WARMER DAYS... on to Florida (Part 156o)

WARMER DAYS… on to Florida (Part 156o)

Walking back inside with Thea I asked about her future plans. It was my understanding that Diane, Thea and Ed’s daughter, had come back to manage the apartment complex and I wondered what the future held for them. I remember the sort of sly smile that crossed her face. She didn’t give a direct answer but it was my distinct impression that they had some very definite plans. She said that their relationship with the resort had been favorable for both parties but it was time to break away. That’s where she left it.

While we were talking Elle had been called over to the front desk where Diane was on duty. My parents had gone on to the bar and had asked us to stop in before going to our room. I was too far away to hear any of the conversation and at the same time didn’t want to be discourteous to Thea. She wanted to know what plans we had for our remaining time there and that was hard to pin down. Actually, that was the subject my father wanted to discuss with us.

Finally free of Thea, I rescued Elle from Diane. I asked what they’d been chatting about but Elle told me to wait. I saw my parents with some people who looked vaguely familiar. We were introduced to them and the name rang a bell… they were people who my folks had befriended there at the place way back when I was still going with them. They had come down from New England to partake in the “Farewell Party” like my parents but it had been many years since they’d seen each other. Neither knew the other was coming and they were just starting to reminisce when we appeared. Initially, I thought we’d be dragged into it but my father saved the day. He wanted to tell me that I wouldn’t be able to use the car until late the next morning as he had some important business to take care of. That information became the basis for our plans for the following day.

We’d accomplished some of the things we’d set out to do. My ankle was telling me that more tennis was probably not going to happen. However, we still wanted to visit Marineland to see the dolphin and whale show. It was located just South of St. Augustine and probably a little over an hour away. Reading from the brochure I figured that it we left before noon we’d make the 2pm show so I asked my father if he’d be back by then. He said he’d try. That left the morning free to go swimming in the ocean, something we’d vowed to do before we left home, and to collect sea shells from the beach. It seemed like a plan.

WE said our good nights and headed for our room. Turning on the light we found a pile of bath towels on the first bed. Diane had done what she said she would and that brought up the subject of her earlier conversation with Elle at the front desk. When I asked Elle about she she made a face as if to say she didn’t want to talk about it but I insisted. It amounted to another apology and also she after seeing Elle’s reaction, had gotten to see my mother to tell her about it. That definitively answered the question of the flowers and the special treatment at dinner. But, I could tell there was something more.

Elle wanted to get out of her dress and I out of my jacket and tie. As we did I made mention of the towels and the fact that her bed had stayed reasonably dry the night before. She agreed but said it was probably a good idea even with the rubberized pad. That’s when I asked her about her panty supply and how many clean pair she had left. I knew she’d been rinsing them out but also knew she was hiding them in a drawer when we were out of the room so the maid wouldn’t see them. What I was ‘fishing’ for was weather I should take up Diane’s offer of the use of their washing machines. That triggered her to tell me the rest of her conversation with Diane.(31)

Diane told her she realized that her offer was “overkill” or something like that. The machines they had were for linens, sheets and towels and were very large. So, she offered Elle the use of one of the machines over in the apartments. Elle said she told her that she didn’t think it necessary and let it go at that. I went and checked and found that by morning she’d only have two pair of new, clean ones to wear. All the others were in the drawer. Checking it I found six pair… four of the new ones, her dribble and tennis panties. I told her that she was going to need all of them and that we better take her up on her offer. Reluctantly, Elle agreed but said I’d have to go do it as she wasn’t going out.

I gathered them up along with my briefs, T shirts and two of Elle’s knit tops and headed over to the apartments. There was a community room with a bulletin board, a washer, dryer and a vending machine with soap powder. Luckily, I had some change in my pocket. There was something in the dryer but I wasn’t going to need it for a while so threw the clothes in the washer. I’d not seen a washing machine like this one but I was able to figure it out. My guess was that it would take about 30 minutes so went back to the room. Elle was in bed reading some of the brochures touting local tourist attractions and as soon as I walked in she announced that she wanted to see the Fountain of Youth. In hearing that I remembered seeing it my first year in Florida and hearing my father say it was a “rip off”. However, Elle said she wanted to see it so after discussing it a bit I told her we’d try to stop when we returned from Mainland the next day. She smiled.

To be continued…