A River Bend

After settling into his apartment, by now evening, he visits a small park on the riverfront in walking distance from his apartment building. He interacts with no one, but watches as several people pass by. He turns to the river and glances skyward. Surrounded by an eerie, dark sky and the Aboideaux River lying still and black beneath, the moon appears to shine brilliantly as though it radiates its own light and not the reflection of a greater light. Josh studies the moon for a while until a barge silently and effortlessly floats down river. While the barge distracts him, the moon slips behind a cloud. Total darkness commands the sky. Rain pierces holes in the river and stains the concrete walks. Out of self -preservation, Josh reluctantly heads back to his apartment. The rain, now splashing to earth violently darkens the white concrete walkway. Streams of water rush down gutters into sewer grates picking up debris along the way. The street wet with rain reflects surreal street and traffic lights. Josh makes it to the apartment entrance drenched from head to foot. As he slips a key in the front door of the building, he whirls around to the sound of an engine roar and the spray of a puddle severed by a convertible sports car. A red-haired teen girl steers the car accompanied by two young male passengers. The convertible top is down and the teens are laughing. When Josh enters the building and approaches the elevator, he spots a rain-soaked neighbor struggling with grocery bags as she enters the elevator. This late twenty-something wrestles three paper grocery bags into the elevator and manages to punch the button marking her floor destination. Just as the door closes, groceries burst from a bag and scatter over the elevator floor. Some of the canned goods roll out of the elevator before the door shuts completely. By this time Josh has made it to the scene of the accident and gathers up the escapees. He watches to see which floor the elevator makes its stop and plans to try to find the grocer-in-distress. He punches the “UP” button and waits for the elevator’s return. The doors open and Josh starts to step in and select the appropriate floor. He stops instantly in his tracks to avoid a collision with the brunette grocer-in-distress who also stops suddenly losing another can from her mutilated bag she still holds in her hand. Josh leans against the opening to the elevator to keep the door from closing, again. He stops the latest escapee from leaving the elevator with his right foot. “ Hi, I’m Josh Crockett,” Josh introduces himself to the two soft green eyes sheepishly peering over the bags she clutches in her arms. “Looks like you could use some help,” Josh states as he maneuvers the mutilated bag out of her arms and steadies the other two bags. The two strangers wrestle around with the bags until the bags are secured. Josh holds two of the bags and a few can goods. Grocer-in-distress holds one bag. She places her bag on the floor, punches the “Open Door” button and picks up the can by Josh’s foot. She then takes the intact bag from Josh and places it on the elevator floor dropping the loose can in it. Josh hands her the loose cans he has in his possession and Green Eyes drops them in a bag. She returns to take the mutilated bag from Josh who shakes his head as she reaches for it. “If I try to hand you this bag, we’ll have another mess to clean up,” Josh argues. “Why don’t I carry it to your apartment for you?” “I’m a little uncomfortable with that,” Rain-soaked neighbor replies. “I don’t know you and I don’t remember seeing you around here.” “I just moved in tonight,” Josh tells her. “And you know more about me than I know about you. You know my name.” “I know you gave me your name, but I was too embarrassed to catch it,” Grocer-in-distress answers. “Josh Crockett,” Josh repeats. “Josh Crockett, that is still my name.” “Marcy,” Marcy asserts cautiously. “Thank you, Marcy,” Josh hands her the mutilated bag which she gathers in awkwardly. “Please don’t be offended,” Marcy apologizes. “You have been very helpful, but….” “I think I understand, Marcy,” Josh states as he backs out of the elevator doorway. Marcy pokes the “Close Door” button and the elevator door slowly closes. Her eyes look guilt-ridden or at least that’s how they appeared to Josh. “Have a very pleasant evening, Marcy,” Josh shouts at the ascending elevator. He stops and stares at it awhile and returns to his apartment. As Josh thinks back on this past event, the concept of groceries painfully reminds him of his empty refrigerator. He whirls around and decides to visit the nearest grocery store. His head is a buzz of questions with unpromisingly vague answers. Now, how do I get to the Jeep? Which way do I go to the nearest grocery? I know I saw groceries along Marshall, but how far and which direction? He soon remembers the way to the parking garage, finds the Jeep and heads toward Marshall. Figuring that it really doesn’t matter in which direction he goes, he is bound to find a grocery. Josh takes the first exit that asserts “Marshall.” He is soon on Marshall and before long bright lights illuminate an acceptable destination into the parking lot of a supermarket. Josh pulls into the closest space he can to the entrance of the store. Once inside, things begin to complicate. Josh has no menu in mind and no familiarity with this store. He quickly improvises a grocery list in his head as he passes many things appealing. This also solves the problem of where to go, since Josh decides to go all over the store. This expedition consumes several minutes, but eventually Josh finds himself at the register, credit carding it and heading to his Jeep armed with delectable trophies of his hunt. Like all good explorers, Josh committed landmarks to memory on the trip to the store using them to return to River Bend Apartments. It seems awkward to Josh that he has become a stranger in his hometown. Back at his apartment with the rain steadily and rhythmically tapping the window, Josh stocks his refrigerator and finally prepares for bed. At the advice of his mother, Josh remembers to bring bedding. He makes the bed quickly and then stands back to admire it. “This may well be the only time this bed is made for the duration of his stay,” he thinks to himself. With the bed made, Josh finds the clock radio he brought with him. He plugs it into the socket near the nightstand standing sentinel beside the bed. He then searches for a radio station that would be suitable for awaking him. He somehow remembers the call numbers for his favorite station as a teen. It no longer plays the type of music he listened to those twenty years ago. He travels up and down the dial until he finds suitable tunes and then begins to set the clock and the alarm. Setting it for 12:25 like his watch claims, he realizes Indiana is one hour less than Florida and moves the hands back to 11:25. The radio is set to 81.2. The time is set for 11:25. The alarm is set for 5:30. Josh crawls into bed, closes his eyes and listens to the rain that now has become a soft, gentle summer rain whispering Josh into a deep, peaceful sleep.