Life is Good Today

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Well, the plane touched down just about 3 o'clock

And the city's still on my mind

Bikinis and palm trees danced in my head

I was still in the baggage line

Concrete and cars are their own prison bars like this life I'm living in

But the plane brought me farther.

I'm surrounded by water

And I'm not going back again

For the next six days and nights we enjoyed all that Ensenada had to offer. The mornings were spent going on tours, surfing, fishing, and playing tourists. The afternoons found me sitting by the beach bar watching all the lovelies on the beach. I had a great view and didn't have to worry about sunburn because there was an extended roof over the bar.

My favorite bartender was a very pretty young lady from the twin cities of Nogales, a town on both sides of the U.S.-Mexican border in Arizona. Alita told me her father was Irish and her mother was Hispanic and that she was born on the U.S. side of the border. She was slender with long black hair, her body was nut brown, and she had the most startling blue eyes I have ever seen.

Aside from being a beautiful woman who took pleasure in teasing me by showing off her body, she knew exactly how I liked my margaritas; a never empty glass was the key. I watched her rub coconut oil on her long legs and tight stomach every afternoon as she started work and fantasized about helping her. I don't know if it was the tequila or the coconut oil that smelled so good.

By the second afternoon she and I were the best of friends, I think the tips had a lot to do with our friendship. She showed me a beach lounge chair beside the bar that was the same height as the bar stools and much more comfortable. Alita never let my glass get empty and always had another margarita ready when I was.

Don't get the impression that I spent my days drunk, I was never drunk. However I did keep a pleasant buzz on starting every afternoon after the guys and I did our tourist thing. The guys would adjourn to the beach to chase the lovely senoritas and young ladies from the cruise ships that put in at Ensenada twice a week.

I had a better plan; I sat at the beach bar and let them come to me. Alita was my ally in my quest for companionship. Ladies from the cruise ship in port at the time would come to the bar and after a drink or two would ask Alita about things to do in the area. They usually had one day and one night before the ship would leave port. She would tell them that I was the expert on having a good time in Ensenada and I would take it from there.

********************

Four days flew by like a drunk Friday night as the summer drew to an

end

They can't believe that I just couldn't leave

And I bid a due to my friends

Because my bartender she's from the islands

Her body's been kissed by the sun

And coconut replaces the smell of the bar and I don't know if its her or

the rum

All in all, Ensenada was a great place to forget my troubles. I began to think that I would stay for a couple of months, maybe forever instead of going back to what I knew was going to be a lonely life without Jackie. If I stayed in Ensenada I would still be without Jackie but there were other compensations to help a lonely gringo.

Our week in paradise came to an end and we packed to leave the hotel. When Ken and the guys got on the shuttle to the airport I told them that I was staying. Ken tried to talk me out of staying but I had made up my mind. He reminded me that the hotel was expensive but I had already found a shack just off the beach to rent.

I had written a letter the night before the guys left and asked Ken to give it to my parents. In the letter I told my folks that I didn't want to come back just yet and planned to spend some time in Ensenada. I explained that I needed some time to get myself together and I would call them in a few days. .

I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand

Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

Life is good today. Life is good today.

The money I saved in college was what I would use to stay in Ensenada. It's entirely different being in Mexico as a tourist and being there as an expatriate from the U.S. As long as I had money I was treated relatively well but not with the enthusiasm that I had been as a guest at the hotel.

The only one that treated me the same way was my Alita at the beach bar. Of course I was paying and tipping for my drinks. I asked her for a date once and she told me that she wasn't looking for a short term affair. Alita said that I was very sad in spite of the good time Charley act I was putting on and she thought I would be leaving to go back home. She told me she didn't want to get something started that would end so quickly. I didn't try to argue the point with her because I didn't know myself what I was going to do.

Never the less, I still enjoyed looking at her in those tiny bikinis that she wore to tease me and the other customers. The same beautiful senoritas walked the beach and the ladies from cruise ships still came to the beach bar so I didn't lack for companionship. During the day I surfed or fished from the pier or took walking tours of the town. I learned about the restaurants and cantinas in town away from the tourist zone.

I didn't eat or drink at any of the large hotels, except for the beach bar where Alita worked. While their prices were about 50 to 60 per cent less than they would have been in the States, there were better bargains in town. The American dollar goes further in Mexico if you keep away from the tourist traps so I was able to stretch my money a long, long, way.

All and all not a bad life and as long as I had money it would be enjoyable. Once the money ran out so would my life style. The senoritas and cruise ship dollies wouldn't find me so attractive if I didn't have money to spend on them.

I thought about getting a job but the locals usually hire locals for everything and I was told not to bother applying for anything other than as a waiter on the beach, running drinks for tourists. Being a waiter isn't what I had hoped for and putting up with some the asshole tourists would be impossible for me.

I stayed in Mexico for five weeks and I did call my parents a few times, about once a week. My first call I got a lecture from Dad about acting like a spoiled brat and pouting; Mom just cried and told me I should come home. Dad was right, I was pouting and being a spoiled brat; I was just doing it in a Mexican paradise.

The next few phone calls were mostly to Mom; Dad was a little upset that I had "quit on the world" as he said. Again he was right, for a little while I had quit on the real world. I was trying to forget about Jackie and I must admit that looking and talking to Alita or some beach bunny or senorita did take my mind off Jackie for a little while. But she would always invade my thoughts again when I was alone.

Finally the time came to think about going home. I figured I had enough money to last for about two more weeks; five if I didn't fly home but took a bus back to the border and then another bus on to St. Louis. I was sitting in my lounge chair watching Alita, wearing the smallest bikini yet, bend over to fill the beer cooler and heard someone say "Nice view. Almost worth coming 1500 miles to see."

I turned to see who would say something like that out loud. It was my dad and he was really looking at me. I didn't know if he meant me or Alita. "Hello Drew, can I buy you a drink?"

Shocked wouldn't begin to describe how I felt at him being here. Trying to be cool I said, "Alita, dos mas, por favor."

When she brought the drinks, I introduced her to my father. The drinks were five dollars but Dad handed her a ten dollar bill and told her to keep the change.

"Gracias, the men in your family are very generous Drew," she said with a big smile for my father. She turned and walked back to the cooler swaying her hips in the way that only beautiful women can do.

"You might want to put your eyes back in your head Drew before your mother gets here," Dad told me.

"Mom too, what are you guys doing here?"

"I came to get you to come home and get on with your life. You mom came as back up."

Facing my dad as he sat at the bar, I couldn't see the pathway at my back leading to the beach bar. Then I heard my mom say, "There's my baby."

I turned to face my mother and got another shock; Jackie was coming down the path with Mom.

"Did I forget to mention that Jackie came too?" Dad was chuckling at the look on my face.

When Mom and Jackie got to us, I hugged Mom and then looked at Jackie. She smiled and came to me and hugged me. Jackie felt so good in my arms that I sort of lost myself holding her. I felt like I never wanted to let her go. After a couple of minutes my dad cleared his throat to bring us back to the present.

"Wha, wha, what are you doing here Jackie? Not that I'm not glad to see you," I said. I had no idea why she would be in Mexico.

"I came with your folks to get you to come home. We need to have a long talk," she answered. Seeing my confused look she continued, "Yeah, you and I really need to talk."

"What.............." I started and Jackie interrupted me.

"Not here, let's go to dinner or something and then we can talk after."

I nodded and as we walked away Alita said, "Adios Senior Drew and Senior Papa. Come back to see Alita soon." One last look at her by both my dad and I, a sigh, a wave, and we left.

"What was that about dear?" My mom wanted to know looking at my dad.

"Never mind Honey, I'll tell you later," Dad answered, smiling in spite of the look Mom gave him.

Good luck Dad, I thought. We're both going to need some luck and understanding to get through this night.

My parents were staying at the same hotel that I had on my "holiday" with Ken and the boys. It was also the one that had the beach bar where I hung out. I had to get cleaned up and change clothes because the hotel would not appreciate me coming into their fancy dinner room in cutoffs and T-shirt. Of course I didn't have any really dressy clothes at my rented shack but I did put on a nice pair of slacks and a muted Hawaiian print shirt.

I had to go past the beach bar to get to the hotel from my shack and Alita motioned me over to her. As I got to the bar she put a large margarita on it.

"This one is on me Senior Drew. It's a final drink to say good bye from one friend to another. You will be leaving with Senior Papa and your madre and the young senorita, I think."

"Alita, I'm not sure I'm going back with them. Nothing has been settled yet," I informed her.

"No, you will go. I saw how happy you were to see your familia and the love in your eyes when you saw the senorita, so you will go. It is what you must do," Alita lectured me. "You must face your demons and your past before you can be happy."

"Maybe your right, maybe I will go back with them. Anyway, it's been very nice to get to know you and thank you for taking care of me."

"I knew you would be going home; that's why I wouldn't go out with you. If the life back up Norte doesn't make you happy come back please come to see Alita. I will help heal you heart," she said wistfully. "Adios en vaya con dios," was the last thing she said to me. Alita leaned over, kissed me, and turned to go back to filling the beer cooler.

One last look at her beautiful behind and I left to meet my parents and Jackie. The hotel dinner room was almost full and I couldn't see my folks. I stood at the entrance looking over the room trying to find them.

Then Jackie was at my side to lead me to the table. I guess beauty is in the eye of the beholder because as stunning and exotically beautiful as Alita was, Jackie made me forget all about her. Jackie was wearing a pale green sun dress that went very well with her auburn hair and green eyes. It hung by two spaghetti straps and left her shoulders bare.

We joined my folks at their table and ordered drinks and then dinner. Our talk during the meal was about people and things back home. My brothers and sisters, Jackie's mother, and other socially acceptable things were discussed. The table was cleared and another round of drinks was ordered. The elephant at the table was ignored for the time being.

My dad is not the most patient man and when the after dinner drinks were served he couldn't wait anymore. "Okay enough of this chit chat. Are you coming back home with us, Drew?"

Mom tried to rein him in and told him to wait a while, but my dad was on a mission. "Wait hell, he's been waiting for the last month and a half. It's time that he came home and quit pouting. Are you coming with us or not Drew?"

I had to smile at Dad; he was usually so controlled but my being gone had really affected him. He was worried that his oldest was going to turn into a beach bum. My smile didn't help his temper. Dad started to lecture me some more but I held up my hands.

"Yes Dad, I will be going home with you. It's time I got back to the real world. I can't hide out here forever." I turned to Jackie and said, "I can't keep running away and beating myself up for losing you. I hope that we can remain friends; if John doesn't mind that is."

Jackie didn't say anything at first and then asked me. "Drew, can we take a walk down to the beach?"

I looked at my parents; they nodded and Jackie and I left. We walked down the pathway past the beach bar; thank the gods Alita had already closed down for the night. I don't know if I could have survived those two together. We sat down on the pontoon of a beached Hobie Cat sailboat and faced each other. I waited for Jackie to begin, I had no idea what to say.

"Drew there is something I have to tell you. I was going to wait and use it as a trump card to get you to come home, but since you've already decided to return I'll just come out with it." She stopped as if to gather courage to continue.

"I want you to come home and see if we can make a life together. You once told me that you loved me, do you still feel that way?" I could see fear and hope in her eyes.

Maybe the gods or fate or whatever decided to give me a break. The real reason that I had decided to go home was to fight to get Jackie back, but I couldn't do that living in Mexico. I figured that until she was actually married I had a chance to get her to change her mind.

"What about John? You're engaged to him and I don't think he's going to want to share you," I was teasing a little trying to keep my body under control. I wanted to jump up and down and scream because I was so happy.

Jackie seemed to understand what I was doing. "John and I aren't engaged anymore; I gave him the ring back before I made the trip with your parents," she said with a very small smile. "I realized that I didn't love John after talking to you at your party. Just didn't know it soon enough to keep you from running off to Mexico. I called the next afternoon but you had already left."

"I had to do something, I couldn't stay around and see you with John. Thought once about trying to talk you out of staying with him, but didn't think I had the right to." I admitted.

"Drew, I'm sorry I......." Jackie started but I stopped her.

"Neither of us handled our breakup very well, especially me. I should have called you at least to say hello or something. We wouldn't have gotten to this point if I had. Let's leave that behind us and go on. Okay?"

The rest of the evening was spent walking up and down the beach and holding each other and talking about our plans, our hopes and our dreams for the future. There was also a lot of I've missed you, I love you, and other endearments.

I walked Jackie back to the hotel and to her room. We decided to proceed slowly so we said good night and I went back to my shack for the last time. In the morning I met the folks and Jackie and rode to the airport with them. As I boarded the airplane I turned and took one last look at downtown Ensenada. I would miss the beach, the little bar and Alita, but it was time to go home. It was a good way to live if that's all you were looking for but I wanted more.

On the flight home Mom and Jackie sat together and talked about female things. I really think they were already planning a wedding. We men don't count when women start making plans for our life. That left Dad and me on our own.

Dad turned to me and asked, "Will you miss anything back there? Do you have any regrets?"

"I wish I hadn't flaked out for so long, I regret that. The beach and the life style will be missed; it was a good way to live, at least for a while. I guess the only thing I regret was not getting some pictures of Alita."

"Are you sure you want them around where Jackie might find them?" Dad asked with a grin.

"On second thought, it's best to let Alita live on only in my memories," I answered with a matching grin. "It will cause a lot less trouble that way."

*******************

Jackie and I had thought we would take things slow once we got back to St. Louis and we did take it easy; for about a week we tried to date and start all over again. We decided slowly didn't mean we couldn't enjoy each other in every way possible so we skipped to the good stuff.

One of our evenings together resulted in Jackie getting pregnant. The best we can figure, it was our first night together. I seriously don't remember if we took precautions or if we were in such a hurry that we forgot. The answer to that question is obvious isn't it? Doesn't matter, we just started our family a little sooner than the master plan called for all of which hastened the wedding plans.

Six years have gone by since I came back to the world. Six years that have been the best of my life.

So here I sit with my toes in the water and ass in the sand on the island of Maui waiting for my three girls.

We are on vacation for the first time since getting married. I look up the beach and here they come. Jackie and our twin girls are walking together along the beach at the water line. I guess twins run in my family.

I got my toes in the water, ass in the sand

Not a worry in the world, a cold beer in my hand

Life is good today. Life is good today.

Quote: Life goes on