GETTING A BREAK... finally (Part 54a)

In the back of my mind was the apartment that the female photographer, Pat, had rented. All I could do was hope that it might be available. AJ’s plan was to take the race ready horses to Delaware and I would take the others on back to the track where we’d raced for the past four years. AJ had assigned Ed to go with me which allowed me to leave early. I arrived before the horses and went right to the apartment. I’d “sold” Elle on it even though it had some obvious negative aspects. The best part was that, even though only one room, there was plenty of space. It also had a big, grassy back yard with shade trees which would allow Elle and the baby to spend a good bit of time outdoors. It was also only 5 minutes walking time into town. The negatives were that it was on the second floor and had no sink so dishes had to be washed in the bathroom. We pulled in and the owner was sitting in a lawn chair, soaking up the sun. Mrs M was a large, pleasant woman. Elle and I liked her immediately. She showed us the apartment and when Elle reacted negatively to the lack of a sink Mrs M immediately offered up the use of her washing machine, at no extra cost, to compensate. Elle, by then, had become very good at knowing costs and weighing them into the big picture. We both knew washing clothes and diapers were going to be a cost that we hadn’t had to face all winter. I looked at Elle and she gave me a weary smile back. We had a deal.

All our things were loaded into the car but I knew I had to be at the track when the horses arrived so needed the car. Mrs M came to the rescue. She told me to take her pick up truck and she would help Elle unload the car. The timing couldn’t have been better. The first truck had passed through the gate only a short time before. It was early afternoon and I hoped we could get the horses settled in before dark. That thought was like a death wish because we had some problems. The order for hay and straw had gotten fouled up and by the time all the horses were bedded down and fed it was dark. When I got back to the apartment I found my way partially blocked by a big tractor trailer truck. I found a place to park and went upstairs only to find Elle and the baby asleep. On the chance that she’d had a chance to get some food I checked the refrigerator and found a plate of food there along with eggs and milk. It was a pleasant shock. I tried to be quiet but managed to wake the baby who, in turn, woke Elle.

It took her a little time to get focused but caught me up to date. Mrs M had gone into town and bought some staples so we’d have something for breakfast. Then she ended up cooking dinner for Elle and me. Listening to Elle rave about how nice she was was a noticeable change. She’d taken to complaining about almost everything and I, in some ways, couldn’t blame her. I was pretty tired myself and was ready to go to bed but Elle wasn’t done. I decided that it would be a good idea to take advantage of Elle’s good mood.

Mrs M introduced Elle to her daughter who lived in a trailer that was parked next door. I’d seen it but it didn’t think much about it. It didn't appear to be connected with Mrs M’s house and yard. The tractor trailer rig in the yard belonged to her son-in-law who was an over the road trucker. He was home for a few days and would move the truck in the morning. They had a son just a little older than our baby and a daughter about 3 years old. Elle said she’d met the daughter, Margie, and her kids. Elle was excited about the boy because it would be the first time that our baby would get to play with anyone her age. She went on to tell me that Mrs M had shown her the back yard and she said that there was a fresh water stream that ran through the wooded area. They had cleared an area along the stream where they had some chairs and a table set up. After having cooked out in the sun the whole previous Summer she was looking forward to spending time back there. It wasn’t the same type of water she was used to but at least it was wet and she could wade in it to help keep cool. For the first time since I had suggested that we not haul the trailer all the way back to the track Elle seemed to be happy about the situation. At least I wouldn’t have to worry as much about it.

For me, work was somewhat fun because I was in charge. Ed was a tremendous help and without having AJ hovering around all the time it made my life a lot easier. Racing hadn’t started so meant I still had my nights free. Being May, the nights weren’t all that warm but we did manage to have a few where we could spend time out in the yard. One thing I remember vividly was watching our daughter make her first foray out into grass. It must’ve tickled her because she’d go a few feet, flop down, rub her feet and toes and then do it all over again. Mrs M’s daughter brought her kids over and our daughter seemed to be intimidated by them even though they had met a few times before. It was the first time I’d formally met her and as we watched the kids I kept looking at her trying to figure out weather she was cute or just plain.

She was about Elle’s height and weight but she had a round face and big, dark eyes. I finally decided that when she smiled she was cute. Her hair, dark brown and almost black except for when she was in direct sunlight, was cut into one of the popular styles of the day for women, a page boy. It made her face seem even rounder. I remember that she and Elle talked mostly about the kids and I just sat and observed. The first time I found myself even the least bit interested was when Margie's daughter ripped a toy away from her son and he started bawling. She jumped up to go pick him up and when she bent over to lift him up I got the first VPL I’d seen in a long, long time. That little look got me immediately thinking about her panties and just where her wash line might be.

To be continued...