terrain beach.
I woke in a panic once again, too early. I sat up
and calmed my speeding heart. I was getting used to
talking myself down. I thought about the dream and
wondered why it always went back to my childhood. I got
up and looked out the window. The moon was full and had
a misty halo circling it. I could see Justin screaming for
me not to let the social worker take him. He was so little
and scared. All I could do is watch them take him. They
didn’t take me because the lady explained that nobody
would want a seventeen year old girl and that I was old
enough to take care of myself. She promised that I could
see him, but every time I called, she had a different excuse
as to why I couldn’t.
I showered even though I should have gone back to
bed. I pulled on my new cotton panties and fuzzy socks. I
checked myself out in the full length mirror, hanging on the
back of my bedroom door. My jeans fit much better than
the ones that I had brought with me. I wore one of my new
shirts as well, and that too looked good on me. It fit snug
and hugged my body in all the right places. I pulled a
white button up shirt overtop. I knew I should have worn
my old clothes. I was going to get dirty. I was sure of it.
I pulled up to the curb of the coffee shop, knowing
that it was closed on Sundays, I didn’t have to worry about
taking any parking spaces. I made one pot of coffee for
myself and looked around. Where do I begin? I was sure
the place had never had a good cleaning, and after a week,
my OCD couldn’t take it a second longer. I knew I could
rearrange things to make better use of the space. It was a
decent size store. It was just going to take more manpower
than me. Maybe I could talk Lauren into helping me. I
decided that I would start at the very front and work my
way back. I needed to work on the front while the store
was closed.
I poured a cup of the delicious coffee and started
on the windows. Wow. These things have never been
cleaned. I cleaned the windowsills first, using three
buckets of water to rid the wood from the dust and grime.
Starlight definitely wasn’t the cleaning type. After
cleaning the wood trim I decided that I should clean the
walls, as well. I was sure that they had never had a good
scrubbing either.
The sun was just coming up, and I was almost
finished with the front wall. I was astounded at the
difference between the front wall and the side walls. They
weren’t tan after all. They were a very unique pale
yellow. I liked it. I was just finishing up with the window
cleaner on the door when I heard the tap on the glass. I
peeked down from the chair that I had been using for a
ladder and hopped down.
“Kind of early for criminals eh, sheriff?” I asked,
opening the door for Dawson.
“Or late,” he replied, stepping in, “and I told you,
call me Dawson.”
“What can I do for you?” I asked, not wanting to
stop my task at hand. I was making good time, and I
wanted to keep at it.
“I just got off of the night shift and saw the lights
on here. What on earth are you doing here this time of
morning?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Couldn’t sleep, I have
had this on my mind since I started working here, so I
decided to get up and get it done.”
“Wow,” he said turning to the clean storefront.
“I know. Isn’t it nice?”
“It’s amazing,” he said, not believing the
difference. “You have a cup of coffee?” he asked, walking
to the pot not giving me time to answer.
No. I don’t. I want you to leave. I don’t have time
for entertaining.
“Sure, help yourself.”
I didn’t stop to chat or entertain. I emptied my mop
bucket again and started on the next wall, hoping he took
the hint. He didn’t. He sat at the table and watched.
“You know coffee has caffeine. I would think after
working the night shift you would want to go home and
sleep,” I tried.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
Yes. That is exactly
I woke in a panic once again, too early. I sat up
and calmed my speeding heart. I was getting used to
talking myself down. I thought about the dream and
wondered why it always went back to my childhood. I got
up and looked out the window. The moon was full and had
a misty halo circling it. I could see Justin screaming for
me not to let the social worker take him. He was so little
and scared. All I could do is watch them take him. They
didn’t take me because the lady explained that nobody
would want a seventeen year old girl and that I was old
enough to take care of myself. She promised that I could
see him, but every time I called, she had a different excuse
as to why I couldn’t.
I showered even though I should have gone back to
bed. I pulled on my new cotton panties and fuzzy socks. I
checked myself out in the full length mirror, hanging on the
back of my bedroom door. My jeans fit much better than
the ones that I had brought with me. I wore one of my new
shirts as well, and that too looked good on me. It fit snug
and hugged my body in all the right places. I pulled a
white button up shirt overtop. I knew I should have worn
my old clothes. I was going to get dirty. I was sure of it.
I pulled up to the curb of the coffee shop, knowing
that it was closed on Sundays, I didn’t have to worry about
taking any parking spaces. I made one pot of coffee for
myself and looked around. Where do I begin? I was sure
the place had never had a good cleaning, and after a week,
my OCD couldn’t take it a second longer. I knew I could
rearrange things to make better use of the space. It was a
decent size store. It was just going to take more manpower
than me. Maybe I could talk Lauren into helping me. I
decided that I would start at the very front and work my
way back. I needed to work on the front while the store
was closed.
I poured a cup of the delicious coffee and started
on the windows. Wow. These things have never been
cleaned. I cleaned the windowsills first, using three
buckets of water to rid the wood from the dust and grime.
Starlight definitely wasn’t the cleaning type. After
cleaning the wood trim I decided that I should clean the
walls, as well. I was sure that they had never had a good
scrubbing either.
The sun was just coming up, and I was almost
finished with the front wall. I was astounded at the
difference between the front wall and the side walls. They
weren’t tan after all. They were a very unique pale
yellow. I liked it. I was just finishing up with the window
cleaner on the door when I heard the tap on the glass. I
peeked down from the chair that I had been using for a
ladder and hopped down.
“Kind of early for criminals eh, sheriff?” I asked,
opening the door for Dawson.
“Or late,” he replied, stepping in, “and I told you,
call me Dawson.”
“What can I do for you?” I asked, not wanting to
stop my task at hand. I was making good time, and I
wanted to keep at it.
“I just got off of the night shift and saw the lights
on here. What on earth are you doing here this time of
morning?”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Couldn’t sleep, I have
had this on my mind since I started working here, so I
decided to get up and get it done.”
“Wow,” he said turning to the clean storefront.
“I know. Isn’t it nice?”
“It’s amazing,” he said, not believing the
difference. “You have a cup of coffee?” he asked, walking
to the pot not giving me time to answer.
No. I don’t. I want you to leave. I don’t have time
for entertaining.
“Sure, help yourself.”
I didn’t stop to chat or entertain. I emptied my mop
bucket again and started on the next wall, hoping he took
the hint. He didn’t. He sat at the table and watched.
“You know coffee has caffeine. I would think after
working the night shift you would want to go home and
sleep,” I tried.
“Are you trying to get rid of me?”
Yes. That is exactly
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