After the extraordinary turn of events of the last couple of days its small wonder that I slept in on Saturday morning. In fact, I slept soundly until nearly noon. I woke up energized, jumped out of bed and ran down the hall doing the complete bath and shave... then I was hungry, starving in fact.
One drawback to renting a room, no kitchen and no cooking; but then I thought about Ida - why not? Out the front and quietly around to the back; I knocked lightly on her door and in short order she peered out questioningly. As soon as she recognized me she gave me a big smile and opened up, hurrying me inside.
"What do you need honey?" she said.
"Well, to tell the truth I'm just hungry and wondered if I could get kitchen privileges? I'd be happy to stock the fridge and clean up after myself," I said.
She smiled again and patted the nearby kitchen chair, "Put your pretty bottom right here honey, I'm gonna' fix you a good breakfast and you won't owe me a thing," she said.
"Now Miss Ida, I can't have you doing all that without me paying you and replacing the food, I just can't."
She laughed a big belly laugh and said, "Now baby boy, there's lots you can do for me. I'll trade you all you can eat on a regular basis in exchange for you sharing that big pretty dick of yours with me. Now then, you wanta' trade with me?"
"I don't see how I could turn you down Ida... well, maybe face down."
She laughed a hearty laugh at my joke and went to work putting sausage in the skillet and starting a fresh pot of coffee. After a huge breakfast of sausage, eggs, toast, sliced tomatoes and coffee; we sat talking about school and things, then she said, "Tell you what, I suspect you've got things to do and I need to give my old pussy a good wash; so you go about your day and when you have time later, come by and give me some of that real good lovin'... how's that?"
I agreed giving her a hug and kiss, then heading out to my truck to go to the library and do some research on my courses. I learned a good trick when I was going to community college; most libraries carry teacher's guides to all text books used in standard courses. I would check out the guide and then do all the problems for each chapter checking my results and the logic of my solutions. Always worked perfectly, whenever I did that I made an A+ in the course. I'm pretty smart, but the best result comes from doing all the work.
Turned out that the library had 4 teachers' guides only leaving out "Engineering Principles;" the pretty Librarian's assistant assured me that they would have that one available in just a few days. With the books tucked under my arm I wandered around campus enjoying the beautiful park like setting. It was cool with fall setting in and I've always enjoyed watching the trees changing colors. A truly beautiful day, before I knew it the time had gotten to nearly 5:00 pm and I knew Ida would appreciate my being early for my service work - it was turning out that she was a darn good woman to know.
I got things squared away in the truck and drove to the nearby Shell Station for gas; mine is a good old truck, solid and reliable but it really does enjoy a big drink of gasoline. I checked all the parts and pieces and filled her up to the top. As I left the station I turned onto South Boulevard...
Lars Pedersen...
Lars Pederson was a 56 year old Norwegian farmer, third generation Dakota farmer, mostly wheat with a few sunflower and oat fields. Lars was a good farmer, didn't care much for live stock and kept only what he and his sister might eat. His sister, Alma, lived over to Clymer Creek with her husband and 3 daughters; Lars didn't think much of her husband, he seemed always to be looking for work, not actually working. Even so he loved his sister and the girls were very sweet too. So he always bought a couple of Bull Calves and a few pigs to keep on the farm for slaughter so that Alma's freezer would be full of beef and pork.
Lars had a big garden as well; he preferred vegetables and not so much meat, he didn't smoke and only drank a day or two a month - never kept alcohol at home as it was just too convenient. Lars liked to drink but he was no sipper; Lars liked to drink to get blind drunk. Although he was a good farmer and by all accounts a good man, when he drank he could forget the war and always being alone and for a time blot out his feelings of perpetual sadness.
It was Saturday and Lars had spent the last six hours at the VFW Hall downing Gin and Tonics one after another - he was not completely, totally blind drunk and the Post Bartender figured he'd be fine to get home by himself. So, Lars staggered out to his truck and headed for the farm. After a block or two he turned off East 15th Street and onto South Boulevard, running a steady 60 miles per hour in a 30 mile zone. He almost didn't see the old blue truck as it turned into the street from the Shell Station.
BOOM!
Later he told the police that he meant to swerve around that old truck, but somehow he didn't get it done. He remembered the look on that young man's face when he T-boned the old truck and the glass shattered and flew out of its windows. He most certainly did not see the young man fly out the side door of the truck and roll down the concrete street - he was in a daze.
...
When I opened my eyes I was confused and I hurt. Damn, I hurt all over, what the hell happened? Then I remembered the farm truck slamming into me, but not much else. As my eyes focused I could see that I was in the hospital, with my history I can damn sure identify a hospital. Then I panicked, I started wiggling my toes, I was terrified my back was damaged... but no, the toes wiggled and I could feel my legs so I tried to sit up.
"Whoa there bud! Hold on, don't try to move, just lay still now..." said a large, middle aged woman in white, Nurse Davis it said on her name tag.
"The doctor will be back in here in just a little time, so you just lay there and be still," she said.
"Am I alright?"
"You were pretty beat-up by the street, but when the doctor examined you there were no broken bones, just lots of scrapes and bruises. Even so, just keep yourself quiet in the bed... alright?"
"Yes Ma'am, I'll be good," I said. "Could I have an aspirin or something?"
"When the doctor gets here," she said patiently.
About then a blue eyed, glasses wearing, taffy haired girl came in carrying a large envelope. "I have the contents of your pants here, you know, your wallet, change, keys and such. I'm sorry but, your clothes were pretty much torn to shreds so they were thrown out."
I must have looked really confused as she patted my hand and said, "I called Mrs. Winters at the rooming house and she is going to being fresh clothes for you."
"Ahhh... How did you know..."
She smiled quietly and said, "I found your rent receipt in your wallet, lots of folks around here know about her place. So, I called and explained your problem and she said she'd be here in a bit. I also got your insurance information from your wallet too."
I stuck out my hand and said, "Jim Braun, pleased to meet you."
She smiled a bright smile, pushed her glasses up on her nose and took my hand in a firm grip, "Kelly Miller, Business Office Clerk, at your service Sir." She laid the big envelope on the bedside table saying, "Nice to meet you Jim, sorry it's under these circumstances; but, I need to get back to work. Hope you get better soon."
With another quick smile, she turned and walked away. I enjoyed watching her tight bottom sashay away. She made blue jeans look very good... I guess it's true, even broken up I'm still a horn dog.
Just then a grey-haired doctor looking very serious hurried in carrying a sheaf of x-rays. "You are a very lucky young man. You x-rays are clear, you've got lots of scratches and bruises and you may have a mild concussion - nothing serious though. Damn lucky, you are. I'll give you a prescription for some mild pain medications and if you feel up to it you can go home; but I don't want you sleeping tonight. Do you have someone at home who could sit up with you, just in case there is a concussion I don't see?"
