Chapter 6

Coming down out of the hills and back into the flat land of the Rincon Valley, it was still only late afternoon, but I was ready for a break. I rumbled across the valley until I saw signs saying I was following Santa Rosa Creek, and then I began looking for a place to park the bike for the night. I passed a building with a sign that said 'Hillside Inn', but kept going until I got to a place called the Flamingo One Stop Shopping Center. There was an IHOP there, so I walked in and smiled at the young lady at the register.

"Hi, I was wondering if you could help me?" I asked.

"What can I help you with," she asked with a smile. She was a cute little thing, but she was probably five years younger than Cooper James, and way, way younger than old Harold Lee Scoville. I smiled back anyway, just for the practice.

"I've been on the road a while and would like to get a good night's sleep and enjoy a fine dinner. Could you recommend someplace nearby?"

"Sure," she smiled bigger, but then turned her head to look around a bit before leaning in.

"I'm supposed to recommend the Flamingo Conference Center, but its kind of a funky old joint," she whispered. "I think you'd do better at the Hillside Inn."

"Ahh, I saw the sign on my way in," I nodded back in the direction of the highway. "I know right where it is, thanks."

"I've got their number if you want to call ahead," she offered. I realized about then that the name tag on her blouse said 'Mila'.

"Thanks, that would be a big help, Mila." she blushed when I said her name. I could see I was going to have to get used to being young and 'eligible' again after all these years. "I imagine they could be pretty busy this time of year. They might not have a room."

"Well, it is going to be Memorial Day weekend in a few days, so that might be true. I can punch the number into your cell, if you'd like to call right now."

"Ahh," I sputtered, realizing this was one item every young person these days seemed to have, but which I hadn't found among Cooper's possessions. "I've just gotten back into the country a few days ago and hadn't gotten around to getting one yet."

"Oh, here let me," she giggled, and quick as that pulled a cell phone out of her apron pocket and dialed a number from memory. "Kelli? Mila!" I was listening to one side of a conversation that was already in some sort of friendly shorthand. "You guys got any rooms available?"

I watched Mila nod her head in silent agreement with whatever the person on the other end of the call was saying, but finally she turned to me. "Short term or long term?"

"Short that I know of, a couple two or three days, but it could be longer. I'll know more by this time tomorrow, I think."

"A couple of days would be no problem," Mila said after another session of nodding her head silently to whatever her friend at the inn was telling her. "Might be hard to keep it after that though, unless you wanted a weekly rental, because of the holiday."

"I understand," I did my own silent nod. "Two days for sure."

"What name shall she make the reservation under?" Mila asked.

"James," I said. "Cooper James. Tell your friend I'll be right over to check in, and thank you."

"You're entirely welcome, Cooper," she said with a tone of voice that told me I had best be making my exit.

It was a matter of a few minutes to make my way back up the highway to the Hillside Inn. I parked near the main entrance, spent a few minutes getting my backpack and cargo bag unhitched from the back of the bike and hefting the two onto a shoulder, made my way in.