"You were out too late last night Kathleen," her mother told her as she entered the kitchen. "Was that why you missed breakfast?"
"Oh mom, it wasn't too late and I was just over the Dayton's," Kathy said, brushing her lengthy dark hair. "Paul had a going away party."
"You mean you were giving him a going away party, I'll bet," said her father sitting at the table eating.
"Dad!" Kathy stammered. "Practically everybody in the neighborhood was there. Even his parents were there."
"I don't give a damn," her father said, turning toward her. "Staying out late is one thing, but your not going to stay over a boy's house at night. You hear me?" He turned back to his food. "Especially that Paul Dayton. He's a bum. I don't want you seeing him anymore."
"He's not a bum and I didn't stay over. And anyways he's going back to college tomorrow."
"There's some lunch left Kathy," her mother said to her, sitting down at the table.
"I've already eaten."
"And please go brush your hair in the bathroom," her mother added.
"Well I'm done brushing," she said, putting the brush in the back pocket of her cut off dungarees, taking a can of soda from the refrigerator. "I'm going now to meet Samantha. She's coming in on the one o'clock bus."
She left quickly, entering the heat of the small farm town. She followed the main street away from town to the north, past a few other lonely looking small houses and then past rows and rows of beans and corn. After twenty minutes she left the cracked and thin pavement of main street and came to the highway that led southeast toward the larger town of Sayfare. She sat by a telephone-pole in wait for the bus from Oakland. Heat-bugs and a flock of starlings were all to be heard among the acres of crops surrounding her. Far away was the faint form of a crop duster on the horizon.
She saw the bus before she heard it. The heat made it appear to be coming out of the air. The bus came slowly down the long road, finally pulling up in a cloud of dust.
"Hi Sam," Kathy said as the lone girl stepped out. She was heavier than Kathy, with shorter blonde hair. She was wearing dungarees and a halter-top shirt, carrying a sports bag and a sweater. "It's so good to see you again."
"Hi Kathy. It's good to be here again."
"And look at you, you've cut your hair. It's so short!"
"Oh," Sam said putting a hand to her hair. "You like it?"
"Yes. It looks good on you. It's cute."
They stood staring with bright eyes and smiles for a second as the bus left.
"Gosh it's hot," Samantha said, breaking the silence.
"Yeah, it'll be a scorcher of a summer," said Kathy. "Come on, lets get to the house. Want some?" she asked, holding up the soda.
"Yeah."
"So, how was your trip?" Kathy asked as they walked.
"Oh fun! The stop-over in Salt Lake was maddening and the bus ride was unbearable. The bus driver thought I was crazy to get out here."
"That figures. I'm surprised that they get enough people to keep the bus running."
"In Salt Lake there was a creep who kept following me around," Samantha said.
"Really?"
"Yeah, he was a real loser. He came up to me and goes, 'You a Salt city girl?' and I said 'Not quite,' and walked away kind of quick, and he kept following me for an hour. I ditched him by spending half an hour in the bathroom at the terminal."
Kathy was laughing.
"It's not funny. I mean the guy was really sick."
"You should have kicked him where it counts."
"I wanted to spend some time in the city," Sam went on. "But I ended up spending the whole two hours at the terminal."
"You must be starved," said Kathy. "What was it? A two hour flight, a two hour stop-over, and then another hour to here? You must be bushed."
"And a forty minute bus ride," Sam answered.
"That long? Here, let me take your bag. Oh is it heavy. What do you have in it?"
"Everything I could think of," Sam said.
"Well here we are," Kathy said as they walked across the sparse lawn to her house. "We just had breakfast but I can make some sandwiches or something for you while you rest."
"That's all right," said Sam. "I'm not that tired."
"Sure you are. You look tired. What you need is nice hot bath and a good meal."
The screen door banged shut after they entered, and Kathy set down the bag.
"We're here mom," she shouted.
"Hi Mrs. Smith," Samantha said when Kathy's mother came over.
"Hi Samantha. How was you trip?" she asked.
"All right."
"How's your folks?"
"They're doing okay, and you can expect a call from my mom soon to see if I got in okay."
"Well we've got to get you unpacked Sam," Kathy said, picking up the sports bag and heading up the stairs.
Sam followed her up and into Kathy's room.
"It's the same as always," she said sitting on the bed next to where Kathy had put down the bag.
"What? The mess? I like it this way. Everything is within reach all the time." Sam stretched out on the bed. "Why don't you rest while I fix you some food." Sam didn't answer.
Kathy went downstairs and put on some homemade soup to heat and made a sandwich. She looked for her parents and saw that they were outside in the garden. After she set out some silverware she went back up to her room. Sam was sound asleep.
"Sam," Kathy said moving close. "Sam you awake?" She put her hand on Sams shoulder and rolled her over on to her back, moving the sports bag aside. Sam mumbled something she did not catch and went on sleeping.
"Well I guess you need the sleep Sammy," Kathy whispered. She pulled Sams sneakers and socks off, pausing and staring at Sams sleeping form. "Oh Sammy," she said with a sigh and then went back downstairs where she met her parents heading for the door.
"Oh hi dear," her mother said. "We're going to the Masons. Tell Samantha that I've already spoken to her mother."
"Let's go Helen," Mr. Smith said stepping out the door. "We'll be late."
"Good-bye Kathy," said her mother leaving. "Don't stay out too late."
"Bye mom. Have a good time," she called after her, and she went into the kitchen and turned off the heat under the soup and covered it. She put the sandwich into the refrigerator and went into the den, turned on the television set and flipped through the channels. Then with a disgusted face she went upstairs and into the bathroom where she turned on the water to the tub. After setting the temperature she took some bubble-bath and squirted some in, giving it an extra squirt.
"Hope you like lots of bubbles Sammy," she said going into her room. Sam was still sound asleep.
She straightened it up a bit; putting books back on shelves, picking up clothes and resorting items on her desk. She quickly gave up and sat down at her desk, peering into her small mirror, her head resting in her hands and leaning on her elbows. She muttered to her image and fiddled with the cosmetics about her desk. She took some lipstick and tried it on, only to wipe it off and try another. Finally settling on a color she began to apply eye shadow when the sound of the bath water disturbed her.
"Oh no," she cried out loud and she ran into the bathroom. Bubbles overflowed out of the tub and steam rose and stuck to the mirrors. She got her hands soapy as she turned off the flow of water. She wiped dry her hands and went back to her room and she sat on the edge of the bed besides Samantha.
"Sammy wake up," she whispered, gently shaking her by the shoulder. "I've got you a bath ready." Sam still slept.
Kathy sat there for a moment, just gazing upon her. "Gosh I wish I had your pretty face," she whispered, then she put both her hands upon Sam's shoulders and gently rocked her back and forth. "Wake up Sam," she said loudly.
Sam awoke startled. "Oh it's you Kathy," she said sitting up. Kathy stood as Sam stretched and yawned. "Let me go back to sleep." She fell back.
"You can't. Come on, get up," said Kathy, giving her a pat on the stomach. "I've got a bubble bath ready for you, and the foods waiting. My parents went out. It's their bridge night, so they'll be out late."
"A bubble bath?" she said getting up.
"Yeah. Now hurry or it'll get cold." Kathy sat back down at her desk and Sam went to the bathroom.
"My god look at all the bubbles," she said as she got there.
"Oh yeah," Kathy said. "You'll probably have to drain some of the water out too."
Again Kathy sat in front of her mirror and began applying makeup. Minutes later she became frustrated and gave up. She went to the bathroom to wash it all off. The door was open. Sam was sunken into the bubbles and appeared to be asleep. Kathy ran the water in the sink and washed her face clean.
"So your parents are out for the night?" Sam asked.
"Oh jeez," Kathy startled around. "I thought you were asleep."
"Almost."
"Yeah. It's their bridge night. They always come home late and sometimes drunk."
"Bridge?" Sam exclaimed. "I thought bridge nights were only on television."
"Not around here. There isn't much else to do. Any excuse for a drink. We've got plenty. Everyone does."
"Yeah right. I think I've been away to long."
"We've got beer downstairs," Kathy said, drying her face. "You can have some if you want. They'll never miss it."
"Sure, I'll have some," Samantha said, pulling a leg up out of the suds. "This is the life. Beer and bubble-bath forever."
"Yeah, right," Kathy said turning and she went downstairs where she took two cans of beer from the refrigerator and went back up and handed one to Sam who sat up to take it.
"Great," Sam said. "I've been wanting one ever since I left Philadelphia."
"Oh yeah," Kathy said as she headed back to her room. "There's a party tonight."
"Really? Where?"
"It's a bog party."
"A bog party? I haven't heard of that since I left here. I haven't even been to a regular keg party let alone a bog party."
"So you've told me every time you wrote," Kathy said as she came back into the bathroom. "Paul Dayton and crew got the keg."
"Oh yeah?" Sam said.
"You want to see him, huh?"
"Well, yeah. He's all right. I think he liked me."
"Liked you?" Kathy chuckled. "He was almost head-over heels for you."
"Really?"
"You had him by his you know what's."
"Oh Kathy. Besides, he was a little slow."
"Well, Gus is still here and you liked him to," Kathy said. "Don't worry. I'll get you fixed up yet. Now out of there. There's food ready for you." Kathy turned and went down stairs
[the party]
Samantha lay in her bed for a long time after she awoke. She sat up slowly, stretching her legs and rubbing her eyes; she was still in her clothes. Kathy walked into the room wearing panties and T-shirt, her hair tied up in a towel.
"Morning Kathy," Sam mumbled, as she slid out from under the sheets. "What time is it?"
"Late," Kathy answered. "Almost twelve."
"Oh shit. What time were we supposed to meet Gus?"
"Twelve," Kathy told her.
"Their gonna kill us," she said as she went to the bathroom. "Did you eat?" she called back.
"Nope. I figured we'd just make two lunches. You know what I mean?"
"Yeah," Sam answered.
Kathy was packing things in to her small pack when Sam came back.
"I must have peed a whole gallon," Samantha said as she undressed. "What a relief."
"You must have drank a whole gallon last night," Kathy said, closing up the pack.
"So my head says so," Sam laughed. "We must have been drunk to agree to going camping with them. Gosh I wish I could take a bath."
"Go ahead. I'll call them and tell them we'll be late. I've got to pack still."
"All right," Sam said, heading back to the bathroom. "I'll make it fast."
"I think it might be fun," said Kathy.
"Yeah, I guess so. They're all right." Sam said, stepping into a pair of cutoffs and a T-shirt as Kathy had and she went through her belongings and put some of her things into her bag. "You got soap and all that stuff?"
"Some, but the boys are real camping freaks and they'll probably have whatever we don't." She shouldered her pack and headed to the door. "I'm going down to make some lunches. Oh yeah, I've already squared it with my parents."
"That's good."
"Wait'll you find out what I have to do the next few months. Oh and guess what? I called Gus but he was out. I hope they'll be waiting for us downtown."
Sam went down into the kitchen when she finished packing her things, leaving her bag at the bottom of the stairs. Kathy had sandwiches in plastic bags lined up on the counter. They stuffed them into Kathy's knapsack along with cookies and crackers.
"Should we bring something to drink?" Sam asked.
"I haven't any good containers," Kathy answered. "Besides, Gus and John said they'd take care of that." Just then Kathy's father came in.
"My how you've filled out Samantha," he said giving her a pat on her behind.
"Dad!" Kathy said sharply.
"How's your father's job Samantha?" he asked getting a beer from the refrigerator.
"Oh just fine," she answered. "He said he'd be coming out for a visit soon. Probably when I'm gonna go home so we can go back together."
"I hear he's moving up in the world," he said.
"Oh yeah. He's in finance now."
"Fancy desk job huh," he said heading out. "Let me know if you'll need a ride anywhere Kathy."
"Don't mind him," Kathy said when he was out of sight. "Well that does it."
They left after a hurried good-bye. They walked south along main street toward the town center. It was just a mile to the gas station that John worked at. The streets were quiet and empty. Usual for a Saturday afternoon.
"Seen John?" Kathy asked the elderly man they met inside the office.
"Ain't bin around since mornin'," the man answered without looking up.
"Any idea where he is?"
"Nope," the man said. He didn't glance at them until they turned to leave.
"Well. What do you think we should do?" Sam asked when they stopped by the side of the road in front of the station. The wind blew a light dust about them.
"Think they've already gone up?" Kathy asked.
"I don't know."
"It's a long way to Gus's house," Kathy went on. "Maybe we should just head on up."
"You'd think they would've called or something."
"Well, it's half past now, and since we've already missed each other we might as well head on up by our selves."
"Why not," Sam added and they headed back up the road. "If they're late then they'll come up the mountain looking for us."
"They'd better."
An old dirt road led them part of the way up the mountain, but when the road stopped going up the mountainside and continued onward to the north, they turned off and followed a thin winding foot path that led to the top, eating some of the food on the way. They walked slowly, resting often.
The grade steepened sharply as the neared the top, the trees giving way to bushes and low shrubs scattered among the rock now becoming prominent. They dropped their gear as soon as they climbed up upon the Knob. The area where they rested stuck out above the trees and hung over steep cliffs to the ocean. The whole valley could be seen behind them.
They set up their tent in a spot of dirt next to the base of some large boulders that stuck out on the east end. They crawled into the tent and emptied out their gear and set out their blankets they brought for sleeping. When they finished they took out the rest of their food and climbed to the top of the boulders and sat facing the ocean which broke against the base of high cliffs at their feet. The sky was fast becoming red and orange as the sun set into horizon.
"It figures they're late," Kathy said leaning back after she finished eating and she lit a cigarette.
Sam took a drink from the jug of water and handed it to Kathy. "I knew we should have brought beer of our own. I feel like getting drunk."
"They're probably just waiting till it gets dark and sneak up on us," Kathy said. "And I know exactly what they'll say. That they forgot a tent."
"Really."
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