(Continued from Chapter 3)
A couple of miles down the highway, I saw a sign pointing to the left, advertising "Beachside Camping, 3 Miles". I slowed and turned left just past the sign and drove in the direction of the shore. Sure enough, there was a sign, "welcoming" us to the Triple M Campground.
"We're going to camp?" Teri said, a little surprised, as I turned in the lot. I stopped. "Well, hell, little sis, if you'd rather get a motel or something, we can do that. I guess we've got enough money."
Teri's face brightened. "Oh no, this is awesome. I haven't been camping since I was like, 14."
I drove on to the office and went in and talked to the old fellow, who sat on a sofa facing a large, oval table. He had the tv on and was watching a baseball game.
"You got anything open, mister?" I said.
"Believe we do," he said. "What you need? RV? Tent site?"
"We have a tent."
"OK. That'll be $20 for one night, $30 for two nights, $65 for all week, all seven days."
"You got showers and water?"
"Yup. Showers and potable water, no extra charge. Hot water in the showers. Snacks and sodas in machines outside the office. Beach is about 200 yards down that way, down that path there. I got lots of regular customers comes back every year 'bout this time, some even in the fall."
"How's the bugs?"
"Not too bad. We get some skeeters sometimes. County comes and sprays down along the inlet once a week, so skeeters don't bother us too much."
It sounded pretty good. I reached in my pocket and handed the old man a twenty. He started to talk about how his family had owned this land back "three, four generation, back to 'bout 1880s." I cut him off politely and asked him where to set up
"Well," he said, thinking a minute. "What we got left is likely over this way." He pointed to the left, away from the beach path. "You can run over there and see which suits you. Fires welcome if you got your own wood and keep all the burning in those truck rims all around. Just kinda keep the noise down and mind to your own business and you'll have a nice time here."
"Thanks, friend," I said, shaking his hand.
I got back to the car and climbed in. "Twenty bucks," I said to Teri. "Not bad, eh?"
"No, that's good," she said, half-sleepily. "Maybe we can get something nice to eat or buy some fireworks. She sounded more like a sweet little girl, my little sister Teri, than she did the street-wise, grown-up Teri. I drove slowly to the left, as the old man had indicated, and we found a level spot in soft sand, a little bit away from the other tents. I pulled the old tent bag out and freed the contents, unrolling the orange tent and staking it down. Then I raised it up with the poles. Last, I spread the old blanket like a rug and rolled out the sleeping bags.
"OK honey, we're home," I called out, and Teri giggled. At the same time, she seemed unusually quiet and reserved, as though she had slammed shut some part of her during her abuse by the cops. She sat up and said, "Bobby, I wonder if there's a drug store around here. I want to get some shampoo and some things I forgot to bring."
"I don't know honey. We can go look."
We got in the car again, drove back to the highway, and turned toward town. Not far down the road was a Kroger with a pharmacy sign out front. "How bout this, sis?" I said. "That's fine," she said, still quiet, her enthusiasm shut down somehow.
I parked, and Teri got out. "You need anything Bobby?" she asked.
"Oh no," I said, my protection instinct whetted sharp. "I'm coming in with you."
We walked into the grocery, and again she took my hand as we walked. Inside, she went to the pharmacy area, and I went scouting for food. I got bratwurst and rolls and mustard, a can of beans, a canteloupe and some cherries. I went to the checkout and set down the basket, then went back for a case of beer.
