Life Renewed

JAMES AND ANA, PART III

When he brought the Walmart bags to her he told her, "Nice luggage. Matching, too". And then hurried for the kitchen to avoid any possible reprisals. After all, he was just trying to lighten the mood a little and then he paused after realizing that he was being nice to her and was actually enjoying it. This surprised him to no end when he realized that he was interacting and even joking somewhat with another human, but did not mention it nor did he dwell on the fact right then, but he did know it was something to consider. Could it mean he might be coming out of his funk? Might this lovely creature and her situation be helping him in some way? He doubted it, but it was possible. Rolf had been a big help and was a great listener, but seemed to only speak when he was hungry or wanted to go out or maybe just wanting a little attention.

After she had showered and dressed and was seated at the table, she thanked him for rescuing her the previous night. He told her the rescue was just a part of the neighborly service he offered, but that it looked like she owed him a new dog after the way she stole Rolf from him so brazen and callously. She looked at him funny and with a questioning look asked him how long he had lived there and how long he had had Rolf. She also asked him what kind of a stupid name Rolf was as she had never heard of it or anything like it so he explained about the noise he had made that time when he first got him and named him accordingly. Sort of a guy thing if you will. She gave him a very funny look but did not say anything about it.

James said "I'll tell you mine if you will tell me yours." But his smile was wiped off his face quickly when she glared at him and demanded he explain what he meant by that remark. James looked at her with disbelief on his face and malice in his voice when he said, "Damn, Lady, lighten up some. I was simply making light of the situation we are in. What I meant was that both of us seem to be real uptight and either running away or hiding from something or someone, and I meant that I would tell my story for the first time anywhere if you want to hear it and in return I would gladly listen to yours and if need be we could cry on each other's shoulders and into our beer together. And just what is your name, and if I make you that uncomfortable, I will loan you a pair of snowshoes and a heavy coat and send you on your way. Now, if you are really that uptight then good luck in life and in ever holding onto a man and you need to be prepared for life with your only friends being dried up old lesbians and other misfits."

"Now, my name is Michael James Crawford but I go by James as there were several Michaels in my family. I own this place and the 8 square miles around it so that I can have the solitude I have been desiring since some drugged out Mexican illegal driving an 18-wheeled semi killed my whole family meaning my wife, my mom, my dad, and my three daughters and himself with that out of control semi. He ran over their car while spaced out on the drugs his employer gave to the drivers so they could drive longer without regard for the safety of others nor any laws on any book anywhere. He went bankrupt as soon as I filed my lawsuit and I suddenly owned a trucking company and it sold to a competitor of his in a matter of days for enough to buy this place and seek the solitude I desired. I have avoided any extraneous contact with anyone at all ever since the funeral. I have had what I had hoped was a trusty and loyal pet in the works until you Shanghaied him the way you did last night. For your information, there is something about you that he liked as soon as I brought you into the house and put you on the bed and he sniffed at your face and breath. He doesn't even get on the bed to sleep with me, and I do not snore. Now, do want to take a turn or do I go out to the barn to hunt for those snowshoes?"

She said "My name is Ana Marie Webster and that is with one N, and before I begin, let me ask you one simple question. What did you do for a living before all this? I have never had my ass chewed as thoroughly as what I just received and I guess I needed it, and I apologize and the prospect of a 60-mile trip in the cold on show shoes had nothing to do with my decision. Can we be friends or at least sorta friends for the time being?"

"Want to kiss and make up?" he asked smiling.

"Shake," holding out her hand.

"Spoilsport."

"You'll live, now answer my question, please."

"Nothing real glamorous. I was project manager on quite a few refinery and water plant construction projects. Most recently in Cape Town, South Africa. I have done them all over the world and will give you an annotated list later if you want one. Your turn." This brought a smile to her face and it looked like she was thawing just a tad.

"Traveling the world on someone else's dimes' and getting paid for it to boot is not glamorous? Give me a break. I have barely been out of my own state. Now, if I have not figured it out before hand, then later this evening I want to know if you are showing a dry sense of humor and wit or if you really are as cynical as you try to make out. Okay, I was married once to my high school sweetheart. We had known each other since birth as we were both born the same day about 3 hours apart, so since that nursery we were together through thick and thin. Neither of us ever dated anyone else and it seemed as it was pre-ordained that we be together. Matt had had to join ROTC to get his education paid for as there was no way his parents could afford to send him to college for four years. After graduation, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the army and given a 15-day leave with a 6-day delay in route for travel time they called it. We married and took a short trip as that was all we could afford at the time, saying we would take a real trip when he returned. Then it was off to Officer Basic and then a deployment to Iraq. He was killed in a major battle with the Taliban and died a hero receiving a Silver Star for his actions. He was killed about 4 months into his 12-month deployment. He got killed, a Silver Star and a spot in Arlington. I got $200,000 and a hole in my heart and life you could drive a truck through. I was devastated just like you were and locked myself away for maybe 5 years or so. I had the proceeds from his Army insurance plus a couple of other policies, so if I was careful I could have survived for several years before having to find work.

"Not having an income, I started to deplete my savings so I finally decided to get a job and become a part of society once more and found an Administrative Assistant's position at an insurance company. Things went great for several months but I started to notice this one quite handsome man always looking at me with a smile on his face. He finally struck up a conversation and we kind of hit it off. He seemed so gentle and kind and did not try to push me into anything I would not be comfortable with. About 6 or 8 months after we started dating, he asked me to marry him and after thinking it over for a day I accepted. We were making plans and nearing the time for the wedding and he still had not put any overt moves about sex on me, so I figured he had moral issues with sex outside of marriage and had planned to talk to him about it. After almost 6 years, I was starting to feel kind of like a dried-up prune."

"Figuring to change things and take it up to the next level one night, I dressed in my sexiest underwear and tightest jeans and packed an overnight bag and picked up some Chinese takeout and dropped by his home unannounced. When I climbed to the front porch, but before I could ring the doorbell, I caught sight of movement through the sheer curtains covering the side lights of the door and started to look for a crack in the coverage to better see what was going on inside. Boy, was I shocked. There was my fiancé naked with another naked man bent over the table with Brian pounding into him like there was no tomorrow. As soon as I was finished throwing up all over his rose bushes, I rang the doorbell to give him his ring back and a piece of my mind. When they both answered the door, Brian said 'Good! Come on in we need a third for the party.' I threw his ring at him and then threw the Chinese takeout at the two of them and left and just started driving, stopping every now and then to throw up again. I had no idea where I was going, but I had a full tank of gas so I just went and soon I had no idea even where I was and did not even care just as long as I was away from everyone, especially men, of which you are one of by the way. I have no idea what happened and have no recollection of the accident or anything that happened afterwards until I woke up while ago. Satisfied?"

"Actually, no I am not satisfied. What I would like to do is bring your loving fiancé and his lover up here for a day." Seeing the dark look that suddenly came over her face he quickly added. "Now settle down, Missy. I didn't mean it like that What I meant to say was that I have a ten-foot-tall pile of frozen horse manure that I am afraid might fall over so I need something or a pair of somethings down in the center to help stabilize it unit it all turns into usable compost, say in about 5 or 10 years."

Ana Marie's eyes widened and she said "Don't call me Missy, Buster, but I like how you think, but wouldn't that be against the law?" He told her that he wasn't sure there was any law out there. James told her he felt for her and seriously wished he did not live so far away as he could take a load of fresh manure and leave it in his SAAB 900 Convertible. Surprised, she asked how James knew he drove a SAAB convertible. James told her that that type always did it seemed. After a good laugh at that idea, Rolf wanted out. James told her that since she was trying to steal him, she should have to let him out. So, she did, and when she got back she asked if he had any idea of just how deep the snow was out there. He allowed that he didn't but guessed it to probably be around 2 or 2 ½ feet by now. She laughed and said he might want to try more like 3 or 3 1/2 feet or maybe more and still falling like crazy. She said that she bet Rolf was glad he had built a large covered area for him to be able to potty all winter or until the snow melted.

Ana demanded, well, actually requested, a tour of all available areas, saying she had no intention of stepping foot outside until the thaw came. When James told her that that might be June, she gasped and asked if he was serious. "Serious as a heart attack I am afraid. Only time would tell and it all depended on the weather gods and what kind of mood they might be in right then." He went on to explain the planning and preparation he had done to be ready for whatever the weather threw at them. He did tell her that with a few sunny days that the sun's UV rays would penetrate the snow and bounce back off the pavement melting the snow, even if the temperature was still below zero, but that it all depended on the sun, cloud cover, and additional snowfall. Ana started to tear up at this news.

As soon as the tears slowed, he smiled and said that after the weather cleared and cell phone service was restored, he might be able to hire a helicopter to fly in and pick her up and take her down south of them about 70 miles where the airport was if she really wanted to leave. Of course, she would not have a car and would have to buy or rent one unless she knew someone that would come and get her and take her back to her home. He did offer to pay for her ticket if necessary. Ana Marie said to let her think on the problem for a bit as she did not know anyone that could or would come for her in the first place, and that she did not want to chance an encounter with Brian or his boyfriend. James had been holding his breath as he did not want this beautiful and intelligent creature to leave here, smiled and said, "Well, that is settled then, you will stay here with me and continue the training of your dog." This brought a full-throated laugh out from Ana and it felt good to both of them. She looked at James and asked if he was serious and he said he was deathly serious. She jokingly said that spending a winter at his ranch would let her save a ton of money on rent, utilities, gas, and food as he had all that already. She said it as a joke, but he took her serious and started to clean out closet and dresser space for the few clothes she had with her.

He told her that they were going to have to get her a complete wardrobe so she would feel comfortable. After she finished laughing at his seriousness, she asked how he planned to do that and he simply said "air mail" and let it drop for the time being and went in to fix supper. After they had eaten and washed and dried the dishes, James tried the internet and was surprised to see it up and running. He called Ana over and told her to grab a chair and enjoy the upcoming experience.

He first sat out a pen and a notebook for whatever notes she might need to make. Next, he asked about a store preference like Amazon.com, Lands' End, L.L. Bean, or any of the other top of the line online retailers. Then he said that even better was to visit each of them and compare or simply buy whatever she saw she lined and needed. James did tell her that she could not place an actual order until later in the day as he had to arrange for a delivery point someplace. Ana again asked how he was going to get it to the ranch and again his simple answer was "air mail," and went for coffee.

Ana asked him how she was going to pay for everything he told her to buy and he gave her a credit card and told her to try to keep it below $50,000 for the first buys. She gasped and almost swallowed her tongue and asked if he was crazy to spend that kind of money on someone he did not even know. He took her hand in his and looked deep into her eyes and said "Ana, while it is available, you do not have to spend it all. And remember that people give their lives for people that they don't know or never even met. It is called character." He then noticed her tears and refusal to look at him and he realized his mistake by remembering how her first husband had died giving his life for others. He took her into his arms and apologized over and over for his big mouth and insensitivity. She had to tell him it was all right and that she had to move on with her life and it looked like she had a good start with a good tour guide. James told her that in his past line of work, he had to learn to make snap decisions and impressions about people and live with those decisions. He told her that while it was too early in their friendship to profess anything other than like, but for her to rest assured that he had a real like for her, her sense of humor, and ability to adapt. This brought a big smile too Ana's face and a "Thank you" to her lips.

While Ana was looking at the online retailers, James used his cell phone information service and found an aviation company that had helicopters for charter. He reserved one for the first good flying day after the day after tomorrow as after he got permission to ship to them all the packages that would be showing up at the aviation company's service desk the next day and the day after that. James took the shipping address of the aviation company in to Ana and told her to have everything sent to that address "Next Day Air." James returned to the kitchen for more coffee for both of them a happy camper, and from the look on Ana's face, that description aptly fit her also.

With nothing really to do and with Ana on the computer, he decided he needed to order a second computer setup so they could each be on line at the same time if necessary, like now for example. As he was sitting there, a second thought hit him. Darn, but he was going to have to stop just sitting around thinking as it changed his life too much, and he went to the far corner of the kitchen and pulled out his cell phone and redialed the helicopter company and asked to speak to the owner or manager about some business. A short time later, a gentleman came on and identified himself as Leon Ames, the principal owner of the company and asked how could he help James. James said he thought he could see a real need in the wintertime for him to have his own helicopter and was wondering if there was a training facility around, and what would be the cost of his training and license, and how much would a very good lightly used helicopter sell for and what was the approximate annual cost of owning and maintaining one.

Leon told James that he and his company were licensed as training facilities for Helicopter pilots and that much of the training could be done on line with home study materials and then he could come down in the Spring and Summer for the actual flying time. James asked about the cost and the length of time that might be required for the training, not that he cared about either, he was just curious. He was told about the maintenance costs and the annual inspections and all that and was then told about the price of buying a helicopter. It all depended on what you wanted and how large a bird you needed and what perks you wanted with it. Leon told him that he had found a nice used bird near Las Vegas, and that it was a beautiful slightly used Bell which has all the lights and bells and whistles that could haul 6 passengers plus a pilot and copilot. This one had about 4000 hours and 6000 landings and had just come from its annual inspection and a replacement of the left engine and was absolutely in top shape this was the owners personal bird and he had just dropped the asking price to $1,199,999. James said he would think on it but did not want to get the cart before the horse and to let him get licensed first, and that he would decide about buying when he was closer to knowing he would get the license to fly the bird, and actually had a need for one instead of just a desire to have one. He would also have to construct a hanger and a paved landing pad and apron and an approach area with an outside refueling area and a safe place for the fuel tanks. He would need to have some sort of geo-thermal system set in the pavement to help keep the pad and aprons free of ice and snow. James then asked Leon how wide an area he needed to safely land his helicopter when he came up so he could land and they could unload it. When Leon told him, James said that it would not be a problem and that he would have an area larger than that cleared down to the ground plus pathways to the house.

Leon asked James about any diseases or medical conditions that might cause some heartburn with the FAA as he would have to have regular flight physicals to keep is license active and valid and James assured him he had none. He had a sudden idea and asked Leon if there was any price break if two people took the training at the same time. Leon told him he had never experienced such a request before and therefore had no idea, but promised to think on it and get back with James as soon as possible. He would bring up all the application forms and FAA notifications and insurance forms and the on-line ground school materials when he flew up in two days.