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I was sitting on the front porch watching the rain, in a kind of daze, with Rascal in my lap. Suddenly, he stiffened and looked up the hill. Coming over the hill was a pair of headlights. It was a funny-looking van with great big tires. I ran back to the gun safe and got out the shotgun. Jacking a shell into the chamber, I returned to the front porch where Rascal was standing, growling.
Danny saw the house and the barn as soon as he topped the hill. There were no lights visible, and a red Celica was lying on its side against the barn.
As he approached, he could see someone on the porch. He stopped in the front yard, slowly stepped down from the van, and said, “My name’s Danny Ross, and I’m trying to get back to Roswell. Can I shelter in your barn until the storm passes?”
I thought he looked nonthreatening. And replied, “Let’s talk.”
Danny walked up to the porch and let Rascal smell his hand. Rascal stopped growling and gave his stub tail a wag when Danny gave him a pat on his head.
I smiled and said, “Well you passed the first test, I guess I don’t have to shoot you.”
He answered with a grin and said, “That’s good because I left my body armor at the office.”
We spent the afternoon, sitting on the porch, getting acquainted. I learned that we both had family in California, my dad and his dad. He smiled, when I told him he was welcome to stay here, if I could hitch a ride into Roswell. I said I needed to get my car fixed, rent a vehicle, and check on my mom.
That evening Danny insisted on cooking the last two steaks from his cooler. After dinner, we both enjoyed a little bourbon and branch from Uncle Tom’s stash.
Danny said he would replace it as soon as he gets back to town. I was surprised that he didn’t make a pass at me, but he slept in the guest bedroom and I took over Aunt Betsy and Uncle Tom’s bedroom.
It had been three days, and Danny was still acting like a perfect gentleman. That night, after drinking most of a bottle of red wine, I was getting high and a little pissed.
“What’s the matter with you? You said you weren’t married. Are you gay or am I that unattractive?” I demanded.
His cheeks turned red, and he said “No, I’m not gay, and I sure as hell find you attractive. It’s just that I can’t afford to get involved right now.”
"Are you joining the priesthood or something?”
“No, nothing like that. If things are as bad as I believe they may be, I will need to make it out to help my dad in California. I can’t take on responsibilities, like a kid on the way.”
I was almost speechless. “Oh well, I’m not looking for anything like a commitment, and I do have a six-month supply of birth control pills. I was just looking for a no-strings, friends with benefits relationship.”
He blinked, and said, “On that basis, I’m very interested.”
Suddenly, I was too, and we left a trail of clothes into the bedroom.
Our new relationship helped the time pass during the weeks that followed. I had never had a lover so considerate, and creative. Rascal was pissed that he was banished from our bedroom, but every morning he forgave us when we gave him his breakfast. That dog sure has his priorities straight.
The rain continued undiminished for six weeks. When it finally eased, we still had daily light drizzle in the afternoons. In another week, the water in the arroyo receded, and we started getting ready to leave. We loaded all the canned and dry food from the pantry into the van. We had cooked two of the chickens earlier, and Danny put the three remaining hens and the rooster in the small coop and strapped it on to the bike rack on the rear of the van.
After topping off the fuel tank and loading the guns and ammunition, we departed.
Rascal perched on the console between us and kept a close watch on everything.
The going was slow. It took a day and a half to reach Highway 70. We crossed the bridge over the arroyo, and as we topped, the hill, encountered a world of black.
The ground as far as we could see was covered with a layer of volcanic ash. It was only a couple of inches thick, but the charring on all the wooden fence posts and road signs indicated that it was hot when it fell.
Later, we passed two burned-out cars. In one of them I could see a corpse behind the wheel.
