Chapter 6

If anything, Jay's party reinforced my opinion that the South was better for me. I knew that Spring Break with a popular Auburn football player at PC wasn't a normal sample, but I felt more comfortable with Tommy and Thornton, than with Jay's group, or even with the coeds at his party. In a way I was thankful for the putdown by the face queen and the transparent shallowness of the others. Pitts was a reminder of what I wanted to avoid. I didn't want to become Will.

Eunice and her sister were very nice Alabama women. I felt used by Mary, but in my heart I knew I had overreacted and knew I was not justified in how I felt. I knew that not all Eastern women were snobs; Brooke was from the Philadelphia Main Line and I didn't think women got nicer than she was. The only woman I liked much at Jay's party was the Ford Model, Missy, who was from Missouri. She seemed nice enough, but just not interested in me. Missy was concentrating on building a modeling career. Missy didn't care about Yale or Deke, or what I could do for her career. She was friendly and nice.

I took a quick shower and relaxed in a tub of hot water. After the bath, I went to sleep easily; thoughts of Mary didn't keep me from going to sleep.

I was awakened by the sound of something near the building. I took the shotgun and went out the side door from the utility room. I didn't turn on a light, as I didn't want to lose my night vision. I carefully went around the house. I had plenty of experience in the dark with a weapon. I was glad I had the trench gun.

I almost shot someone near the storage shed where we kept the outdoor furniture. I called out, "Spread your arms. Lie face down."

The young woman cried out, "Don't shoot!" She quickly raised her hands and dropped to the ground.

The woman's clothes were wet and she shivered. I saw it was a young woman who had been at Jay's. I had noticed her when she came in the Suzi and Blanche. I looked around but didn't see anyone else.

She said, "Please don't shoot me. They made me leave the party and told me to go this way. I was looking for a place to get out of the cold. I fell in the wet sand and am freezing."

I said, "Stay spread."

I walked to her and frisked her. "Stand up, but keep your hands in sight."

She stood. She was very frightened.

I asked, "I thought you were with Suzi?"

"I was in the Village and heard them talking about a party and that there would be something good to eat. I didn't know them but they let me go with them to the party. When I wouldn't go upstairs with one of the men, so Jay said I had to leave."

I said, "Walk slowly over to the door."

I covered her as she walked to the utility room door.

I said, "Strip and get under the shower."

"Please don't hurt me." She stripped and got under the outside shower.

After she washed off at the shower, I opened the door. I said, "Walk slowly through the door and move away from the door."

I shut and locked the door behind her and then turned on the light.

I said, "Wipe your feet. We're going to the upstairs bathroom where you can get a hot bath. You need to warm up. What's your name?"

She said, "Erin O'Donnell, please don't hurt me."

Erin was thin. Her breasts were small. I couldn't tell how old she was.

The downstairs bath didn't have a tub so we went upstairs. She was frightened as she walked naked up the stairs and through the bedroom. She turned on the water, got in, and closed the glass sliding tub doors.

I went downstairs and put on a pot of coffee. I went back upstairs to the bedroom and got a long t-shirt.

I asked, "How are you doing?"

"I'm getting warmer."

"What's going on Erin?"

"Things at home weren't good. Mom's boyfriend tried to force me to have sex with him. When my mother wouldn't do anything, I left. I heard they had good paying summer jobs at the Hamptons, so I hitched here."

I waited.

"Nobody would hire me. The best I got was to come back in a couple of weeks; that it was too early. Someone stole my suitcase when I left it outside a place to ask about a job."

I didn't say anything.

"I overheard Suzi and Blanche talking about the party and they let me follow along. I don't have anything or much money. I wasn't going to steal anything. I wanted a place to get out of the cold tonight."

"Stay in the tub. It might not feel warm as you get use to it. Put more hot water in if you get cool."

I went downstairs and poured a couple of cups of coffee. Erin looked frightened when I opened the sliding glass tub enclosure door. I handed her the cup of coffee and closed the door.

"Are you hungry?"

"I got something to eat at the party." At least her teeth didn't chatter when she answered.

"How about some soup?"

She said, "That would be good."

"Tomato?"

"That's good."

"Stay in the tub. I'll heat some soup."

I went to the kitchen and opened a can of soup. While it was warming, I got her clothes and checked for an ID. She had a driver's license which listed her birthday. The license verified her name was Erin O'Donnell and that her age was seventeen.

I threw her wet clothes in the washer while the soup warmed. I took the soup to the bathroom.

I asked, "What are you going to do now?"

I know a little of how you are feeling. My grandfather and brother have been asking me the same questions I'm asking you. There is a huge difference; we are comfortable.

"I dropped out of high school last year and worked as a waitress at a truck stop. That's how I knew how to hitch here. I was trying to get a waitress job at the Village, but I wasn't having much luck. I think college kids already have the good paying waitress jobs lined up. You have to be eighteen to waitress in a bar. I don't know what I'm going to do."

She finished the soup. "I feel better now."

I said, "Dry off and put on this shirt, and then come downstairs."

I left her while she dried and I set up a cot in the utility room. Her clothes had finished in the washer, so I put them in the dryer. Erin had an apprehensive look on her face when she came downstairs.

"I've set up a cot for you in the utility room. It's warm in there. Your clothes are in the dryer in there." I gave her sheets, a blanket and pillow.

I led her to the utility room, locked the doors from the guesthouse into the garage and went back to bed. I still didn't trust her completely.

I woke at six. I showered, did my toilet, and dressed. At eight, I knocked on the utility room door.

"I have a cup of coffee for you. Would you like breakfast?"

Erin opened the door. "I need to use the bathroom."

She had taken her clothes from the dryer and dressed. I gave her coffee and she went to the downstairs bathroom. I fixed toast and oatmeal. I didn't have much breakfast food.

We ate at the kitchen table. I didn't have the shotgun out.

I said, "The main house needs to be cleaned. You could stay here and clean the house for a couple of weeks. By then, maybe a job in the Village would come open."

She asked, "Where would I stay?"

"You could sleep in the utility room while I'm here. I'm leaving soon and will be gone most of the week. You could stay in the downstairs bedroom while I'm gone."

I showed her the main house and where the cleaning supplies and equipment were kept. I told her how I wanted the house cleaned.

Erin said, "I'd like the job. Do you want me to wear a maid's uniform?"

"Jeans, shorts, sneakers, and knit shirts make more sense. We need to get some groceries for you too."

She asked, "Could I have an advance for some clothes and toiletries?"

"Okay, but no visitors at the house and I don't want you to leave unless you need something in town. I mean it. I don't want anyone else here."

"I appreciate it. I'll do what I'm supposed to."

We took the truck into the Village. I paid for her some clothes for work. I gave her an advance on her pay and she shopped for some clothes and toiletries. We got breakfast food and vegetables for her.

She asked around about work while I went to a gun shop. I got M-16 ammunition and a short magazine.

She drove the truck back from the Village and I rode as the passenger. We sprayed the salt off the MG and the truck with the power sprayer and put the MG back in the garage.

I decided to go back to Grandfather's. I called Grandfather, but he was taking a nap. I told Richard I was coming in to the apartment. Erin took me to the LIRR.

Erin said, "I really appreciate all you've done for me. I'll clean the house good."

I went back to the City. Saturday afternoon, there was no traffic and I got into the City easily.

While I waited for the elevator, a woman of about thirty walked up. She was an attractive, tall woman of average build. She was dressed nicely, like Brooke dressed.

She said, "The doorman said you were injured in Vietnam."

I said, "I was wounded. I separated from the Army last Monday."

"Carolyn Cappleman. I'm on four."

"Rob Jenkins, I'm staying with my grandfather on the top floor."

Carolyn said, "My husband died in a helicopter crash in Vietnam eighteen months ago. I'm sorry you were hurt." Her face was sad, but she had a nice warm smile.

I said, "I was fortunate to make it back. I didn't mean to be short about injured and wounded thing."

She said, "I understand."

The elevator came. The operator said, "I had to help someone with packages."

I said, "It's alright. I enjoyed meeting Mrs. Cappleman."