Andrea Donovan

___________(3)____________

JOY

What was she ...eighteen? I assumed so, or very close at least. Looking at her now I could instantly recognize all of the distinct features which I had become so accustomed to within the last few years of my own life, yes they were there alright. The high cheekbones and heart shaped face were as prevalent in her as they were my wife, now sleeping beside me. The girl in the seventy seven year old painting had probably measured no more than five feet in height, weighing-in at around a hundred and five pounds I guessed. Her large brown eyes beheld an ostensibly animalistic instinct to them; the eyes were stoic and penetrating like a wolf's eyes. ...They were eyes that could look right through a man and know that of which he was made from yet captivate him within the same instant. They were eyes filled with courage and family honor, eyes that did not waver when confronted with a wrong. The girl in the painting had mesmerizing, deep and mysterious eyes which seemingly could look right through into another's soul.

They were proud eyes that held strong medicine.

...The forgotten artist, long since dead himself, must have felt a chill run through himself as he had looked into those large dark eyes and proceeded to capture the girl's likeness onto the canvas that sunny day so many moons ago. His oil soaked brushes had been true to their master in capturing all of the fine and delicate features of a woman during the fleeting moment of youth. Her handmade beads and long elegant black hair somehow appeared to flow in a way that conveyed an aloof and silent strength about her which the large brown eyes seemed only to confirm. ...Yet, somehow there was something more within the eyes as well, something deeper, something much deeper than the generations of family pride and legacy that were so evident, there within. Looking at the painting now and studying the eyes closer, I began to see an all encompassing warmth and gentleness within the eyes as well. This warmth and gentleness deep within the eyes of the girl was well hidden though, as if a closely guarded secret.

...Joy Kitfox had been an extremely beautiful woman.

She had known that there were evil chiefs reining in faraway lands wanting to enslave the world, and she had seen the recent congregations of large masses of men and their fire breathing machines which were now filling the land and skies with their wrathful growls. She had seen these men, all dressed alike; erect the large towers for the singing wires and she had also heard tales of great iron beasts which now plied the once tranquil waters of far away, - these large grey monsters now reaching every corner of the earth. The girl understood none of the reasoning or logic behind these strange things and odd activities but she understood their urgency, she understood the calling to arms of men and this was reflected in her eyes which the artist had so brilliantly captured upon his canvas those many, many years ago during that quiet day within the forest.

Andrea stirred beside me as I continued to stare upward at the large portrait of her mother with the morning sunlight now spilling into the room and illuminating the painting. ...There was a deep sadness within the eyes of the girl in the painting but I also saw a strength and determination which I often saw reflecting back at me in Andrea. The girl within the portrait had been immensely strong and taught to survive -- the girl in the painting would always survive. Judging from her image, one would assume that the girl had been solemn and never smiling yet this had not been the case at all, Andrea had often informed me. The young girl had been a lover of life, cherishing those around her, often with a song in her heart and words of good cheer for all. ...Captivated by men from an early age, the girl in the painting knew that she loved the look and feel of a sensual man beside her deep within a cold night. In essence, the girl in this painting which I was now looking at had been erotic, wild and untamed ...the girl in the painting had been larger than life itself.

Lake Millhouse had understood this.

...I sat up in bed and swung my feet over onto the floor and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes. ...Damn, I'll be fifty seven in a few months, I thought. How the hell did that happen? I'd been in my thirties, just last week, it now seemed. ...Lately I just felt like everything and everyone that I had ever held dear to me were gone now. Granted, I still had my beloved bride, Ricky and Brenda were still with us and all of us had been Blessed with good health yet it almost felt as if we were somehow standing alone now, as if we were the last one's left at a party after everyone else had gone home. Where was everyone? ...Kids in their twenties and thirties were now calling me sir and I was technically a Senior Citizen...

Andrea wanted me to take an early retirement, asking me the question "Do you really think sitting in a truck that's pumping diesel smoke for twelve hours a day is conducive to good health, Tim?" ...I really wasn't sure anymore and I wasn't trying to dwell in morbid reflection right now either, I was just asking myself some serious questions that needed answers. All of us are forced to face ourselves at one point in time or another in this life it seemed. Presently I remembered how gracefully my mother had aged -- never growing old. I would surmise that the young girl now looking down at me from the painting hadn't either.

..."Rest now, dear lady" I whispered, looking up at the girl in the painting once more.

Thinking of my own mother now and smiling slightly, I remembered her once asking me with a harsh voice "Well are ya gonna sit there and bitch about it or do something to make it better?" ...I stood now, saying the Serenity prayer and giving a few words of thanks, asking the Trinity for guidance and protection this day. I then smiled again, remembering my mother's devotion and diligence in raising two rambunctious teenage boys constantly attired in clothes stained with motor oil. Mom, a Spirit filled woman, had often quoted scripture to Ricky and me which had, on more than one occasion, ended with "DID YOU HEAR WHAT THE FUCK I JUST SAID TO YOU!!!???" ...Smiling again at the thought of her, I looked outside the window now, the sun was up and life was happening out in the world, it was time to get out there and make good things happen. It was time to spend the rest of my life with my beautiful bride.

"C'mon WIFI, time to get up now!" I said rather loudly and patting Andrea's bottom firmly, as I sat down again on the edge of the bed.

"Nuh!" Andrea mumbled defiantly, turning away from me.

Leaving her as she lay, I walked into the kitchen and began brewing a cup of her favorite coffee, if anything would rouse Andrea out of bed, it was the aroma of her favorite cup of brew. I then proceeded into the shower and began scrubbing myself clean and relishing in the hot water for a few extra minutes before stepping out and drying myself. Refreshed and awake now, I selected clean clothes and brewed a cup of coffee for myself. ...Seated now with my coffee, I began scanning classic vehicle ads on the internet. I wasn't buying anything but it was always fun to see what was up for sale as I sipped a good cup of light roast.

"Morning" Andrea suddenly said sleepily from beside me, she then bent down and kissed me. Upon standing up straight again, she finished tying her white nightgown and headed into the direction of the kitchen or, more specifically, the direction of the coffee maker.

As I started scanning the car ads again, I began quietly singing part of an old Led Zeppelin song which Andrea's presence had sparked within me now "...Sunday mornin' when we go down to church, see the men folk standin' in line, they say they come to pray to the Lord, but my little girl looks so fine..."

"What'd you say" Andrea called from the kitchen.

"I said you're beautiful, honey" I called back.

Andrea mumbled something incoherent as I sipped my coffee and continued scanning the classifieds.

"...lookin' for my street corner girl..." I continued to sing, softly.

"Honey I can't hear you from the kitchen" Andrea protested as she sat down next to me with her coffee.

"I said, - my, you're a sweet kinda girl" I now answered in song, leaning over and kissing her again.

Andrea sensed that she was being duped but wasn't quite yet coherent enough to really care what I was saying. Once she got a cup or two of coffee down, then everything would soon change and I'd have to be on my toes from then on, for the rest of the day. Game-on then, my love. I leaned over and kissed her once more, bringing a smile to her. Somehow, I felt that this gesture toward Andrea would have also brought a smile to the young girl in the oil painting as well.

"I need you to drive me over to Duffy's in about an hour, she'll take me to the dealership later and I'll drive the B.M.W. home from there." Andrea said.

"Sure honey, they got it serviced already?" I asked sipping my coffee.

"Apparently, yes ...and Duffy knows of some AQH's at the Lazy-R that we're going to go look at first though, then we'll have lunch. You'll be here around three, wont you?" Andrea asked.

"Oh, that sounds like fun babe. Yes I'll be here all day working on the coral -- unless I have to leave for a few minutes to go get welding rod or something" I replied.

"Sure, I understand. You're doing a good job on the stables and coral for me, thank you. They're beautiful, you have a lot of talent when you're working with your hands, husband" Andrea said with conviction.

"It's an honor to do it for you Andrea" I said with just as much conviction.

Twenty minutes later when Andrea stepped into the shower, I finished my coffee and put on my boots and windbreaker. Stepping outside now, I knelt down by the screen door and began filling a water dish from the outside spigot. Next I opened a can of cat food and dumped the contents into a small red bowl kept by the front door. The distinctive sounds of an aluminum can being opened did the trick and soon the bowl's owner arrived to claim what was his.

"Hey Wolfie, how you doing buddy?" I now asked, watching the feral cat enjoy his "free" meal of the day. Wolfie had just recently adopted Andrea and me and I strongly suspected that it was his land and property that Andrea and I were now currently squatting on, since we'd moved here six months ago.

Technically, Andrea had named him "WolfCat" because of his distinctive color and mannerisms but we both fondly referred to him as Wolfie. The cat was feral and he wouldn't be handled or petted but Andrea and I both loved the animal and believed that he had affection for us as well. "You wanna hook-up with me, cowboy? - then you better get used to the idea of having animals, LOTS of wonderful animals, Tim" Andrea had once warned me. Cats, dogs, ferrets -- what have you got? It didn't matter. Andrea loved them all, I loved animals too so it really wasn't an issue with us -- hell, why else would we buy a ranch? I asked myself. Watching him, it dawned on me now that Wolfie's nickname could certainly apply to his eating habits as well, Wolfie could sure WOLF down the food. ...The cat's sleeping quarters were under the front door steps and Andrea would even place old towels and blankets there for him whenever we had them but she wouldn't let him in the house. Yet, he would always greet Andrea and me warmly whenever we returned home from somewhere and I think both of us loved the little shit.

...I now went around to the side of the coral and over to where the old green Chevy stood. After checking the coolant level, I slammed the hood and climbed in the cab, starting the engine. The gauges in the dashboard began to awaken from their slumber as I listened to the little six cylinder turning over ... "Mmm, smooth as silk now" I mumbled aloud. The recent valve work had made a tremendous difference in how the old piece ran and I was suddenly quite proud of the work I had done earlier in the week. I was excited about going on the first test drive with Andrea this morning and seeing how well the old piece would motor along now when enroute to Duffy's house.

"K, let's go! She's waiting on me" Andrea said as she opened the passenger's door and jumped in quickly.

"Roger that" I affirmed.

I backed the old Chevy into the yard as Andrea fastened her seatbelt, I then dropped the transmission into second gear and we sped off. Once on Sunland Gin road, I immediately noticed an increase in power in the old truck. The engine was firing on all six cylinders now and the little Chevy was actually a pleasure to drive.

"It sure sounds a lot better than before" Andrea commented.

"Had two dead holes, Andrea, and it was essentially only running on about four and a half cylinders, last week." I replied.

"Oh, I see, and that's why you took it all apart, then?" she asked.

"Mmm-hmm" I nodded.

...Turning left at the traffic light, a few minutes later; I began rapidly shifting gears and merged into traffic onto I-10. The old Chevy had no problems now in keeping up with traffic as we hummed along at a half way respectable sixty five miles an hour. Continuing onward in silence, Andrea and I soon entered Casa Grande city limits where Duffy and her husband had a small ranch house and horse stables of their own, located within a quaint little neighborhood; I had been to Duffy's house on a few other occasions and knew the way without asking. ...As Andrea and I now passed several strip malls and large box stores; she suddenly began texting on her phone while I silently pondered Ricky and Brenda's arrival from Seattle, in a little over a week's time. I was looking forward to seeing the couple again and was ready to have some fun. It had been a long construction season in Alaska for me that summer, and I believed that all of us were ready to get out and play, it was time.

...Andrea immediately got out of the truck as we pulled into Duffy's gravel packed yard and stopped behind the little yellow Volkswagen Beetle with its BEEBUG license plates.

"Forgetting something, aren't you?" I asked sternly before Andrea could slam the door of the old Chevy.

Andrea now rolled her eyes and huffed slightly as she hurriedly re-entered the vehicle and, walking over the seat cushion upon her Knees, leaned over me and smacked me on the lips with a good solid kiss, her actions immediately engulfing me within the scent of jasmine and the taste of strawberries on my lips.

"Love you, WIFI" I said, looking up at her in awe, accompanied by a sudden surge of excitement quickly running through me, which I knew in my heart, had been Andrea's deliberate intentions to begin with.

"Get a seat cover for this fuckin' thing if you want to me to ride in it" she demanded, as she clambered out of the vehicle.

Andrea then roughly dragged her purse over the seat cushion behind her, as if it were a secondhand sled that she cared nothing about. Slamming the door with its open window, Andrea donned her sunglasses as she warmly greeted Duffy. I smiled and waved through the windshield at both ladies; Duffy, dressed in a bright floral shirt with white pants and smiling brightly, waved back at me while simultaneously greeting Andrea with a hug. The ladies, both equestrian minded, were going to go and mingle with other "Horse People" today, which brought warmth to my heart. Andrea and Duffy were kindred spirits and had both worked hard their entire lives. Each of them was finally in a financial position, and time, within their lives that they could begin living out their girlhood fantasies of having horses. For them, horses were essentially the equivalent that classic vehicles and World War Two aircraft were, for Ricky and I. -"Passionate people can talk all day with a like minded confederate." Mom had always said.

I backed the Chevy out onto the street and waited for the ladies to proceed ahead of me. This was another trait which Mom had continuously drilled into Ricky and I with the words of "When you drop-off a lady somewhere DON'T JUST DRIVE OFF LIKE SOME MINDLESS SOT! Walk her to her front door and wait to make sure that she enters her house or vehicle SAFELY, - that's what a gentleman does, son!"

"I love you, Mom" I said quietly as I relived Andrea's feigned impatience with me for having to crawl back into the vehicle and over the seat to kiss me Good-Bye, a few minutes earlier. I waved to the ladies one last time now as the little yellow beetle zoomed out of Duffy's driveway ahead of me, the ladies were now off on their day's adventure and this made me smile again. ...As I put the Chevy in gear and began driving now myself, I suddenly slapped the steering wheel slightly, in disappointment with myself. What I should have done, a few minutes prior, was have escorted Andrea to Duffy's front door and then greeted Duffy AS I kissed Andrea IN FRONT of her friend but I had instead, made Andrea crawl over the Chevy's dilapidated seat and come to me. ..."Get a seat cover for this fuckin' thing, if you want to me to ride in it." I glanced at the old Chevy's worn and stained seat cushion now as I drove along Jimmy Kerr Boulevard. I then made a mental note to do a better job of presenting my wife during our next outing.

"Well I blew that one a little, I guess, Mom" I sighed aloud now.

Thinking objectively now, I knew that hadn't "presented" my wife properly, just now, but I also knew from the actions of her mannerisms, a few minutes ago, that Andrea had in fact been flattered to some degree, that I hadn't let her exit the vehicle without first demanding a Good-Bye kiss from her. Using my male logic, this probably equaled a score of, minus-one point and positive-one point, on my scoreboard, making it an even trade. -- NO! It was better than an even score, because I had in fact GOTTEN a kiss from her, which is and always will be the primary objective to begin with, so score a whole point in my favor, I now reasoned, smiling slightly and nodding to myself as I drove along now.

"Get a seat cover for this fuckin' thing, if you want to me to ride in it."

A few minutes later I dove the old Chevy into the parking lot of a large carpet warehouse, I then pulled up to the building's large fronted windows and switched off the truck's engine. Stepping out and closing the truck's door behind me, I proceeded into the large showroom. Fifteen minutes later I came out carrying a small roll of rem, or "Remainder" of some outdoor artificial golf course "Green." The Green was remaining materiel left over from one of the warehouse's massive rolls of outdoor carpeting or Green, as it was sometimes called. A lot of carpet outlets would give you fairly large scraps of brand new left-over materiel at very little cost, I had discovered recently, simply because these smaller pieces of new materiel were essentially impossible to sell with any profit margin and they were just taking up valuable floor space or headed for the dumpster once new stock arrived. The outdoor carpeting's grass color would go fairly well with the old Chevy's faded lime green paint and the actual act of covering the seat cushion would also show Andrea that I was trying to do one small thing to take her feelings into consideration. I had only paid fifteen dollars for the relatively large roll of outdoor carpeting and it was good durable stuff, I nonchalantly threw the roll into the truck bed.

Carpet Rem's was something else Andrea had taught me from her experience in flipping houses...

I got back in the truck and started down the road again toward the interstate, the little Chevy six cylinder humming right along now. The Chevy in-line 250 had always sounded like an antique sewing machine to me I reflected, as I listened to the uneven yet rhythmical chugging sound which was so familiar to me. Growing-up, Ricky and I had always laughed at the little in-line six cylinder engines -- most guys our age had. We had been obsessed with building powerful V-8's and hot-rodding in those days. Now, as we got older, most guys our age still enjoyed tinkering with the big V-8 engines and making horsepower but I had also come to appreciate the little six-cylinder for its simplicity and economy. The little engine was easy to work on, easy to find parts for and only sipped the gas.