Chapter 46

Ah, home. Saturday morning in my own bed, the trip was nice, but it is nice to be home.

I glanced at the clock to see it was right at six. I was on the outside with Sue's back to me. Mercy and Sue were bracketing Juanita. I was still amazed that the two girls were so enamored with a lady old enough to be their mother. Juanita didn't look her age, and since she has been around the girls, she sure hasn't acted it.

There were noises in the kitchen, so I slid from bed, showered, and dressed quickly to go out to the kitchen. Glenda was preparing several large coffee cakes that had been rising overnight. The dough was filled with brown sugar, raisins, and cinnamon. We went to the patio to have some coffee and chat for a few minutes.

Martin came over, saying that he was very happy for us to be home. He wanted me to work with Charlie, the park manager, to hire another Mr. Fixit for the park. "Steve, Charlie got a guy to do the grass and grounds upkeep but there are just too many little things to constantly fix. I'll help all the folks that can't afford to have professionals help them, but the park needs to find someone to take care of the other things. The laundry buildings need painting, the mail kiosk needs some roof work and paint. The rec. center needs exterior paint, plus I think it's probably due for some roof work. I can't do some of the work, and I can't do all the fixit jobs there are any more."

"I'll talk to Charlie this morning, Martin. I'm sure he doesn't understand the scope of the problem. Have you been discussing the work that needs to be done?"

Martin looked a little sheepish, "I guess not enough. I sort of mention things to him, but I don't outright tell him or write it down."

When Charlie and Matty came for morning coffee and breakfast, I got Charlie off to the side with Martin. "Charlie, Martin is going to need help with all the fixit jobs. He says he'll still do the little jobs for the older folks that can't afford to hire it done, but he isn't able to do all the other upkeep work that needs to be done."

"Yeah, you're right, Martin," Charlie said. "I know there is too much for you to do. I've just been putting off hiring someone. It's hard to find someone who wants to do the variety of things that need done around a place like this. I can contract out the painting, but I can't sub out all the little repair jobs like at the mail kiosk or the laundry buildings."

Martin said, "There's a young couple with a little one that just moved into a rental back by Juanita's place. I heard he just got laid off from an apartment complex that was bought out by a large conglomerate. He was a maintenance guy for the complex, so he should have experience with everything we need here. He won't be able to do the roof of the rec. center, but I'll bet he can do everything else."

Charlie nodded, "Let's go talk to him right now. He should be up and around by now, especially if he's trying to find a part time job on weekends."

I went with them in Charlie's cart. The man we were looking for was sitting outside his trailer, pouring over the classified ads. Charlie asked, "You Jim Samuels?"

The guy said, "Yes," as he stood looking at the three of us. He nodded at Martin and said, "Good morning, Martin, what's up?"

Martin pointed at us and said, "You know Charlie the park manager and this is Steve Sharp one of the park owners. I'll let Steve or Charlie do the talking."

While we were standing there, a slim lady in her twenties came to the door to see who Jim was talking to. A little boy about three came to stand by her, looking out at us.

I nodded to Charlie and he began, "I need a park maintenance person. Martin does some stuff for us but he's reached the point that he needs to retire and only help some of the older folks with some repairs. The park needs a full time guy to do carpentry, some light plumbing things, some electrical occasionally, painting, and just general maintenance. You don't have to do landscaping except to help when trailers move out. I understand that you might be out of work so I'm here to offer you a job if you're looking."

Jim smiled, "I'm looking all right and what you have is about what I was doing, except this is more outside work than the apartment complex. I have some tools, but not everything I would need to do maintenance in a large place like this."

I interrupted, "Jim, any tools you need would be supplied by us. I think we can probably use that big storage room in the new rec. building for your workshop and office. We could put a phone in there with an answering machine, as well as a workbench and large tool chest. I'll have Abe come help you get set up."

The lady and little boy came out of the house. She stood by Jim and asked, "Jim, find out if these people pay more than minimum wage. You don't want to get tied down like you were before."

Charlie said, "Steve has me start people at the same money he starts folks at his factory. That is about two and half times what minimum is. Did you have medical with your last job?"

Jim just shook his head negatively.

"We have medical here after 90 days," Charlie stated. "It covers your family as well. What do you think, do you want to try out for the job?"

Jim was smiling while standing with his arm around his wife's shoulder. "Gentlemen, this is my wife Kate and my son Carson. I'd like to try out for the job and will show you what I'm worth. If you need me to start today, I can do that or I can start Monday. We go to church on Sunday, but I could work afterwards."

Kate, Jim's wife asked while looking at me, "You're the guy that lives in the big house with that huge patio aren't you?"

I smiled, "That I am, Ma'am."

"I'm no ma'am, just Kate. The lady that lives in that home over there," she pointed at Juanita's trailer, "works down there helping with the big house and all those kids. Do they need more help?"

"You'd have to ask my wife Sue, or Glenda, Martin's wife. I stay out of what goes on around the house."

Jim smiled, "We men know when to stay out of things."

Charlie said, "Jim, if you have a few minutes, how about riding down to the office with me so I can get an application from you and sign you up. I'll get you one of these carts for work, and we can go see the storage room Steve was talking about."

I turned to Kate, "If you want, you and Carson can come with us, and you can talk to Sue."

Kate became flustered and said, "I need to clean up before I go looking for a job and I have to find a babysitter for Carson."

"You look fine and you would be bringing Carson with you everyday until he goes to school anyway. So just bring him along now. Come on, come with us."

Kate looked at Jim and he shrugged his shoulders. Kate went inside, got her keys and shoes for Carson and locked the trailer. Charlie had the big passenger cart so we all rode back to the office with him. Martin took Kate and Carson and walked down to the patio to meet Sue.

When we were done at the office, we rode down to the new rec. building where we looked into the bare storage room. It did have a window, a roll up door for equipment, and good lighting, so it would be perfect for a workshop. There was a thermostat in the room that Charlie explained was a zone off the building's office air.

Back at the patio, we caught Abe and Alice before they left to go home. I introduced Jim to Abe and asked Abe if he could get a workbench for Jim and see that he had all the tools he would need to perform maintenance around the park.

Crystal was listening to the conversations and asked, "Can I use him over at my buildings too? I have a bunch of little nagging things that need to be taken care of. The cart shop has a guy, but he doesn't know how to do everything." Crystal stood up, giving Jim his first look at the giant lady. "Honey, you come over and fix me up and I'll treat you real nice."

Kate had been sitting with Sue when Crystal said that and stood up, "You leave my husband alone. He's mine. I don't rent him out and he doesn't trade out any favors. Hear me?"

The situation was sort of funny, as Crystal is about six three and Kate is about five two. Kate wasn't put off though, as she went right up to Crystal.

Crystal put her hands up palms out to gesture "stop" to Kate, "I'm sorry, Honey. That's just the way I talk. I didn't mean I would do anything improper with your man. Ask that guy right there," Crystal motioned toward Kevin, "he works for me, he'll tell you I don't mess with my employees that way."

Susan was with Kevin and said, "Don't worry, Kate. Crystal is just a big flirt and blowhard. She won't try to take your man away."

Kate was red in the face now and said, "I'm sorry. I thought it was going to be like those damn apartments where some of those girls want to experiment with every guy they see."

Sue took Kate's hand and said, "Let's get a Coke and some juice for Carson. We have to work out when you can work."

Jim began to apologize for his wife, but I stopped him, "Don't worry about it, Jim. You guys will have to be around us a little to know us but we're all friends and are all just a little nuts. If your wife starts coming during the day, you'll see. She'll lighten up quick."

As it got close to noon, Glenda and Juanita began getting some lunch ready. Sue brought Kate and Carson back out and had them sit at the table. She motioned Jim over, introduced herself, and had him sit. Several people from our crew who were in the park began showing up. The women were going in and out of the house, bringing trays of sandwich makings and bowls for Saturday chili. Bear came out of the kitchen carrying a huge pot.

Bear exclaimed, "I made the chili this week, so you know it's going to be good. Who's first?"

He went up and down the tables, ladling out chili into bowls. He leaned down to Carson and said, "My chili isn't that hot, so you'll probably like it too."

When Bear got to Crystal he said, "Heard you were causin' a ruckus again. Were you flirtin' or just bein' your usual obnoxious self?"

"Hush, Bear. I already apologized. You know the way I talk. I didn't mean to upset anyone."

Kate looked up and said, "Sorry, Crystal, I've just been so nervous since Jimmy got laid off. I was scared to death we were going to be homeless and hungry."

Crystal smiled and said, "You'll never be homeless and hungry around here if you're willing to work. Steve and Sue have a place for everyone. If you don't know what to do, they'll teach you."

Our new family ate their lunch with smiles on their faces. Abe and Martin had left and came back with one of the carts that was like a little pickup truck. Abe walked over to Jim and said, "Here's the keys to that green cart truck out there. Use that to get around the park. I'll get with you Monday morning to get you set up with a bench and tools. Make a list this weekend of what you think you'll need, and we'll work on it Monday."

Jim was smiling. The elusive job he had been looking for was now real.

When I went inside to see the kids, Sue, Mercy, and Juanita all followed me in. As I was picking up Liz, Sue asked, "How many women does it take to keep this place up?"

Juanita said, "There won't be anything for me to do."

When I looked puzzled, Sue said, "We have Glenda that needed help, so we brought Juanita in. Then because Juanita was gone a lot, Glenda has Maggie here most everyday. Now you want me to have Kate here too? They won't have enough to do to keep them busy."

Mercy was the only one not saying anything to me about the problem. She was standing there with her arms folded smirking at me.

"You didn't have to hire her if you didn't need her. I thought you would just talk to her about being a friend and coming down to visit during the day."

Sue grimaced, "You know I can't let someone go if they need a job and want to work. Those kids are probably on their last nickel, and I can't let them be hungry with a little boy and all."

"I don't think they're stone cold broke yet because he just got laid off yesterday," I said, in defense.

Juanita took up the baton, "Yeah, he got laid off a minimum wage job. Matty said that they are making payments for the deposit on the trailer they're renting."

"Well, now he's making more and they'll be able to make ends meet. Even without Kate working over here."

Mercy now spoke, "They see how warm and friendly it is here. You know they'll want to be a part of us. They will want to contribute, so Sue had to hire her so she wouldn't have to feel like she isn't contributing."

"Why are you ganging up on me? What'd I do wrong?"

Sue gave me a hug then said, "You're just so bad. Every person that even thinks they need help you're dragging them over here, feeding them, giving them a job. We're not mad or ganging up on you. We just need to find out how to use all the extra help."

Hanna came in the door and said to Sue, "Do you really need another girl here, or could I interest her in working at the daycare in the park. I could use two more people right now, and we have the people of the department of Children and Families coming out Monday for training. Since she's a mom, she would probably be good. Can I steal her?"

I smiled at the girls, and said as I headed out the door, "Case closed."

Jim was getting ready to leave, so I told him to hang around a few minutes more as Hanna wanted to talk to Kate. I took him to the bar and explained, "We have beer on tap right here along with just about anything else you might want to drink. We have a little nip in the evenings before supper. You, Kate, and Carson are welcome to come have supper with us and be a part of our big family here. We have some strange folks, along with some regular folks. All are welcome."

Tiny and Ruth, with Ryan and Michelle, came in for some late lunch and I introduced Jim to them. I think he was getting the idea that we were a pretty big group.

Kate came out of the house with Hanna, almost running up to Jim. "I've been offered a job at the daycare center over in the business park. Can you believe it? All that training, and I'm finally going to be able to use it. Hanna said that I could be the head instructor and lead person for the daycare center. Sue, the owner, said that she was excited that I could work for her. Can you believe it? We've both got jobs that pay well. We're on our way, Honey, we have found our lucky place."

Ruth spoke up, while putting her arm around my waist, "I don't know you kids yet, but if you just met Steve and Sue then that explains your luck. Everyone who meets them and becomes friends with them gets lucky. You're right though, Honey, It is your lucky place."

Ryan and Tiny held up mugs of beer saying "Hear, hear."

The family walked toward the door to go home and contemplate their good fortune. Before they could get to the door, Juanita came out of the house and said, "We're having wings and ribs tonight. Be here round five, five-thirty."

Jim and Kate looked back at all of us and just grinned. They waved as they went out to the green cart Abe had brought over.

Tiny handed me a frosty mug, saying, "Well, you've helped your quota for the day, Steve. Time to have a beer and celebrate."

Sue came out of the house saying, "Hanna saved your bacon on that one. Glad you brought her over here. That little girl has a degree in child psychology and daycare management. Wonder why the two were having a problem?"

"You know how it is, Sue," I said. "People get down and they don't know how to look up. They just don't see how they can get on their feet. It just takes a little push and most people take off on their own."

The kids were all down for a nap, so we guys turned on the TV for some Saturday college football. The girls were organizing something, so we knew we should just sit back to see what they had in store for us.

Tiny was telling me about having picked up four little Cessna 152s for trainers and student rentals for flight time. He commented that the Aero Park owner had approached him about setting up a central database for new students. "Funny he should ask. The system we put in out there for our students and rentals has everything he needs in it. We'll just have to enter his information and it will be done. We'll hook him up as a user off our server so he can have access, but not modify student info. We'll allow him scheduling access for some of the rentals and give the park a commission for the rental. That way he can make a buck too."

"Good idea, Tiny, you're really tying up a lot of loose ends picking up money from all sorts of places."

Tiny smiled, "That's my job. I don't let us leave any change on the table. If there's any gold in them thar hills, I'm gonna find it."

I took some time to get my bikes out and clean them up. I was almost ashamed to find dust on both bikes. I'll have to do better than that. When Hap got off duty, he and Marge came over and joined Bear, who was sitting back drinking a beer, while watching me detail the shovel. Hap asked, "You going to be up for a ride this evening? I'm past ready. Bear here is itching all over to ride too."

Bear said, "If I don't give Crystal a ride soon, she's going to go out and find another guy with a bike. She's been bugging me to death."

Sandy and Mandy came over and said almost the exact same thing. Sandy asked, "Can I ride along when you go out, Mandy and I are dying to ride."

Mickey came home from work and said, "I'll bring my bike over so we can leave after supper. I haven't been out in three or four weeks. Mind if I trail along?"

My two main ladies came out of the house with Sue saying, "I hope you cleaned up the big bike. Mercy and I want a ride. You need to figure out how to ride Juanita, too. I think she wants to go along."

Then it was Jim, Hank, and Charlie. They said their ole' ladies were dying to ride.

I knew something was up when just before we ate, I saw Sue and Mercy huddled with Juanita, Sandy, and Mandy. As we sat down to eat, Sue said, "We have the babysitting thing taken care of. Kate, Susan, and Ruth are going to watch the kids. Mercy and I are going to ride with Sandy and Mandy, and Juanita can ride with you. See, we took care of the problem."

I'm a good husband and mate, so I do what my mates ask, but I still felt a little strange about Juanita. Here's a fifty something year old Cuban lady going through her second childhood with my family as playmates. After supper, the girls came out in jeans and T-shirts. Mercy and Sue had some show off tops under their T-shirts, so I figured they had an idea we were going to the clubhouse first.

The herd of bikes left the park around seven and went straight down to Hap's clubhouse. Hap had cleared the way for the girl bikers so we were all welcome. We all did the backslapping, bullshitting, and beer drinking before riding to Big Jim's. We all got a hug from Double D and some glad handing from a lot of the folks, and went with a even larger contingent to the Vanishing Point.

Amazing, but this time there were lots of unattached women mixing at the bar. One of the guys who had come with us from Big Jim's, called back to Jim's to advise some of the guys out hunting, of the game available here. When we left the Vanishing Point, all of the guys that had trailed along with us stayed there, so it was just our group that blasted over to St. Pete to go to the clubhouse bar in the shopping center. The place was rocking tonight, with booze flowing for all. As soon as Sue was spotted, she was brought a rum and Coke. When the folks there saw me standing with my three ladies, they brought Mercy and Juanita rum and Cokes too.

After a little visit and another beer, we took off to go up to the Crab Shack for onion rings. The little shack was jammed with bikes on both sides of the street for the whole block. Hap said it looked like anyone with a bike was out tonight.

Bear asked me if we could ride up to New Port Richey to stop in at his old clubhouse. They were supposed to have finished building their new main building, and he wanted to see it.

We rode up to Bear's clubhouse where he had to clear it with the current prez for our lady riders to come in. Bear told me later, that since the girls were friends of mine, that got them in the gate. We were treated very nicely. The new clubhouse was large. It looked as if they were planning to make it two floors in the future, in order to have a bunkhouse within the main building. They had converted their old building into the cook shack, so the grounds were really growing.

We decided to head home and rode back to the park a lot slower than we had ridden anywhere else this evening. Once back at the park, there was some discussion of a hot tub party, but most of us just wanted to have a nightcap and veg. Jim was with Kate and Carson while she was watching the kids. Jim asked Charlie, "Is it true what we heard goes on up there at the hot tub at night?"

Charlie smiled and asked, "Depends. What did you hear goes on up there?"

Jim answered, "Kate said that she heard there were orgies and stuff in the hot tub. She said that even some of the older couples did stuff there."