"Sweaty and Dirty" (Part Two)

It was suggested I dress formal, I learned from a note,

There were also several emails, they seemed so remote,

Yet I obtained her address, phone number, and name,

This seemed like a secret mission, or a wild party game,

I bought what a saleswoman recommended, yet odd I felt,

Wearing a crisp dark suit, matching watch, shoes, and belt,

I rang Staci’s doorbell at seven, being on time was my norm,

She stared wide-eyed as if I was some unrecognizable form,

“You cleaned up well,” she said as she glanced from head to toe,

 Her expression changed from shock to grin, why I don’t know,

She wore a classic black dress, ready for a night on the town,

I thought, “This is special, my feet aren’t touching ground,”

On the way we shared small talk, about values and goals,

Yet she was not listening, her emotions had taken control,

She was talking about someone else, I realized it was her ex,

About what he wanted, how he was different than she expects,

At the party I was at her side when she greeted her friends,

“Who is that?” they asked in front of me, she says, “Oh, him,”

“He’s just a laundry worker!” scorn evident in her voice,

“I had to come with someone, I really had no choice,”

She saw my hurt, and realized how her words had ripped,

“That’s the truth,” she said, “you shouldn’t have lost your grip,”

Her ex was more than a doctor, a heart surgeon, to be exact,

He was surrounded by women who watched his every act,

Staci led me across the room, bravely clutching my arm,

“Pretend you’re interested in me,” she said, “Show a little charm,”

The doctor saw us coming and came across to greet me,

“So you’re Staci’s new love, or just her wanna be?”

I replied, “I think she’s too good for you, so show some respect,”

He laughed and said to Staci, “What did you expect?

He’s just a laundry worker, dirt and sweat are in his veins,

He’s not what I’d call first class, he’ll work hard with little gain,”

“I would have supported you in style, if you’d just let me be,

Not all of us are monogamists, as you can plainly see,

You could have stayed, accepting me for the stud I am,”

Staci shook her head, “I won’t be part of your adoring harem,”

For her the party was over, she had heard the very worst,

Instead of her changing him, she found her bubble burst,

“Take me home,” she uttered, her eyes filling up with tears,

 The drive back was very quiet, with me, Staci, and her fears,

I walked Staci to her door, then turned to walk away,

I froze when I heard her voice, “Please, I want you to stay,”

This would have been a perfect time, her cruelty to avenge,

Instead I chose a positive way, an alternative to revenge,

“Staci, you’ve been hurt and I want to be your friend,

But even though I’m gullible, I want you to comprehend,

You see me as a laundry worker, with a social ladder to climb,

I hope your relationship expectations change over time,

I think you’re wrong when you look first for status or wealth,

There are better things to look for as you strive for relational health,

Make a list of the qualities you want from your ideal mate,

Decide which ones you can’t live without, or leave it to fate,

(to be continued)

Going Camping (Part Three)

(Conclusion)

Melissa had gone on a rampage and destroyed the room,

The lamps, the mirror, she left me to face my doom,

I didn’t bother going to bed, I wouldn’t be able to sleep,

Every passing car could be the Sheriff, Nathan, or some creep,

Destroying evidence would be claimed if I started to clean,

But if I didn’t, what would be surmised if I fled the scene?

It was all so confusing, I wasn’t sure next what should ensue,

I slipped a note under the office door explaining what I would do,

I’d pay for the damage even though it wasn’t mine,

I wanted to leave a positive note but there just wasn’t time,

I gathered what I could and hiked towards the station,

Staying in the deepest shadows, a desperate man in a situation,

In an alley across the street I caught my breath, it looked safe to go,

A sudden premonition said something was wrong, just stay low,

My pickup looked ready, but the station was too quiet, too perfect,

I waited a few minutes for some sounds I could detect,

A car door opened, I heard a voice, “For Pete’s sake, can’t you wait?”

“I have to pee.  He’s not here anyway, it’s probably too late,”

“If you scare that bastard off you’ll wreck the Sheriff’s plan,

If the Sheriff sees you standing there, you’ll be a dead man,”

“Check your gun and be ready, but let me get the first shot,

I’m the better marksman, in case you up and forgot,”

The two deputies I met at the café seemed to have plenty to say,

I dropped to the pavement, I wanted to live another day,

Another car drove past, Nathan and the Sheriff, side by side,

The Sheriff was driving, Nathan had a rifle pointing outside,

They went two blocks, came back and parked their car,

“Don’t worry, Nathan,” the Sheriff consoled, “He can’t get far,”

“You seen him yet? I’ve got the other boys ready at the ends of town,

I’m hoping he’ll come here, it won’t be long before he’s found,

Anybody who’s dumb enough to rape the mayor’s wife,

Doesn’t deserve to live.  We’ll string him up and take his life,”

“We should have done that with the other strangers last time,

Rather than dumping their bodies in the old gold mine,

Now, Nathan, you’ve got to be calm and just wait,

We’ll hang him as an example, this time justice won’t be late.”

In the alley I inched away, then sprinted to the main highway,

There was no time to lose, there was no place to stay,

At a fast food restaurant two trucks were parked, my last hope,

One truck was loaded with carnival rides, I could bless the Pope!

One of the rides was a big fish!  Wouldn’t I have quite the tale,

Wouldn’t it be something if I escaped in the belly of a whale?

But positive energy was flowing towards the cattle truck,

Call me crazy, but I pushed and shoved my way in, trusting to luck,

The cattle were restless so I sang softly to quiet them down,  

When the driver returned they watched him but made no sound,

He followed the carnival driver heading south through the woods,

After a few miles they came to a halt, “We need to check your goods”

Deputies swarmed all over the carnival truck, checking out the rides,

The cattle truck was smelly and two deputies said, “We’re not climbing inside,”

The truck was waved on after the deputies said their goodbyes,

I stood again as soon as we were on the road, crooning lullabies,

A few towns later the trucks pulled over and the drivers popped out,

They came to the back and the cattle truck driver began to shout,

“You can come out now and quit your hiding, it’s time you were found,”

I made my way forward and stepped quickly to the ground,

“The cattle wouldn’t be behavin’ unless there’s a cowboy, was my hunch,

But I’ll be danged if I was going to turn you over to that wild logger bunch,

We’d be witnesses to your treatment, they’d shoot us on sight,

Telling anybody who’d listen that we helped you take flight,”

“Where’re you headin’? I’d take you up front but you don’t smell good,”

“To turn myself in,” I answered, “It’s the right thing, I know I should,”

At the police station they ignored me, then things happened quick,

 I convinced them I was telling them the truth, it wasn’t a trick,

I told them about the old mine and the FBI was called in,

Tourists had disappeared there, and speculation was grim,

Melissa hung tough but after inconsistencies began to show,

She blubbered about the sheriff and Nathan, her tears did flow,

The Sheriff and two of the deputies were arrested and booked,

Nathan had shot one of Melissa’s lovers so his goose was cooked,

Me? I was lucky to get out of there, my pickup fixed free,

The rude man and his friends? Now that’s still a mystery,

I don’t think about what they tried to do, that’s negativity,

All I know is positive forces seem to agree with me.

I think being positive beats negativity every time, although I still haven’t gotten to go camping.  I can picture it now, camping in the forest, close to the ocean, watching the elk herd meander along, waiting for the fog to lift, enjoying the excitement of nature, wide eyed and ready for new adventures.

  

Going Camping, Thinking Positive

My first impression of the north woods town
,

Was not one in which beauty was found,

Smoke rose from the pulp mills and rising dust,

Logging trucks bulging with logs, ready to bust,   

Surely that is what all tourists chance to see,

Or were my negative thoughts playing tricks on me,

It was early evening so I decided to stop for fuel,

Don’t get stranded without gas is my first rule,

And in the woods where fewer people were found,

Gas stations were rare, and at night were shut down,

While my pickup was filling I strolled inside,

Bought a coffee and some chips to ease the ride,

On my way out I glanced at a car pulling slowly in,

The driver was scowling, anger showing, no grin,

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” he snarled as he passed me by,

“You got some kind of problem? Should I black your eye?”

I hurried on past without stopping to converse,

I was on vacation, no reason to argue or worse,

Sipping a hot coffee and munching my chips,

Singing loudly to no one and enjoying my trip,

When the pickup sputtered, coughed and died,

I coasted to the edge of the steep mountainside,

I mused over my predicament, it was not to my liking,

I could stay all night there, or I could begin hiking,

Two logging trucks roared by, shaking my truck,

“If I stay here on the edge, I could just be out of luck,”

A car approached in the darkness and came to a stop,

The driver got out, it was the rude man from the shop,

He glared, “Hah,” he said, and on the ground spat,

“Serves you right for staring at people, and that is that,”

I started to protest but he was already on his way,

“I’m not going to let you ruin what’s left of this day,”

I hiked north along the road, hoping to find a town,

But several hours passed slowly with no one around,

A commotion in front of me, something in the road,

A deer, still alive, stunned and scared, towards it I strode,

I talked to it calmly, quietly, urging it to relax,

Amazingly the deer ceased kicking, and listened to facts,

With my heart in my throat, I checked out the deer,

“You’re going to be fine,” I said, “when you’re over your fear,”

I lifted and pulled as the deer struggled to its feet,

It looked at me for a moment, its recovery complete,

It stumbled and then bounded away into the night,

I was alone once more and feeling all right,

Dawn broke silently and quickly, the sun touching the trees,

I thought of the emptiness of my life, in varying degrees,

I caught myself, “I can’t let negative thoughts slip in,

Negative brings negative, lets the erosion begin,

I must think positive, for positive forces I need,

What can I do right now, that would be a good deed?”

I began picking up cans and paper lining the way,

“I’ll do this while I’m thinking of places to stay,”

Several times I heard footsteps in the forest nearby,

Yet when I stopped, only birds and wind caught my eye,

A car slowed, stopped, and seemed waiting for me,

It was the rude man with two others, now there were three,

They were carrying baseball bats and I felt a sudden chill,

I was the target they wanted, they were after a thrill,

“Whatcha lookin’ at?” he growled and for once had a grin,

“There’s no way to escape this group of men,”

Now this is where my story sounds confusing and surreal,

Out of the bushes shapes came hurtling, it didn’t seem real,

The three men were knocked down and thrown aside,

I started running, but there was no place to hide,

I ran, I jogged, I walked, exhausted but continuing on,

Trying to separate fact from fiction, all reason gone,

A pickup pulled alongside me, two men in hard hats,

Offered me a ride into town, and that was that,

A short conversation of which they could make no sense,

About positives being better whenever I’m tense,

I arranged for a tow truck to take me back,

We collected my pickup and I was again on track,

I saw the rude man’s car still waiting where he parked,

I wondered a moment where they had embarked,

There was too much I didn’t understand about this night,

Later on I would wonder how I came out all right.

(to be continued)