyday water from the faucet. It’s even on the cool side.”

  She cupped her hands beneath the spigot and said, “My turn.”

  Bob turned the handle and the water flowed out and into Anne’s hands. She let it wash away the mud and then took a sip and, as he shut it off, said with a grin, “Wow! Better than most bottled water. And you’re right it’s cool.” She looked up at the sun and added with a grin “At least for now.”

  Bob took his bandanna and allowed some of the water to wet it, then turned and wiped the mud from her forehead. “There,” he said smiling, “We can’t let the environmental reporter of the Bransville Speaker walk around town with a dirty forehead.”

  She smiled softly.

  They filled up two of the five-gallon cans, placed them in the SUV and brought them back to the house where Bob grabbed one and said as he removed it from the rear, “Here’s where I make like Gunga Din, the water carrier.”

  She said as she went for the other can, “Oh! Kipling too?”

  He struck a comical Shakespearian actor’s pose and said as though he were on stage speaking to an audience, “The silliest woman can manage a clever man; but it needs a very clever woman to manage a fool. Rudyard Kipling.”

  She laughed and put down the can of water to applaud. “Bravo! Bravo! Well said, well said, indeed!”

  He bowed deeply at the waist and almost tipped over before catching himself. He was happy to see her simply smile and carry her can of water into the house.

  “I’m going to put out a spread of sandwiches and make tea,” she said as she carried the water to the sink. Why don’t you go change?”

  He nodded and asked, “After tea, would you like to go and check out one of the unopened places?”

  Her eyes opened wide as she said, “Yes! That would be great!”

  “Fine, I’ll be right back.” Bob felt like a million bucks as he took a change of clothing out of the car, used the facilities and changed in the Community Hall before returning to the house.

  He opened the door and his eyes opened wide as he saw her. Her hair was loose and swinging as she moved from the wax burner to the table. She wore a tan, knee-length cowhide skirt with a short sleeve yellow shirt. She had changed from her everyday boots and now wore a pair of dress boots with leather tassels running down the back. The outfit showed off her small waist even more than the pants outfit she wore earlier had, and her deep tan made her eyes glow as she smiled and said, “Welcome home, Mister Mayor. Some lunch?”

  Bob finally caught himself and muttered as he entered the kitchen, “Ah, oh, you-you had another change of clothes too?”

  “Yep! A woman can never tell when an old well is going to get her wet and muddy.”

  He grinned, “Sorry about that.”

  She gently pinched his cheek, “Not griping, believe me. In fact I’m having the time of my life,” she said as she put a splash of milk in her tea. She looked at him with one eyebrow arched and said, “Do you know how much a spa charges for a mud bath? And here we are getting one for free.”

  “Well, maybe I should tell the world to come visit Rattlesnake Haven and after a session in our world famous mud baths, have the best night’s sleep ever.”

  They laughed as they ate and after lunch Bob opened the flue of the fireplace and was rewarded with a clump of dust and dirt landing in the fire pit. He looked up and seeing sunlight, was happy to now have a working fireplace. He quickly hung a kettle of the fresh water on the arm over the fire pit and lit a log. Within fifteen minutes they were washing the glasses, dishes and cutlery he planned to use for that night’s dinner.

  Finished, they stepped outside. “Which place do you want to explore?” he asked adjusting his sunglasses.

  “Giddon’s Home Supplies,” she answered excitedly. “It’s right next to the Dust Off Tavern. I spotted it as we went by and my great grand pappy owned one years back. Home Supplies is just another way of saying Grocery Store”

  “Then that’s where we’ll go.”

  They walked up the middle of the street past the other businesses and stopped in front of the Home Supply store. “Watch your step here,” said Bob pointing at the old sidewalk. “Step where I step and listen to the sound of the squeaks.” He stepped onto the sidewalk with Anne following. Once in front of the store with its two boarded up windows he tried the door handle. His squeezing on the thumb lever was rewarded by a snap and the door opened easily.

  “I’m going to remove the wooden boards from the windows first,” he said, “so stay away from them as I get some light into the place.” Anne nodded and he entered with his LED light sending a blue/white beam through the dark interior as he used his cane to sweep the area in front of him. As usual the windows were closed and locked so after he unlocked and opened them, Bob pushed against the wood boards with his cane. They gave easily and a shaft of daylight entered through the small vertical opening. He then pulled down the rest and did the same to the second window before calling Anne in.

  He flushed inside as the sun momentarily silhouetted her, as she stood framed in the open doorway. Once inside the brightened room she became a whole person again and he could see that she was as genuinely thrilled over the old store as he was.

  The store had the usual wood framed glass showcase alongside a wooden counter. A large ball of string hung from the ceiling for wrapping packages of food and a small cutting board was behind the counter with various knives and cleavers hanging next to it. Running down the length and width of the store were covered barrels with words stenciled on them. Anne went over and started to read them off, “Peanuts, cornmeal, Cowpeas, Collards, Turnip greens, Bell peppers.”

  She stood and shook her head and as she started to go behind the counter, Bob said, “Wait. Let me go first.” He pulled out his six-gun and, leading with his LED light, stepped behind the counter and looked around. Seeing nothing he said, “Looks okay to me. Just don’t go reaching behind something that could be the home of a snake.” He took the light off his key chain and said as he offered it to her, “Here take this.”

&nb
sp; Anne nodded and flicked the light on as she went behind the counter. There were sealed jars with dried-up residue in them and once again she fingered them as she read, “Tomatoes sauce, Sliced peppers, Salt, Sugar, Pepper, Pork fat, Pickles, Olives, Mustard seed.” She stood and shook her head, “This was the place to go to for making a nice dinner.”

  Bob pointed to the wall at the rear and said, “Look at the calendar. I bet that’s the same date circled as the others.”

  Anne looked and nodded as she commented, “You’re right. August 2. Wonder if that date somehow ties in with the reason that all of the furniture and supplies were not taken with them when they left?”

  Bob’s answer was a shrug as he opened a door at the rear of the store. “Hey, look here, Anne.”

  She went over and they both stared at the room behind the door. It was a bedroom complete with another three-drawer dresser, small table with an oil lamp on it and of course, a bed covered with a sheet and layer of dust. The window next to the bed was boarded up and Bob performed his self-appointed duty of allowing sunlight to enter by removing the wooden boards.

  Anne gently rolled down the bed covering and placed it on the floor. “Look at the bed cover: it’s handmade linen and beautiful!” She pressed down on the mattress and said as her hand made an indent, “Duck Down and feathers! They knew how to get a good night’s sleep back then.”

  Bob opened another door off the room and smiled as he said, “Hey, they had an ensuite washroom. Now, this is something that a new homeowner of today demands.” He stepped to the boarded up window and said, “Let me open the window.”

  Soon the small room could be seen and Anne picked up an old newspaper that was lying on top of the wooden toilet seat. “This should make good reading,” she said as she gently placed it on the bed.

  Finished, they left the store and closed the door behind them. Seeing that it was still early, Bob asked, “Want to try another?”

  “Sure do. What about the Horse and Grain place a few doors down?” she asked tipping her head towards the front of town.

  Out in the street again the pair walked the four stores down and stood looking up at the tall storefront. It was a larger than normal wood building and Bob was perplexed about its height until it struck him, “Hey, look at the front of the place,” he said pointing up. “It’s one of those fake storefronts. They built a phony front that was taller than the building actually was.”