Dan's Story Pt. 01

Sam gets up, taking off his jacket and nods for Dan to do the same. Dan hands his jacket to Sam and Lorena says for him to put them on her bed. Sam disappears with Lorena through a curtained off area at the back of the kitchen. They are gone for three or four minutes and come out with little smiles for each other. Dan is confused and bewildered. Is Sam putting the moves on this guy's wife? He can't believe it but has no other explanation.

There's noise that sounds like a fight coming from outside, loud shouting and banging around. Dan steps to the door as Lorena goes by him and shouts, "Cut it out, you two! Right now! Jack, you get in the house! Edgar, what's the matter with you? Do you always have to be fighting with your brother?" She follows Jack into the house and another tall burley fellow comes in right behind them.

Jack's brother: "He says you're going ta the dance and he won't take me! Come over there ta git Ma ta watch the young uns and won't take his own brother ta the club!", grouses the newcomer.

"Git outa ma house!", screams Jack.

Lorena steps between them and says, "Edgar, you can come with us if you have a shirt and jacket that this fella can wear." She indicates Sam. "You're about of a size." She goes on, "Jack, the other fella should be able to wear your clothes. You git him a shirt." She goes to prepare something on the stove while Edgar leaves.

"Worse than the kids!" she mumbles over the stove. Dan just stares at them as Jack comes out from behind the curtain with a shirt in one hand and an open bottle of beer in the other. He tosses the shirt to Dan and slouches down behind the table again, swigging beer.

"Try it on." says Lorena as she sets dishes on the table full of stew. The kids clamor around Dan's feet and get up to the table. "In there.", Lorena points to the curtain.

Dan steps by the curtain and is confronted with two large rooms divided by a wide-open arch. These rooms seem to take up most of the bulk of the frame of the house but Dan notices a partly open door to his right that seems to be a bathroom. Through the arch he sees two single beds and against the wall in the room where he is, there is a large double bed. Clothes are strewn everywhere except in a large walk-in closet with one door missing. Dresser drawers are half open and contents spill in every direction. Then he notices a plate with stale remnants of food by the bed. Under everything is a plush nearly new multi-colored rug that looks homemade.

He tries on the shirt but it's too small. He steps back out through the curtain and says, "Sorry, I think it's too small". Lorena glances at him and says, "Its just right. Roll up the sleeves and leave it unbuttoned halfway down the front. Try on that jacket by the door, the light brown one. Its too big for Jack anyway." He does as she suggests and though a bit snug, it does fit him.

Meanwhile Jack and the kids are gulping down a rich fragrant stew and Sam has joined them. There's no more room or chairs in the small kitchen but somehow Edgar fits himself back into the room bearing a shirt and jacket. A tall round woman who appears to be in her fifties accompanies him. She's dressed in a faded green dress, apron and is bare foot.

"Boys, this is Jack's mother", says Lorena in way of introduction and continues, "Nana, this is Sam and Curly ...what's your name?"

"Dan." he mumbles. He wonders how she could possibly know he had curly blonde hair when he's now sporting this short military brush cut, but nothing seems to escape this small wonder woman.

"If you kids are done, get your pjs and skeedadal over to Nana's" directs Lorena. Without a word of complaint, the two youngsters disappear behind the curtain and soon are back with nightclothes in their arms. Their mother gathers them together, kisses them and shoos them off to their grandmother, who takes them out the door. "Curly, you sit here where Jammie was and get some food into you. She places two more bowls of food where the children had been and she sits between Dan and Sam.

Dan tentatively tries the stew and finds it delicious. He also tries some of the pan-fried bread and is astonished at how good it tastes. "You're quite a good cook," he says to Lorena smiling.

She beams and says "Thanks. Its just some old fashioned stew and bannock." she explains and adds, "We better hurry up, its eight thirty already." They finish their meal in silence.

Jack belches and downs the last of his beer too fast and chokes, "Now look what you went and made me do, Lorena", he whines, and burps loudly.

"You better not have any more of that, Jack! You have to drive us to the club", is Lorena's reply.

Edgar, who has been sitting in a kitchen chair tilted back against the wall in a corner of the kitchen, now helps Sam to try on his jacket. It's a good fit, so Sam takes shirt and jacket and goes behind the curtain. Soon he comes out and looks like a civilian, rather than an airman.

The clothes suit him well and Lorena's very pleased. She stacks dishes in the sink and says, "We better go. I'll do these later."

They parade out of the house and Lorena pushes the screwdriver into the doorjamb to secure the house. Jack sits behind the wheel and appears in no way fit to drive, but starts the engine and everyone piles in.

Dan and Sam are in the rear seat and Dan whispers, "At least if we have an accident, we'll be well cushioned with this lot." and he chuckles as Sam shushes him.

They swing wide out into the highway and Jack heads back down town. Just past the supermarket they swing left for about a block and a half, then find a parking place at the curb. Jack negotiates the act of parking like a professional driver and Dan marvels at it. They climb out and cross the street to a tall, three story, flat-topped commercial building.

As they enter a side door leading into a flight of stairs Jack says, "Now, I'll handle things from here. You're my guests. Let's go upstairs." and he leads the way. Music wafts down the stairs to welcome them and they climb up into a twinkle of lights. A large mirrored ball revolves on the ceiling of a spacious dance floor and a few couples are swaying to loud music under the flashing multi-colored lights. It reminds Dan of the rug in Lorena's bedroom. Around the edge of the dance floor are wooden tables and seats for about one hundred and fifty. Many people are seated at the tables and a murmur of conversation is in the air as well.

Dan whispers to Sam, "So this is the French Social Club. Some neat!"

Sam just says, "I knew there'd be one", and grins.

Jack is at a counter by the entrance explaining who the guests are in French, and since the airmen had taken their basic training in Quebec, they understand a little of what he says.

All the same, Lorena translates behind her hands to Sam and Dan eaves drops. "He says you are his cousins from Hull and you have been stationed to Summerside Base. He says your French is not too good, as you have worked across the river in Ottawa most of your lives. Don't worry; most of the people here will be speaking English. Only a few of the old timers speak French and they usually sit together. Come on, he's signed you in."

As they go on in the proprietor calls after them, "Dannie, prend vos billet, sil vous plait." and Dan turns back to accept the offered I.D. passes. He says, "Oui monsieur, merci." He quickly follows the others before the man can say more. He gives Sam his Club I.D. Card and then puts his in his wallet.

Jack looks at him and says, "Vous parley Français? Je ne sais pas! Pourquoi vous ne..." Dan cut him off with, "Non! Non! I don't speak French. Just a little from school and from living in Quebec during our basic training. All we really learned in Quebec was to proposition the waitresses with 'Vennez avec moi se soir et s'couchage", and I am not quite sure what that means exactly, but it always brought a laugh and sometimes more."

Jack and Lorena break up in laughter and Lorena says, "You said, 'come with me this evening and go to bed with me'. She quivers with stifled mirth. Dan gets red and drops his eyes. Sam only looks the other way. Jack calls out to friends and they go over and join them at their table.

Introductions go round the table and soon they're all chatting and drinking beer. Jack gets into a deep discussion with another man who has come over from another table, so Sam asks Lorena to dance and they go out onto the floor.

Half an hour goes by. Dan glances up from his conversation concerning life in the military with another patron when another couple entering the club catches his attention. Dan looks closer and recognizes the new arrival.

He calls out, "Clay, over here." and waves his hand.

Across the floor, weaving in and out amongst the dancers, comes Jeremy Barclay III, Aircraftsman First Class, better known to his friends and classmates as 'Clay'. He, Sam and Dan had been classmates at 1R&CS in Ontario for the last year. He hails from Burnaby, British Columbia and has arrived the previous day at the base by car.

He introduces Dan to his partner, Theresa Reume, a pert brunette, and asks about Sam. Dan nods towards the dance floor and Clay waves at Sam. Sam and Lorena return to the table and introductions are done all around.

Then Dan and Clay discuss his trip. Clay has driven his 1959 Volkswagen all the way from Ontario to B.C. for a short four day visit with his mother, then turned around and drove all the way back across Canada to the base in a little over two weeks. The last time they had seen each other was at Dan's wedding so they spend some time catching up. Miss Reume chats with Sam and Lorena but occasionally, Sam breaks into Dan and Clay's conversation with questions. He's keeping up with both conversations at the same time.

"So where did you and Marie end up going on your honeymoon? Last I saw of you was the two of you driving away with those shoes hooked on the rear bumper of her Ford. Oh, and did you ever get anything out of the insurance on your Monarch? And where is Marie?"

Dan: "One question at a time, please. We went to Niagara Falls for our honeymoon, but we only took about five days because she had to get back to work and I had to get things packed up to come out here. She's coming out to join me as soon as I can find us a place. As far as the insurance on the Monarch, it was found that since I loaned the car to Charlie, even though he borrowed it under false pretenses, responsibility for the 'accident' is mine. I get S.F.A. Meanwhile Charlie gets first class treatment in a psyche ward somewhere in London since he did try to commit suicide, and I'm left with a wreck that's hardly worth scrap. Kay was pretty badly shaken up over that. The bastard let it be known around the base before they put him away, that he did it because she broke up with him. Now she feels she is responsible for the whole mess. No one can seem to talk her out of it. I think she resigned from the service. Probably went back to England. It's a rotten shame. She was a good nurse and was just getting her career together. What about you, Clay? Where did you come up with such a beautiful dish? ...and Sam will want to know if she has a sister?" Sam just leers in the background.

Clay: "Met her last night at the Cafe on Front Street down near the harbor. Her Dad has a lobster boat and she was waiting for him to come in. Say, have you tried the fresh lobster down here yet? Its fantastic. They steam some of them in the boiler on the way in, ones with broken claws and such, and sell them at the wharf. Wait till you try some. You'll be surprised at how good they are."

Lorena: "He had some in the stew tonight. He said he liked it."

Dan: "So that's what was in the stew. It was good!"

Lorena: "That ...and other things." She laughs.

Time passes quickly for old friends as they reminisce. Clay dances frequently with Theresa and even suggests Dan dance with her once. She says he dances well and flirts with him with her eyes in a very French way. Sam is frequently on the floor with Lorena and Dan finally says to Sam, "If we are going to catch that last bus back to the base, we better start thinking about getting our gear from Jack's place. It's nearly midnight and I think one of us is going to have to drive Jack's car. Look at him!"

Jack is snoring stretched across a nearby table with his face resting on his hands. Sam grins at Lorena who says, "Don't worry about getting back to the base. We'll drive you out. Jack will be O.K. when he wakes up."

Clay speaks up, "I can give you guys a lift after I drop Theresa off home. Not to worry." Dan and Sam look at each other and shrug their shoulders.

"Guess there's no problem then." says Sam. Dan sits back and says nothing.

Long after midnight the last of the beer is drank, friends gather coats and the lights come up on a crowd setting out for home. Good-byes are exchanged and Dan and Sam find themselves in the street with Lorena and Jack. Clay has gone to take his girl home and promises to check with the guys at Lorena's if they need a ride. He knows roughly where her house is. Edgar is nowhere to be found, and is thought to be with another couple, either home or gone to a bootlegger, nobody's sure.

Sam has the car keys while Lorena insists Jack can drive but Jack is glad to collapse into the back seat so she says nothing. Dan holds the door for Lorena and she gets in between them, and thus they head for home.

The car lights bounce in the driveway and intermittently light the fence and old vehicles, then the converted chicken house as they pull up to the back door. Dan gets out and Lorena follows and runs to the chicken house or shack, as they now begin to think of it. She knocks on the door and Nana opens it wide. "Well, you kids are early!" she exclaims. "You can let them sleep here if you want. They're good as gold."

Lorena looks back at the car, then turns to her mother-in-law and says "Okay, and thanks, Nana." She comes back to the car to get Jack out and Sam has pulled the screwdriver and opened the door. Dan and Lorena get Jack into the house between them and he slouches in the chair formerly occupied by Edgar.

He starts to lean and fall from the chair but Sam sees him and rushes across the room to catch him. Lorena and Sam take him behind the curtain and deposit him in bed.

Meanwhile Dan has found his uniform shirt and is changing. After a while Sam comes back out from behind the curtain. He is dressed again in full uniform and is followed by Lorena in a dressing gown. "You're sure that Clay will be able to find our place, are you?" she's saying to Sam's back.

"I'm sure." is all Sam replies.

Dan puts on his uniform jacket and opens the door; "I'll keep an eye out for Clay." He goes outside. He has a feeling that they would like to be left alone. It's a clear cool breezy summer night and the stars fill the sky with sparkling wonder. A waning moon casts some light into the yard and he shakes his head as he surveys the litter.

Soon he hears the distinctive sound of a Volkswagen engine and Clay drives by slowly. He stops and backs up, seeing Dan's waving arm or possibly hearing his piercing whistle. In any event, he enters the drive and Dan pokes his head back into the house, "Clay's here...OOPS, sorry." He ducks back out having caught Sam and Lorena in a passionate embrace. In his mind he still sees slight little Lorena on tiptoes in the arms of a stooping Sam and he knows that her housecoat was not pulled together in front.

Clay, halting behind Jack's car, "I was afraid I'd gone passed the place. Are you guys ready?"

"Yup!" answers Sam coming out the door behind Dan. They both climb in the car, Sam stretched out in the back and they head for the base. Sam holds up for Dan's inspection, a copy of today's' Summerside Times, and he grins.

It's quiet in the car for most of the trip. Dan is thinking about the evening's events and Sam is thinking about Lorena. Clay tries a little small talk but gives up quickly. They park in the parking lot at the base and head for the barracks.

"It's nearly 0230, we'll have to be quiet." says Clay and Dan readily agrees. Sam grunts agreement and they go into the dark building. The only light is a dim glow from a night-light in the bathroom and two fire exit signs. They aren't drunk but they are a little tipsy so they move with elaborate care.

Clay bids the other two good night just inside the door and he goes to a nearby bunk. Dan and Sam go about half way down the dormitory and find their bunks side by side.

Sam flops down on his bunk and someone yells; "Hey! What you doing? Get off! What the hell..." Sam jumps up and says, "Sorry...but you're in my bed."

"Better check again, idiot!" was the reply.

By now there are muffled sounds of laughter and some grumbling throughout the room and someone says "Quiet down!" and "Can it." Dan moves over and checks the next bunk.

He whispers to Sam, "This is your bunk, we came down one bunk too far." And so they settle down for the night.

SATURDAY: 0810 HOURS

Dan jumps out of bed and tries to stir Sam. Many others are up and he knows that the mess hall is only open till 0900 for breakfast. Sam mumbles and rolls over so Dan goes to the washrooms in his uniform pants, socks and slippers with a towel over his shoulder. Quick shower and shave, then he dashes into the rest of this uniform and heads for the mess hall.

Its 0845 and he finds himself amongst others who are hurrying along to catch a bite. He picks up a selection of light cereal and fruit, coffee and milk and finds a seat at a table near the windows with Clay, who is just finishing.

Clay: "Where's Sam this morning? Still sawing logs?"

Dan: "Yup! I couldn't get him to stir. I'll take him back an orange and an apple. So, what are you going to be doing today?"

Clay: "I see by the duties list on the board that I'm going to be with you for a while. My guess is you didn't think to check, did you? We're sweeping out the barrack ...at least we didn't get latrine duty! What time do you want to get at it?"

Dan thinks this over as he chews a mouthful of cereal then says, "If you don't have anything on for this afternoon, how about after lunch. I'd sort of like to check out the ads in the paper this morning and relax a bit. Suit you?"

Clay, standing across from Dan with his tray of dirty dishes, nods his agreement and says, "Suits me!" He leaves. Dan finishes his breakfast and heads back over to the barracks. He meets Clay coming out the door in jogging trunks and a T-shirt and they exchange waves as Clay jogs away. Dan proceeds inside and tosses the fruit on Sam's sleeping form. He digs out the local paper and takes it out on the steps. First things first, he flips it open to the classifieds and is pleasantly surprised to find quite a few rental listings. He tries to make sense out of the addresses given, but not knowing the town he's at a loss. Nevertheless he takes out his pen and marks a few furnished and partially furnished apartments. He decides to go inside and see if the Corporal can help him.

Across from the supply room is a private room with a sign on the door 'BARRACKS CORPORAL' so Dan raps on the door. No answer. He knocks again and when he still gets no reply he wanders back into his bunk area and stretches out on the bunk. He drifts off to sleep...and dreams...

It's a rolling, bright landscape that surrounds him but he's in Clay's Volkswagen with Clay and Sam and it is dark inside the car. For some reason he feels he must get out of the dark and he pushes the passenger seat ahead and bursts out into the light. Looking back he sees the car in a spot of darkness. Both Sam and Dan are beckoning him frantically to get back in the car, but he's afraid. He strikes out across the ground towards the horizon and becomes embroiled in mist. Glancing back he notes that the Volkswagen is still there shrouded in cloud and right behind him. He starts running in the bright enveloping haze and calling out, "Marie! Come back! Marie! Marie!" His breathing is becoming harder and harder and he tries to run faster calling his wife name. But on glancing back its as if he has never left the black spot with the Volkswagen in it. It is still there right behind him and his friends are beckoning still. Something is wrong! He knows a moments dread when he feels a hand on his shoulder...