Lewis & Ondarko - Best Friends 03 - Now and Zen (17 page)

But the wind keeps us moving to places unknowing,

Like seasons we keep changing, the changeling her suit.

When I was a young woman my life breath was strong,

Beginnings continued like lines in a song.

A life full of beginning, strength without end

The sparks would keep coming, always my friend.

Then endings began, one first, then another,

You can name them yourself, if you have been me.

And then I thought it would always be endings,

Nothing ever new, nothing ever free.

But endings are temporary or so I am learning,

Arms round each other we sit here again.

The wind once again it seems to be turning.

The spring always comes as my mother once said.

The spring always comes and with it now sunshine,

The bird on the tree, life rising from earth.

So sing the song softly, a woman’s song sweetly,

But sing it most strongly because it’s rebirth.

A round of applause drew Pat from her song. Looking up, she noticed Carolyn smiling and waving her cup.

“Thanks for letting me sing,” she said to the guitarist.

“You’re most surely welcome anytime. See you at the bonfire tonight. Let’s sing it again there, okay?”

Winding her way through the tables, Pat was startled to see that her chair was taken by a man. He was engaged in an animated conversation with Carolyn.

“Oh, Pat,” Carolyn said, as she gave her a high five. She appeared flustered, as if caught at something.

“This is…,” her voice trailed off. When he was not forthcoming, she continued. “Anyway he has a cottage here, and he lives in it six months of the year. Can you believe it?”

Pat turned to the big man whose wide smile showed gleaming TV white teeth. His two-hundred-dollar hair cut was unmessed by the winds; the sides of his hair had just a touch of grey.

Charmer,
she thought.

“Not really a cottage; it’s more like a house. Great song, by the way. Was that an old Joni Mitchell?”

“Nope, it’s an old one of mine, actually. Hi, I’m Pat,” she said, holding out her hand. “So, you’re an islander?”

“No, not really. We go to the West Indies in the winter. Hey, barkeep, a drink for the lovely ladies. Lets make it that drink of the weekend I heard so much about, a cup of ‘Witches Brew’ for everyone.”

The waitress studiously kept her face straight, but glanced at Pat knowingly.

Everyone has met men like this before,
Pat thought.

“Ever tried Maui? We have a condo there. It’s great,” Carolyn said.

He turned slowly and looked at her with renewed interest. “Yes, yes we have, but the crowds… So, you own there, on the beach?”

“Oh, yes. Of course, we rent it out when we’re not there.”

“We? I take it then, pretty lady, you are attached?”

“What?” a flustered Carolyn replied. “Yes, of course.”

“Me, too,” he said with a sigh. Turning to the waiter who was now standing with a bill, he waved his hand dismissively.

“Put it on my wife’s tab.”

“Where is your house, may I ask?” Pat inquired, as something niggled in the back of her mind.

“Over down Nebraska Row. Perhaps you would like to come for cocktails while you’re here?”

“That would have been great, really,” Carolyn jumped in before Pat could answer. “Maybe another time. We’re so busy with the retreat, you know. Is your wife currently here?” she asked pointedly.

He stared into her eyes and then shifted them slightly down.

“Yes, yes. She had a great hot rock massage at Lotta’s yesterday, thanks to the masseuse you brought in. Well, I mustn’t take up anymore of your time. Ciao.” He walked away, looking for all the world like a snake hunting a nice fat mouse.

“Do you think that was a toupee?” Carolyn asked. They laughed together. “You’ve still got a great voice, girl. But wait until you hear what I heard in the bathroom!”

“You were eavesdropping on women in the stalls?” Pat asked, pretending to be shocked.

“Worse,” Carolyn said, leaning in conspiratorially. “I was listening to guys in the men’s toilet. It’s a common wall, and they were loud,” she added when she saw the surprised look on Pat’s face.

“Spill it. Even though I don’t like eavesdropping, what the heck, the damage is already done.”

“Well, of course I don’t know who they were. They didn’t use names or anything, but two men were, you know, peeing and… “

“No physical details, please. Just get on with it.”

“One was talking about his girlfriend, or ex, I suppose, because she had left him, you see, or at least that’s what he said, but Pat, what if she didn’t leave, but was the one on the ferry? And he, you know… “

“Slow down. Start over… from the beginning,” Pat added, “except not the urinal part, please.”

“Well, like I said, this one guy was sort of bragging about getting rid of his girlfriend. That’s his exact words.
‘I got rid of her,’
he said. I couldn’t quite catch what the other guy said, some darn woman flushed, but it was sort of like he thought the woman had dropped him. He was cynical-like. Then, the first guy got real loud, and I didn’t have to try to listen at all. ‘Hell, no,’ he said. ‘That bitch was in my life too long, wanted me to change everything, and complained about everything. Finally, two days ago, we had this big fight, and I told her to get out.’ Then the other guy laughed and said, ‘more like she
walked out
you mean.’”

“What happened next?”

“Well, they must have left. I washed my hands, and went out hoping I could see who they were. And there they were sitting at the bar. I recognized their voices. Boy, did I go by fast.”

“Would you recognize them again?”

“You mean in a line up or something? Sure. At least I think so. One was a big lumberjack kind of guy, sort of like my second husband, you know with long dark hair? And the other was older, a little weasel with a fat mustache. But here’s the thing… do you think he followed her onto the ferry and you know?” She made a pushing motion with her hands.

“Good work, Nancy Drew. We’ll call Gary and tell him. Got your cell?” She punched in the number she really shouldn’t remember by heart, but did.

“Just remind me never to tell secrets when you are in the next room,” she teased.

“LeSeur here.”

She took a deep breath and started to explain quickly before he could hang up.

“Ladies! I hope you’ve been having a great morning. Listen up! I have a surprise for you!” Deb hollered into the megaphone at the crowded street. Some of the women paused from their gabbing and turned to look at Deb. “We will gather at the beach across from the church at twelve thirty for a group photo. Everyone should come.” A few women clapped.

“This is an historic event, and you don’t want to be left out.” Deb noticed some women shrugging and turning away. She felt that she had to give one more plea. “You know, my friends and I always took photos of ourselves on retreats, and those photos are some of my favorite photos in my album. What I regret is the people who chose not to be in the pictures. Remember, this is your retreat. Tell all your friends!” Her challenge seemed to rally the women as word was quickly passed further and further through the town. Soon, groups were hastening toward the beautiful little beach, dragging all the materials from workshops with them.

“Pictures?” Pat overheard as she arrived on the scene. “Look at my hair! Does anyone have a brush?”

With all the watercolor paint on her blouse and no makeup at all, the woman looked more like a troll than a matriarch.

“Anyone have any wipes?” a voice asked.

“I have to go change. Wait for me!” another called.

Deb felt amused as she looked around at the happy crowd of disheveled women.

What am I thinking?
she thought, as she looked down at her shirt in dismay.
I can’t be in a picture with a coffee stain down my front.

Earlier in the day, Deb had been convinced by Linda that the gathering was an event worth photographing. It was something Deb had not planned for, but Linda had volunteered to take the pictures.

“A simple thing,” Linda had said. “A row of women seated, a row behind on their knees, a row seated in chairs, and a row standing in the back. And if any women are left over we can have them lying on beach towels in the front.”

So like Linda to be organized,
Deb thought, grateful for the well-thought-out plan.
I wouldn’t mind having a photo of this gathering, if I can get Gracie to stand still long enough.

She spotted her daughter and granddaughter in the crowd.

Jeeze, where’s my mother?

As the women gathered on the beachfront, Deb stared at the crowd. It dawned on her that things weren’t going the way Linda planned.

For one thing, there are so many women and children. How will we ever get everyone to stand still?

Linda had managed to escape the whole beach scene by convincing Detective LeSeur to take her out into the lake in his fishing boat in order to get the best possible photo.

Leave it to cute Linda to still be able to wrap men around her finger,
Deb thought enviously. Linda stood without a life vest, precariously balancing between two seats in the boat as the waves gently rocked her back and forth.

Now there’s a picture I wish I had,
Deb thought.

“Careful there, Missy,” Gary said.

Deb stood on the beach with her megaphone, trying to navigate through the crowds and separate the women into lines.

This is like herding cats,
she thought. The crowd was happy and excited but more interested in gossiping than in organizing into rows that would take them even temporarily away from newfound friends. Some of the women climbed atop the wooden lifeguard stand, posing off the sides as though they were firefighters on a truck.

No one seemed to be listening or paying the least bit of attention to Deb’s entreaties.

Take a deep breath,
Deb thought as she glanced around the crowd, looking for help.

She noticed Bev navigating her electric cart expertly over the rocks and onto the beach, determined to enter into the fray. Noreen and Julie sat together on the park bench, Noreen with paint on her cheek and Julie twirling a croquet mallet.

At least Carolyn is helping. Where is Pat, anyway?
Deb thought.

Carolyn was doing her best to help recruit volunteers to get chairs from the church across the street.

“Follow me, ladies. We need chairs for this photo to work.

“What? We’re on a retreat!” a middle-aged brunette called out from the crowd. “You can’t really expect us to carry chairs out here! You’ve got to be kidding!”

Carolyn glanced at Deb and threw her arms in the air in a determined pose.

“Yes, everyone has to help,” she called out in her teacher voice.

Looking sheepish, the women followed her into the church.

I sure am glad I have friends,
Deb thought.
The thought was soothing to her.

“Hurry up! It’s rough out here in this boat!” Linda called faintly from her perch in the waves offshore.

“Line ‘em up! I’ve got to get fishing!” LeSeur’s voice boomed out authoritatively. “Careful, there,” he said to Linda. “I don’t want to fish you out of the drink.”

Time to be bold,
Deb thought.

She elbowed her way through the crowd and climbed up on the lifeguard stand.

“Please move away from the stand! We’ve got a picture to take!” she said to the women hanging off the sides.

“Here, Deb!” Millie called. “We want you to stand by us!”

“Do you have a wide angle lens?” Carolyn called out to Linda. “We always use a wide angle lens when we’re in Maui!”

“I can’t hear what she’s yelling!” Linda called back from the boat.

“Okay, ladies! Here’s the deal,” Deb bellowed into the megaphone. “We’re going to get a picture. And we don’t want one of your back ends! So face the lake and that lady with the camera out there in the boat. On the count of three, I’ll say cheese and you all smile! Ready. One, two, three. Pizza! She held her fingers high in the air as she counted. Despite her best efforts, the picture still had backsides in it.

At the moment Deb said pizza, a large black crow flew right into the frame of the picture.

“We have to do another one!” Linda yelled, her legs wobbling on the seats. “This time without the crow!”

Six takes later, Linda was still not satisfied, but Deb had a mutiny on her hands and Gary was threatening to start the motor.

“That’s it! We’re done!” Deb bellowed out to the boat. “Cut! Done! Finito. No more!”

“Be free, ladies! You are released from captivity,” she yelled to the crowd. A cheer arose from the gathering.

“Oh, good,” a voice called. “I wanted to be sure I got to the next class on time. Anybody know where I can get some of those fish livers?”

Deb climbed down from the lifeguard chair just in time to meet Linda at the shoreline being gingerly helped from the boat by a very impatient appearing Detective LeSeur. Looking at his watch, he turned toward Deb.

“You owe me… get me a list by tonight.” Pulling at his motor cord, he expertly maneuvered his boat into the waves and sped out into the vast lake. He didn’t even wave back at Deb’s goodbye.

I’m glad my husband doesn’t act like that,
Linda thought, with a self-satisfied look.

“Did you get a good one?” Deb asked eagerly as the crowd of women began to scatter in several directions.

“I’m sure I did, but I nearly went into the drink trying. And that’s not the least of it. When I went down to the beach to find a boat, that cute police officer with Gary tried to invite me to spend the day on the lake with him. But I wasn’t interested in fishing!”