Rags to Rches and Back Again

Not a lot of hot and steamy stuff in this story. Once again it could fit in a number of different silos, perhaps Non Erotic and Romance suited best. I hope you enjoy.

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They say the borderline between sanity and insanity is as thin as a thread, as sharp as a knife edge. The same goes for success and failure.

My name is Robert Gadd. This is a tale about how ephemeral success can be and how winning and losing, love and hate, are closer than we think.

This is my place, The Starlight Diner.

It isn't much, just an old fashioned diner on the outskirts of a small town. I bought the place a few years ago. I had inherited some money and a house from an aunt, my Mom's sister. My mom had passed a few years ago so I was next in line for my aunts assets. It was a nice house compared to the old trailer where my Mom and I had lived. The trailer was parked on some property owned by a mining company. They had originally used this trailer as their office. The mine owner had given it to my Mom, she never explained why but I figure it had to do with how she earned her money. Mom made money to feed us the old fashioned way, on her back.

I discovered that the diner was going up for sale by overhearing a lawyer speaking to a client over lunch. When I asked the lawyer about it he said that the diner's owner was retiring and wanted to sell it as a going concern. When he told me how much it would take to buy it I did some quick calculations. If I used all of my inheritance and took out a loan for the same amount, it could work.

The lawyer encouraged me by pointing out the new highway that was being built to the east of town. There will be lots of new business.

I had been eating dinners in this place for a long time so had affection for the humble little building and the people working there.

I arranged the loan and bought the business.

I was never a popular guy. School mates avoided me. I was a geek, rail thin, long, unfashionable hair, dressed in the hand-me-downs that were purchased at a thrift shop. My immediate family was dirt poor. My father deserted my Mom and I.

My life would have been different if I had been gifted with a brilliant mind, but I was a dull, untalented slow learner.

I had just graduated from high school when my Mom died. That was when I felt truly alone. I got a job pumping gas for while but then self serve gas bars became a thing, so I lost that job. Then there was the sock factory where I swept the floors, they closed down and moved their factory to a country with cheaper labour.

An old class mate of mine was working as a waitress at the diner. Anna and I never socialized when in school, but when I ate at the diner I always tried to sit in her section. I worked up the courage to ask for a date and she accepted.

She was an average looking woman with a pretty looking figure. She had long eye lashes that she would batt at the men she served. It encouraged more generous tips.

We would go to the movies or out to a bar for dancing. She was actually very shy but she knew how to flirt to get extra tips. She even showed me some false nipples that she would wear while working. She claimed that wearing the fake erect nipples worked even better than the batted eyelashes.

After buying the business. I kept all the staff on so they could teach me how to run the place. It was making decent profits and with a new highway being built nearby our business was growing.

Because things were doing so well I asked Anna to marry me, she said yes.

Highway construction meant an abundance of workers coming in for lunch. It was wonderful for those years. Maybe it's because I'm not a really smart man, but I thought the new highways completion would have brought more business into our small town. It helped business during construction, however once the highway opened, the majority of the traffic bypassed the town. The business began to suffer.

It took five years to fully build the highway. It also took five years for Anna to be preyed upon by a now wealthy lawyer, the same guy that convinced me to buy this diner. He promised her money and a luxurious lifestyle. He kept showing up at the diner and flirting with Anna. It wasn't long after that she would have to go to visit a friend or sick relatives instead of staying home. Of course she was cheating with the flirting lawyer.

The diner began to lose money. I cut staff and trimmed expenses but it was not going to be enough. I tried to sell the business but there were no offers. A year after the highway opened, Starlight Diner closed it's doors. I ended up selling my house and the business property to a small developer for just enough to pay off the loan.

So I was out of work, with no savings and homeless. It was not a big surprise that Anna walked away from our marriage to live with the flirting lawyer. I had no assets so the divorce was simple.

I thought that as a former business owner some of my fellow entrepreneurs might hire me. Once again, my thinking was flawed. I had no where to go.

I walked into a church and spoke to the priest. He gave me a list of places that would shelter the homeless. Where to get food He prayed for me.

The shelters were full and the stories I heard from those who stayed in them made me nervous. The line up at food banks were long but with little else to do I waited. I heard a man in front of me mention a homeless camp. I followed them to see what it was all about.

There were ramshackle small huts and tents constructed of cardboard, plastic sheeting. Garbage bags, you name it. There were fires lit in barrels or on the ground. People mostly stayed in their hut when it was really cold. In summer they would find shade to cool themselves.

Daytime was spent either foraging for food or panhandling for money. I hated the panhandling because the choice locations were often run by thugs who sooner slit your throat than let you have their corner. Foraging was a fancy word for garbage picking and dumpster diving. I didn't like doing that either but it became necessary for survival.

The women in a homeless camp were subject to the same conditions as the men. Some resorted to the oldest profession of selling themselves, or I suppose renting would be more accurate. If they were half way attractive they could earn some money.

I scrounged enough resources to make myself a hut. There were parts of an old trailer that had been demolished down by the river. The company that was to take away the debris got sloppy and left me enough to make my new home.

I continued to try to find gainful employment but was not having any luck.

The options for me became fewer and less attractive. There was always crime. I could steal what I needed but deep in my heart I was an honest man. There were some homeless that would take on the odd job as an enforcer. Again not something I could do.

Finally there was always the exit option. If existence was just too much to bear then there was always the option of ending it. I wasn't there yet but my options for any kind of satisfying existence were dwindling, soon to become slim and none.

My mother used to tell me tales about the hobos. The men who ride the rails and lived in camps near the tracks. She viewed them as types of heroes. Men bucking the system, independent free men of the road. Well fuck me, I guess I was one of them.

Hopping trains used to be a thing. It isn't anymore. Security in those days was lax. In todays world of cctv it is near impossible.

I wanted to leave this town, if I couldn't do that there was always the exit option.

One day the police came through the camp. They destroyed every shelter that stood. Yes they were careful to make sure no one was in them but it was devastating. Some were arrested for fighting the police.

I was at the end of my rope. There was nothing left for me. I walked for hours contemplating, looking for any light but finding nothing but darkness.

Finding myself on the bridge over the river, I peered into the dark waters swirling far below. I edged closer, stepping over the guard rail when I heard a whimper.

Immediately to my right stood a woman. Like me she was staring into the icy water.

"Looks cold." I said to her.

"I'm afraid." She said, shivering.

"So am I."

"We're you in the camp?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Where are your friends?" We all had "friends", basically people who who would watch our backs.

"Gone, I was alone."

"You think they got a heads up about the eviction?"

"Maybe, probably. They didn't care enough to let me know. Just left me there. All my stuff, the little I had is gone."

"Me too, what's your name?"

"Suzanne."

"I'm Robert. I guess you are thinking what I've been thinking."

"Yeah, not worth living like this, I guess."

"It's too cold out here, and windy. Why don't we climb back over the guardrail and find a place to warm up and talk."

She just stood there, silently looking down at the cold water swirling. A strong gust of wind nearly blew her over. She reached out for the cable closest to her to steady herself.

She looked over at me and finally said "ok."

I helped her over the guardrail and then climbed over myself. I took her hand and we found a narrow alleyway between two larger buildings. It blocked the wind enough that it felt warmer that it really was. We sat on the paved path and leaned against the building.

"Let's stay close for warmth okay? I'm not looking for anything else alright? We just need to huddle for the body heat."

She nodded and leaned into me putting her hands under my armpits for warmth. I did the same to her. We spent the night like that. I don't think I got much sleep.

Once the sun was up we moved to the sunny side of the street. The bricks on the building warmed up and soon we felt warmer too.

"Robert? I don't know what to do now. Where do I go?"

"Stay with me. I'm as lost as you. We'll think of something."

Breakfast was foraged from outside donut shops and fast food places. It wasn't much but it was enough.

We have to find some shelter. I swear that the poor diet was affecting my thinking. I thought about how nice my aunt's place was. Which made me think about the old trailer.

"Suzanne, are you up for a bit of a walk?"

"How far? We didn't exactly eat much this morning."

"Couple of miles. Down by the mine."

"Okay, let's get going then."

It was a cold walk but when we got close I could see the trailer still standing. It was covered in tags and graffiti over the rust. There was a padlock on the door. It was a good solid one. You could see where someone had tried to pry it open but failed. I went around back and reached under the trailer and located a magnetic box that held the key.

The lock opened and we got in. Thank God it broke the wind because we were freezing. Mom and I had put in a tiny wood burning stove. I had made sure that anything combustible was well away from the tiny stove. There was still some wood out back so I brought it in and we got a fire started. The draft was good so we wouldn't need to worry about carbon monoxide. Although, just last night we were both moments away from casting ourselves into the frigid waters. Somehow worrying about carbon monoxide poisoning seemed ironic.

Suzanne removed her hat, coat and scarf. It was really my first look at her. She was thin but then again we all went hungry a lot. She had red hair, streaked with grey or white. She was pale. A narrow face, thin nose but a full mouth. She had a bulky sweatshirt on so her figure remained a mystery but I assumed she was thin and small. It was a good face, made better when she smiled at me.

"I wish you had though of this last night instead of freezing in that alleyway."

"Yeah, thinking hasn't really been my strong suit. I've made some bone head moves in my life. I've gone from being a business owner to hobo. I have managed to fuck up just about anything I touch. I'm like King Midas in reverse. Everything I touch turns to shit."

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You've had a run of bad luck, that's all."

"I couldn't even keep a wife! I married her and I thought we were happy. She left me for a wealthy lawyer. Probably the smartest thing she ever did but it devastated me."

"Robert, you saved my life last night. I wanted to jump because I had lost everything, my hut, my friends, everything but the clothes on my back. You saved me by convincing me that I was not alone."

"If you hadn't been there on that bridge I would have jumped. You saved me. Please, I am sick of being Robert. Just call me Rob."

"Okay, Rob it is. Take off your coat. Let's explore the trailer."

"There isn't much to see. It's small. We have an outhouse. There is a hand pump out back too so we have fresh water. We can heat up water on the wood stove for washing or for tea or coffee."

"A cup of either would be amazing."

"Anything left in the trailer would be too stale to use. It's not a far walk to some stores. I can go foraging after we're warmed and rested."

"You're a good man Rob."

It took a couple of hours to warm up and drink some hot water.

I told her about my misadventures. Apparently she had some too.

"I was a pretty good student in school. My parents were both teachers. We were pretty middle class. We lived in a bungalow with a white picket fence, what a cliche! Both of them died in a car accident, drunk driver, no insurance, driving license under suspension. I got put into the foster system."

"That must have been hard."

"The foster system is not a place for young girls. My school work suffered badly. I ended up dropping out. When I turned 18 and left the system I started working at the tannery. It was hard work for not very good pay. I met a man that said he loved me. I believed him so I married him. I never loved him, he was safety and security. It lasted for a couple of years then he met someone prettier. So he divorced me. The settlement was a joke. I ended up homeless and eating at soup kitchens, sleeping in shelters."

She stared at the floor for a few minutes Jen spoke again.

"I thought I had two friends in the homeless camp. They must have found out something about the raid because they were nowhere to be seen. The worst part was they abandoned me."

"Suzanne, you've had a hard life. I have too. I'd like you to be my friend. I want to be your friend. I promise to watch your back if you'll watch mine."

"That sounds good to me. Thanks for saving me and thanks for sharing this shelter."

"Let's go forage and see what we can find."

I lucked out at a dumpster outside a small grocery store. Someone had trashed label-less cans. I tossed them in a plastic bag. I also found some expired yoghurt, also some greens. We dropped into a church. The priest there offered us coffee or tea and invited us to sit with him in his office.

"Were you in the homeless camp that got torn down yesterday?"

"Yes Father, it was horrible for us all. We lost the few things that we owned. We aren't a couple. We are just friends supporting each other."

"That's good that you have that support. Is there anything that you need? I might be able to help."

"We don't have anything. I think we are okay for food. We could use some clothes, blankets maybe soap."

"Our church outreach group has a second hand shop next door. I can give each a fifty dollar token that can be used there. Have a look and see what you can find."

"Thank you Father that is very generous. Could you say a prayer for us?"

He did pray for us and with us. Suzanne was wiping a tear from her cheek as we left.

"That was so beautiful."

We picked out a good selection of clothes, plus some blankets and towels, laundry soap and bar soap. Just before we left the woman asked if we were tea drinkers. We said yes, and she gave us a box of 100 tea bags.

Back at the trailer we ate our supper, washed ourselves and our clothes. It felt really good. We sat together on an old sofa and drank hot tea and warmed ourselves at the small wood stove.

"I am really tired, I think I'm going to sleep now. There is a bed that folds out over the..."

"Can I sleep with you in your bed?"

"Oh, well I didn't think..."

"I just want the comfort and the warmth of another body. I'm not a slut. I don't want sex. I just want to sleep with you, literally."

I laughed. "I've never heard it put quite that way but sure. It would be a comfort for me too."

We lay there in the dark, the little stove gave off a dim light. I knew I would have to feed it more wood before morning so I took the outside part of the bed.

Sure enough I awoke around 3am. I put a couple of logs in and went back to bed. Suzanne stirred but didn't wake. She rolled over and put her arm across my body, her hand holding my chest as she snuggled into me. I could tell by her breathing that she was sleeping. It felt good to have a woman hold me like that. I fell back to sleep.

I awoke in the morning to find myself spooned into her. My arm around her and on her breast. My morning wood was pressed into her butt crack. She shimmied a little bit, half awake until she became aware of our position.

"That feels really nice Rob, but I am going to have to get up now."

"Sure, sorry, I just woke up like this."

"Don't be sorry. It felt nice to be clean and to have someone to cuddle."

She went out to our outhouse. I forgot to check for paper but I guess there was some since she didn't complain. We washed up again. Had a tin of baked beans from our collection of mystery tins and of course some morning tea.

"How are you feeling Suzanne? Are you comfortable staying here with me?

"Yes, I want to stay for a while. I haven't felt this good in a long time. If you ever want me to leave just let me know. I am a guest here. I don't want to impose."

"I'd be happy if you stayed. I like you. You can stay as long as you want."

"This is too good to be true."

She wasn't wrong, it felt preordained that we should meet on that cold bridge. It felt like fate.

The weeks came and went and soon they became months. Life went on as it usually did, forage for food, clothing or anything of value. We were not able to save much, but I was able to pick up odd jobs from time to

Suzanne and I agreed that we needed to reinvent ourselves. We refused to think of ourselves as homeless. This trailer was our home. Yes we used food banks and we foraged like pros. It was a hard existence but it was better than living on the streets. We agreed that the two of us needed to find some more steady employment, which we found was easier said than done."

Suzanne rolled over as I got into bed that night and embraced me.

"We've been living here for six months now. I think we are long overdue Rob. We've been living as a common law couple. I think it would really nice if we could have sex."

"I have been meaning to ask you that."

"I was getting worried that maybe you didn't like me that way."

"Suzanne, you are an amazing partner. Any man would be blessed to have you as a spouse and lover. I have been trying to work up the courage to tell you that these months together have changed my life. Suze, I am in love with you. I want desperately to make love to you."

"Nice, not only the promise of sex but a declaration of love, Rob, I love you too."

We kissed passionately which was something new for us. I kissed her neck and she purred. I kissed her beautiful small breasts making her nipples hard. I went to move down her body but she stopped me.

"Don't, not tonight, just give me that cock you've been pushing against my ass every morning. Do you know how horny that made me?"

So I did. She was tighter than I imagined. I pressed into her until I was fully buried. I hadn't had sex in so long I was afraid I would have a hair trigger, she was so tight. Somehow I managed just fine and we both enjoyed the closeness and the confirmation that our relationship had become deeper.