Becky joined us a few booths down the street, as did Jon’s friend Donnie. Though they didn’t know one another well, they seemed to be getting along fabulously as the four of us strolled about. Soon, we were also joined by Derrick and another friend of Jon’s named Jenx. I spotted Allison down the street looking at a craft booth, and she looked up, right at me. I wasn’t surprised at all when she turned in the other direction and disappeared.
“Hey, remember that time we all went down to Sugar Creek and went swimming down the side stream?” Derrick asked.
“Oh, god. I’ve been having nightmares about that for years.”
“Why, what happened?” Jenx asked. He hadn’t grown up with us, but moved to town later from California. Maybe I could bond with him about it if I ever started missing LA, which didn’t seem likely.
“Have you been to Sugar Creek?” Jon asked.
“Yes, fishing, but not swimming.”
“Well, you know how you go to the main part of the river to fish, but there is a side stream that curves off to the left?”
“Sure.”
“We all decided to swim up that side stream, and everything was going fine until Derrick decided to stick his head under the water for a look-around. He came up looking like he’d seen a ghost and told us all to be quiet and look beneath the water, which we were stupid enough to do.”
“What was down there?” Jenx asked, mesmerized.
“Snakes. Lots of snakes. Water moccasins to be exact.”
“Oh my god. Swimming around you?”
“No, they were wrapped around a tree root on the water’s edge, dozens of them. There was a deep embankment on either side, and we couldn’t get out of the water, so we had to barely move until we got further down where we could get out.”
“It was the longest twenty minutes of my life,” I said, remembering how terrified we all were.
“I’d have shit myself,” Jenx gasped.
“Well, some of us may have,” Becky said, eyeing Derrick.
“I did not shit myself. I told you I just sat in some mud out on the bank.”
We all laughed and continued down the street, lost in memories of the old days. But the new days weren’t so bad either, and this one kept getting better. It was good to be back home, where life was simple and old friends could make you laugh at the stupid things you did growing up.
“On a different note, did Rain tell you she got approved for a loan to start her own mobile vet clinic today?” Becky asked.
Jon smiled at her and then over at me and then kissed me on the cheek. It was a beautiful moment, my friends cheering me on and the love of my life beside me.
“What are you going to call it?” Derrick asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t come up with a name yet.”
“The Rain Train,” Donnie suggested, sending everyone into a fit of laughter.
“I was thinking something a little less Dr. Seuss-like. Harper Mobile Care or something along that line.”
“Not quite as catchy. Can’t really dance to it,” Derrick replied.
They laughed and spent the rest of the night helping me drum up business, asking random strangers if they wanted a mobile vet. Several of them actually said yes. By the end of the festival, I felt more optimistic than ever. This was really happening. I was going to make it happen.
18
Jon
“I found an ad for a used truck over in Moseley. You want to go with me to look at it?” Rain asked.
“Of course. You don’t think I’m going to let you go over to Moseley to meet some stranger by yourself, do you?”
“Aw, so protective,” she replied.
“You love it.”
“I do. I love you too.”
“And I love you,” I told her, zeroing in for a kiss but she stopped me.
“No time, mister. We’ve got to get on our way.”
“Spoilsport.”
“I’ll make it up to you later, big boy,” she laughed.
“I’ll take you up on that.”
The drive to Moseley was quick with hardly any traffic as the Barracuda roared down the highway. It felt like old times, us heading out on some adventure, not a care in the world. We were there before we knew it, pulling up to a makeshift garage to the side of someone’s home.
“Are you sure this is the right place? I don’t see a any sort of transport van,” I said.
“It’s right there,” she told me, pointing to one side of the garage.
“You’re kidding.”
“Nope. Let’s go check it out.”
I climbed out of the car, following behind her as she sauntered up to where a man was standing just inside the open garage door, re-emerging with him just as I caught up to her.
“Does that come off?” she asked, pointing to the top.
“Of course, it’s just a lightweight plastic piece. I can strip it off before you take it if you decide to buy it. I didn’t know if someone was planning on putting it back in service or altering it for something else.”