25. Colorado – California (Montara Beach)

1     Ralph left Boulder owing

       •  two months’ rent for his retail premises

       •  1,200 dollars plus for sales of merchandise held on sale-or-return

       •  miscellaneous sums to the gas, electric, telephone companies

       •  the printer of his brochures; the delivery guys; the plumber who installed his sink

       •  etc. to the tune of ten grand roughly

1.1   It took two days, in the matchbox Hyundai, to move the remaining ceramics to a warehouse.

1.2   Eddie paid the storage people with a hot check.

2     Within five days of meeting they were on the road to California.

2.1   Through the New Mexican desert, Eddie talked, restlessly stroking the stick shift with one hand.

2.2   The shadow of a small cloud lay on the blacktop far ahead.

2.3   A lone hawk tipped in the sky.

2.4   “You gotta admit, it’s genius,” Eddie said to Ralph.

2.5   “This card isn’t authorized,” the pump attendant said to Eddie.

3     Somewhere in Nevada, the ridges had turned red. The sun bled, low and huge.

3.1   “You realize what I’ll do to you if we get there and there’s no mansion?”

3.2   Eddie drank just one beer, several times.

3.2   “No, it was a thump. It was a thump in the engine.”

3.4   Ralph put the Econo-lodge on his American Express.

3.5   Ralph put the auto mechanic on his Visa.

4     Arriving at last by dead of night, they were greeted by a starved hag.

4.1   “You looked to me as if your beautiful fur had all been shaved.”

4.2   “Chrysa, I’m your brother, okay? You look like shit.”

4.3   Mine was the sky moon and theirs the bottom, swimming-pool moon, bright by unfair means. I wept savagely in the sky moon, come stalking in the open French doors. I would not approach that shipshape bed, made against me.

I sat in front of it on my haunches, dried out. When I touched the blanket, it was a moment of drama. I looked around with my arm stretched out, surprised that there was no sound. Only the trees outside said shh and shuffled, like children tiptoeing past their parents’ open bedroom door.

I don’t remember getting out of my clothes. I don’t know how I got there. I only know I woke up on top of the bed, naked and hot in blinding sunlight.