Surviving Retirement

He noticed me standing there and looked up. "Can I help you?"

"Thanks, no. I was just watching you work. You don't see people repairing things like that way anymore."

"I know. We do it for two reasons. The first is that this is the best way to keep the boats working and the other is that it the way we have always done it."

"Why is that the best way?"

He put his tools down and explained that with the natural materials like wood, you needed a flexible material to stretch and shrink at the same rate as the wood. Modern materials stretch when you don't want them too and don't stretch when you need them too. He also said that if they were out fishing and something broke, all they had to do was go to the shore to get the repair material. If they used anything else, they would have to go to the hardware store to get something to repair it. That made perfect sense.

I asked what they fished for and he said that there were several species that they ate, but they were basically waiting for the salmon to start running. Salmon was their important fish. The flesh was healthier and the bones could be used for many things around the village.

Then I said something inane like, "You must need to catch a lot of fish to have a boat this big."

He replied, "We don't need to catch that many fish really. We need a big boat because it takes three of us to go out."

I said something like "Why is that?"

He grinned at me and replied, "If I take this or a smaller boat out, once I get to the current, I will be swept up the coast for five miles or more. If two of us go out, we can control the boat in the current, but we can't catch fish. So we go with three and we can catch fish and not get too far from the village." That made me think about all of the things we had to do daily just to do something as simple as getting groceries.

In the past week I had heard about a farmer being a partner with nature to get something to eat. Now here was a fisherman who needed three people to partner together to overcome nature to catch a fish. Were we partners with or against nature? I don't know. Partnering with Ellen had been the natural way for us to do things. Could I have done what we had done by myself? I know the answer of course, and it is no.

I like it up here. The air smells fresh and clean. There are a lot of people in the cities; they are just like all other cities, but with different names. I have a lot to think about this week. I think that I will drive up into Canada and see if it is much different there.

I read it over and sent it off. Maybe life is all about partnerships. We aren't the biggest animal or the fastest or the strongest by any means. The only way we can even eat is to partner with someone or something. Sometimes you partner with nature, sometimes with one person, and sometimes it is with a bunch of people. I guess that it depends on what you want or need to do.

May15, Week 3, Back in Central Washington

I have added Seattle to my list of places to share with Ellen. What a wonderful and vibrant city. I know that it is the heart of the computer industry, but you can't tell. Everywhere you go, there are people doing exciting things. There are artists in the parks and music. The market place isn't just a place for tourists; real people shop for dinner there. It is alive and vibrant like no other place I have ever been to.

I took the ferry out to the islands. It is very pastoral after the vibrancy of the city. It felt strange knowing that I was on an island. If the ferry doesn't run, there is no way to get off of it. People build bridges and ferries to be able to move around. That is a nice partnership for sure.

I discovered that Canada is just like it is here; some pretty places and a lot of people doing things. It is nice, but not quite up to the level of Seattle.

I am getting antsy. I get up and eat, drive, look, eat, and go to bed. I need to do something. I might just stay around here for a couple of days. It is a nice small town and there seems to be a lot to see and maybe do around here. Maybe I'll do what Susan mentioned and get a job for a while. I've never had this much time on my hands before with nothing to do and nothing to look forward to. I know that Ellen wouldn't be bored around here. She would find something interesting around every turn.

May 22, Week 4 Still in Washington

I have something to do! It isn't a job exactly, but it is a job of sorts and it is very satisfying. I'm almost embarrassed to admit this because, well, it was just dumb luck and is something I have never done before. Ok, here goes. After I sent the e-mail last week, I wasn't tired so I went down to the club in the hotel. It wasn't big or crowded, but I felt that I could have a quiet drink. I didn't realize it, but they were going to have live music that night. I decided that if it was ear shattering, I would leave. I was surprised when two young women, girls actually, came out and sang.

One girl played the guitar and the other just sang. They mainly sang oldies like Cole Porter and George Gershwin and I loved it. One girl sang several solos, but mostly they sang duets and their voices blended together very well. I guessed that they were college girls, but they were really good. When they finished, I had been listening for almost two hours and it felt like it had only twenty minutes or so. I bought one of their cds to listen to on the road. The blonde actually seemed surprised when I bought it, but thanked me. I think they sold another five of six. I went to bed feeling very relaxed and slept better than any night since I left.

I had decided to stay locally for some time and had made reservations for the next week. When I went down for breakfast the next morning, I found the two singers sitting there for breakfast too. They looked concerned and were just nibbling at their food. I went to their table and told them how much I had enjoyed their show last night. The blonde smiled at me thanked me for being there and for buying their cd. The dark haired girl looked up and smiled too, but she seemed to be very worried. I got my breakfast from the buffet and sat at the table next to them.

I was just finishing when the dark haired girl's phone rang. She listened and I saw tears forming in her eyes. All she could say was, "Thank you; I'll let you know." Then she turned to the blonde with tears running down her face and said, "I'm sorry, Cindi. That bump we heard yesterday knocked hole in the oil pan and the engine is ruined."

Cindi took her partner's hand and said, "Hey, it will be all right, Megan. We'll figure something else out."

Megan said, "Honey, we have just enough money to cover our expenses for this trip. I can't fix the van. Your dad said that he couldn't help. We are stuck. We can't finish our first tour and we can't even get back to school. We both needed this to make enough to finish school next year."

"I know, but something will come up. I just know it."

That was my cue, "Hi ladies. I couldn't help but overhear your problem. My name is Joe Magnon and I am just traveling around. Can I take you somewhere or help out in some way?"

Megan said in a morose tone, "Thanks, but I don't know..."

Cindi interrupted her, "Meg, let's talk to him. We need help; he offered." Then she looked at me and asked, "Do you have any ideas?"

"Right now, I have two. First, both of you take a deep breath and let it out. Then go get another plate of breakfast and while you eat, you can tell me what is going on. Then we will figure out what to do next."

They both stared at me and then they each took a breath and let it out before going to get another plate of food. I took their now cold plates and put them on my table. While they ate, Cindi said that they were seniors in college and both majoring in music. Her dad had lost his job and hadn't been able to find work and Megan was on scholarship,but wanted to make her own spending money.

They were looking for a way to make some money this summer and found that the hotel chain was auditioning singers for their summer tours. The big one lasted all summer and paid $10,000. The smaller tour lasted five weeks in smaller places and would pay them $2000 each at the end. They decided to audition together. They didn't get the big tour, but were asked to do the short tour. They decided that they would do it because they could make about the same money this way as working in a fast food place. Last night was their first performance, but now that their transportation was gone, it would also be their last. They needed to do something about the van and find a way to get back to the campus.

I let them finish eating before I said anything. When they both looked at me for a response, I simply said, "Ok, make a choice; we load your stuff and I take you back to campus or we load your stuff and go to your next gig."

They were now staring at me. Then they started debating back and forth about what they should do. I stopped it and said, "You are both dancing around the issue. A strange man has offered you something and you are afraid that he will want something in return that you might not want to give. Put that away. I sold my business and am driving around trying to figure out what I am going to do when I grow up. I have a vehicle, I have time, and I have nothing better to do. I will take you where you need to go this week. Then you can decide whether to trust me or not. How about that?"

The only response was from Megan and she asked, "Are you sure?" I said, "Let's load your things."

I took them to the next gig which was that night. As we talked while I was driving, they told me that they had an odd schedule. Several times, they did one place and we had to drive the next day to the next place. Several other times, they stayed for two shows, usually over a weekend. There were two weeks where they were scheduled for a Sunday night and not again until Friday. The deal was that the night of the performances, the hotel gave them a room to share and meals. When there was an open date, they had to pay for their own room and meals. This week, they had performances on Tuesday and Wednesday, a day off, and then performances on Friday and Saturday. We would have to deal with a room for one night.

I helped them set up for the night after they checked into the room. I decided to get a room for myself even though I could have slept in the camper. That night I watched their performance again, but this time, I felt like I was part of the team. As I watched, I noticed a couple of things to ask about even though the audience was very positive and responsive. We each had a glass of wine from my stash in their room as they wound down.

The next morning, they started talking about whether to stay here on their free night or going on to the next one and staying there. Cost was a key part of the discussion. I waited for a break before I said anything. Then I said that we could do either of those or we could stop tonight and stay in the camper with me sleeping on the table converted into a bed and they could have the bedroom. I also suggested that we could stay here or there and I would get a room and they could stay in the camper and they could save that money. I told them to think about it. I went to the restroom and when I came back, Cindi said, "We all stay in the camper tonight at a park near the other town. But we stop and get some groceries so we can cook dinner and breakfast. Deal?" I replied, "Deal."

We loaded up and drove toward the next place. They cooked dinner for us and it was better than any restaurant food. They giggled at me as I turned the table into a bed. In the morning, I decided that the bed created by the table was a bad idea. They had laughed at me when I could barely stand up the next morning.

I can tell that they are relaxing around me as we began teasing each other a little. Then they started asking questions; lots of questions. I knew that it was coming and it did. They wanted to know about my wife since I still wore our wedding ring. I simply said that we were separated for now. I'm not going to take my ring off for any reason and I was'nt going to explain what was really going on. I just told them the truth, if not the whole truth, and that seemed to satisfy them.

I asked why Cindi sang solos while Megan didn't. It is obvious that they both has really nice voices. It turns out that Megan is majoring in classical music and opera while Cindi is majoring in Broadway musical theater. Megan wasn't sure if a classical voice and songs would go over well in a club setting. I said that she ought to try it at least once. There were plenty of opera singers doing modern songs and the audience loved them. They said that they would talk about it. I Ieft that subject alone for now.

Look at the time. I have written twice as much as I intended to. I need to get down stairs and help them get ready for tonight's show.

I ran downstairs and found them ready to go. On a whim, I took a small round bar table and set it on the stage. Then I put a chair next to it along with an empty wine bottle and two glasses with water in them. When they saw it, it took a moment for them to realize that I had added that to make it look like a cabaret. Now Megan could sit while Cindi did her solos. I couldn't tell if that made any difference to the audience, but I could sense a slight change in their attitude. There was a slightly more sultry sound to their songs. Something else caught my eye and I decided to do something about it on Monday which was our next off day.

May 29, Week 5, On the road in Washington

This is going to be a hard one to write. Before I begin, I got your reply e-mail and sent the cd by mail the next day. I hope you like it.

We finished our stay and then had three days off. After talking about it, they decided that we would stay at a commercial camp ground since they needed to do some laundry. It was near the next town they where they were to sing. The first night there, after dinner, we made coffee and they both looked at me and said, "You keep giving us choices; we are going to give you a choice. You aren't going to sleep on that table bed again. You are too long for it. So you can sleep with both of us in the bed or you can pick one of us to sleep with and the other one will sleep out here."

I tried to suggest that I would get a hotel room for them or for me; they refused to let me pay for them or to sleep alone in the camp. Finally, I agreed that the three of us would try to sleep together for one night and see how it worked. They both wore nightshirts and I slept in my underpants and a tee shirt. It was cozy for sure, but we all slept well. I stayed on one side and they slept mostly snuggled together. The next morning they announced that this was now our normal sleeping arrangement on the road. I couldn't find fault with their decision. It was still cool in the evenings in the mountains.

The next night was fine, but the third night they decided that I would sleep in the middle so they could each snuggle with me. That night I was mostly asleep and snuggling with Cindi, but I felt like I was holding Ellen. I...I just rolled her on her back and made love to her just like I did with Ellen. I was in heaven until she wrapped her legs around my waist and said, "Oh yes, finally." It was too late for me and we both had an orgasm. When I finished, I felt really guilty even when Cindi kissed me and said that we both needed that. I certainly needed it and it was very good. It just wasn't Ellen.

I thought that Megan slept through the whole thing. I was wrong. In the morning, she rolled over to face me and kissed me. Then she said, "It's my turn now." She had me out and ready in a flash and I made love to her also. I still felt guilty, but I couldn't blame either of them. I started it and they are very cute and desirable. We talked about it when we had coffee. I told them what I felt. They both said that if Ellen left me alone like this for that long, she couldn't expect me do without.

I couldn't explain our arrangement and that she had given me permission. It was all about my commitment to myself. They also both said that they needed attention too because their boyfriends were gone for the summer. We agreed that we would just take care of ourselves during the rest of the trip unless someone had a problem with it. I feel a little guilty still, but I also feel good about being with both of them. They are young and very alive. They make me feel alive again.

On that morning, they went to the store and I called Rachael, who we bought one of our businesses from. I felt that she could help me with an idea. She was glad to hear from me and asked about Ellen. I briefly told her what we were doing. She just said that it made sense. Then I asked her about an elegant, sort of sultry gown for the girls to wear while singing. She asked about them and their sizes and we talked about the kind of music they sang. She also asked me to send her a picture of them. I told her that the only picture I had was the one on the cd cover. I sent her a copy of the cd by overnight delivery. She promised to find something and she would get back to me.

She e-mailed me back and said that I was right; they looked so young like modern girls, but the music demanded an elegant look. She also loved the cd. She asked where she should have things sent. I told her to just tell me where to order them from and I would get them. She replied, "After what you and Ellen did for me, the least I can do is help you out with this. Where are you going to be?" I told her about a hotel where we would be for three days this coming weekend. She said to be on the lookout for somepackages. I didn't know how Cindi and Megan would react, but I felt that keeping their image consistent with the sound of the music would help a lot.

Then we got busy again and I put this on hold for the rest of the week. Thursday, we checked into the hotel for the weekend. I paid for the extra night. They wanted to get their hair and nails done for the weekend because they had three shows to do.They were excited because this was the biggest hotel they had been to yet and it was supposed to be almost full. I hadn't heard anything from Rachael yet. If I didn't hear anything, by the next morning, I would call her and see if the dresses were en route.

We had just finished breakfast when I heard someone enter the restaurant and say something to the hostess and then a very pregnant Rachael was standing next to me. She said, "Hi Joe; I am so excited to see you. And you must be Cindi and Megan. Which one is which?" I saw a man come in carrying a several hanging bags and a box, which he set down by the wall next to us. I recognized him as Rachael's husband, Randall. I stood up and we greeted each other with smiles. Cindi and Megan had recovered from their shock and straightened out who was who.

I looked at both Rachael and Randall and asked, "What are you two doing here?" Randall explained that he had a meeting in Seattle today and that Rachael wanted to come along and see us. He was going to be back for the show tonight. Then he asked me if I had heard the latest rumor about JoEllen. I said that if it was bad, I didn't want to know. I still felt good things about my time there. He said that it wasn't bad. The new owners didn't want a string of boutiques and a manufacturer so they had that part up for sale. He was working with a buyer to raise the money to buy it. I simply said that it could be a good buy if he kept its focus. Then Randall excused himself to continue on to Seattle. They had flown in on their company jet.