water!” he yelled as he splashed the water on his face.
He had not bathed since the power had failed. He had been hauling bottled water home and using it to drink and cook. It took too much time to try to heat water to bathe in. He had been forced to take sponge baths and he longed to stand beneath a hot shower but a cold shower would do in a pinch.
He turned off the water and roamed thru the house. He found the bathroom and stepped inside. He was already pulling off his dirty clothes.
“Oh boy! A shower.” he said as he stepped into the shower stall.
The icy cold water hit him and took his breath away. He was going to have to be quick about it. He grabbed the soap and lathered up and he felt the dirt and grime begin to rinse away. He washed and rinsed quickly until the water was clear. He washed his hair and finally felt clean again. He was shivering from the cold, but at least he was clean. He padded across the bathroom and found some towels. Drying, he wrapped a towel around him and wandered into the bedroom. He looked into the closet and found some shirts that would fit, however all of the pants hanging up were too big. He gathered up his filthy clothes and searched until he found the washer and dryer. He opened the washer and threw his clothes in. He added detergent and then realized that there was no power. He slammed the washer lid in disgust and headed back into the bedroom.
After more searching, he found some jogging pants that weren’t too big. He put on a large shirt and the pants and wandered down the hall. The house had two bedrooms, one small and one large. Two baths, a laundry room, living room and kitchen. He opened every window he could as he walked through the house. He went back into the kitchen and cleaned the rotten food from the fridge. He filled several large trash bags and threw them into the back of the truck. With the smell clearing out, he went back into the kitchen to see if he could find anything to eat. He looked through the cabinets and found some canned peaches. He opened them and ate at the small kitchen table. This house reminded him of his grandparent’s home. He used to spend summers there and the memories of those times were all good. He closed his eyes and listened. He could hear the bells on the cattle as they headed back out into the pasture. He heard the pounding of hoofs as a couple of horses raced across the fields. In the distance, he could hear the rhythmic creaking of the windmill and the clucks of the chickens in the yard. With a sigh he stood up and continued his inspection. He closed the windows and then left the house. He hadn’t decided what to do with the parrot, but making sure it had plenty of food and water, he had left it there. If nothing else, he would return to feed it and take it with him if necessary. He didn’t want it, but he didn’t think it would be able to survive on its own.
He and Jason drove slowly away and he thought out loud.
“This one has the land for a garden. They’ve already planted a small one and it is coming along fine. There are horses and cattle and chickens. They have a well. All of the animal troughs are filled by the windmill pump. The stream is there in case the well gets dry.” he said.
Jason watched Ralph as he spoke and seemed to be agreeing with him. Ralph knew that Jason would be happy anyplace Ralph was as long as he was warm and well fed.
“This is the one.” Ralph said as he drove down the gravel drive.
“This is where we will stay.” Jason barked and then stuck his head out of the window.
Over the next few days, Ralph and Jason made several trips to the farmhouse, hauling in items he thought would be essential. He had spent one day, cleaning items from the house. He hated to throw them away, so he had boxed everything he didn’t need and had hauled it to a self storage place in town. There he stored it in case the owners returned. It was a hard job, boxing away some stranger’s life. He found lots of items
He had not bathed since the power had failed. He had been hauling bottled water home and using it to drink and cook. It took too much time to try to heat water to bathe in. He had been forced to take sponge baths and he longed to stand beneath a hot shower but a cold shower would do in a pinch.
He turned off the water and roamed thru the house. He found the bathroom and stepped inside. He was already pulling off his dirty clothes.
“Oh boy! A shower.” he said as he stepped into the shower stall.
The icy cold water hit him and took his breath away. He was going to have to be quick about it. He grabbed the soap and lathered up and he felt the dirt and grime begin to rinse away. He washed and rinsed quickly until the water was clear. He washed his hair and finally felt clean again. He was shivering from the cold, but at least he was clean. He padded across the bathroom and found some towels. Drying, he wrapped a towel around him and wandered into the bedroom. He looked into the closet and found some shirts that would fit, however all of the pants hanging up were too big. He gathered up his filthy clothes and searched until he found the washer and dryer. He opened the washer and threw his clothes in. He added detergent and then realized that there was no power. He slammed the washer lid in disgust and headed back into the bedroom.
After more searching, he found some jogging pants that weren’t too big. He put on a large shirt and the pants and wandered down the hall. The house had two bedrooms, one small and one large. Two baths, a laundry room, living room and kitchen. He opened every window he could as he walked through the house. He went back into the kitchen and cleaned the rotten food from the fridge. He filled several large trash bags and threw them into the back of the truck. With the smell clearing out, he went back into the kitchen to see if he could find anything to eat. He looked through the cabinets and found some canned peaches. He opened them and ate at the small kitchen table. This house reminded him of his grandparent’s home. He used to spend summers there and the memories of those times were all good. He closed his eyes and listened. He could hear the bells on the cattle as they headed back out into the pasture. He heard the pounding of hoofs as a couple of horses raced across the fields. In the distance, he could hear the rhythmic creaking of the windmill and the clucks of the chickens in the yard. With a sigh he stood up and continued his inspection. He closed the windows and then left the house. He hadn’t decided what to do with the parrot, but making sure it had plenty of food and water, he had left it there. If nothing else, he would return to feed it and take it with him if necessary. He didn’t want it, but he didn’t think it would be able to survive on its own.
He and Jason drove slowly away and he thought out loud.
“This one has the land for a garden. They’ve already planted a small one and it is coming along fine. There are horses and cattle and chickens. They have a well. All of the animal troughs are filled by the windmill pump. The stream is there in case the well gets dry.” he said.
Jason watched Ralph as he spoke and seemed to be agreeing with him. Ralph knew that Jason would be happy anyplace Ralph was as long as he was warm and well fed.
“This is the one.” Ralph said as he drove down the gravel drive.
“This is where we will stay.” Jason barked and then stuck his head out of the window.
Over the next few days, Ralph and Jason made several trips to the farmhouse, hauling in items he thought would be essential. He had spent one day, cleaning items from the house. He hated to throw them away, so he had boxed everything he didn’t need and had hauled it to a self storage place in town. There he stored it in case the owners returned. It was a hard job, boxing away some stranger’s life. He found lots of items
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