Spiral sat on the bank above the creek crashing down thru the foothills west of Boulder. The white water roared as it smashed against the smooth boulders before rushing over a cliff and falling into the cold, shaded pool 30 feet below. It was a dusty, hot June afternoon and she wished she could dive in and cool off. The Joker slid down the rocky bank next to her and suggested they build their log cabin on a earthy patch of high ground overlooking the water fall. The abundant flat stones would make them a strong foundation and a grand fireplace that would keep them warm all winter. They were homeless and jobless and the idea seemed quite attractive to them at the moment.
Above them swarms of mountain climbers worked their way over the steep cliffs- their grunts and calls echoing thruout the valley. They had appeared around sunrise and seemed compulsively driven to climb the cliffs to the top before lunch. Athletic and pretty, tan and healthy, they were most at home outdoors dressed in their flourescent spandex. Instead of cars they rode bikes, drank Celestial tea instead of soda and smoked herbs instead of cigarettes. Spiral had already been the receipient of their dirty looks while she sat by the creek smoking southern tobacco
She'd been here before. Years ago she came to know the people in a way few could- by working in their psychiatric hospitals. She came to know the troubled youth of Boulder, Aurora, Littleton and Golden while working the nite shift. When they woke from their nitemares she comforted them and helped them find reasons to face their demons and go on. There were a lot of skeletons hidden in the fancy homes of suburban Denver and she knew it was only a matter of time before the closet doors opened wide for all to see. But they were wonderful kids and she had hoped the Joker might have the pleasure of knowing them too.
They had left Milford, Ct just before Memorial Day, the pos mazda loaded down to follow centuries of pioners thru the Appalachans, across the wooded plains of the old Northwest Territories before crossing the mighty Mississippi and wild Missouri Rivers. Then they would follow the Oregon Trail along the silty Platte River to the foothills of the Rocky Mountains.
It was sad to leave the old beach house where they had such fond memories. There was Spiral's first dinner party in March given in honor of the Joker's birthday and attended by folks from his unit at Bridgport General. Spiral had made a turkey and everyone ended up in the kitchen sitting around the great table laughing and telling stories. One guest, a little misshappen troll, had an orgasm on the beach while speaking with God and then came in threatening an exercism to expel Anna the Ghost. But everyone else had a great time and talked about the party for weeks afterwords.
Spiral and the Joker had become patrons at a little bistro just around the corner and dined their regularly and on special occasions. For the Joker's birthday Spiral had the waiter bring a candle-lit cake and for their aniversary they danced to a hot jazz quintet before walking home for a romantic stroll on the beach
As the weather turned warm they celebrated their first year of travel by selling off Spiral's potted herb collection. Over the course of two days just about everything went, with some people coming back 2 or 3 times and bringing friends with them. The Joker proved to be a shrewed and energetic salesman except for letting Spiral's prized aloe plant go too cheaply to a rich family that could have paid three times the price. But she had to admit that they came back with friends and bought several dozen more plants. Spiral and the Joker ended up with $800 cash after the 2 day sale- this money was paying for the trip.
The people from work came by the nite before they left and had a going away party. Big Jim Brown (everyone knows Jim Brown) and the others drank and chatted in front of the roaring fire before saying good nite. Everyone noticed how bare the house looked packed up when compared to the showcase Spiral had created. Tearful good-bys were made and the two settled down for their last nite in the old beach house.
They left early the next morning heading west on I-80 across Pennsylvania and late the next afternoon they crossed the Missouri River into Omaha. It was the Joker's hometown and the first time he had been back since they got married. He had often spoken of his life there and was excited to be back.
Omaha was a sleepy little city of almost 500,000 people- counting its suburbs, a small frontier town that grew quietly into a center of culture and commerce on the edge of the great northern prairie. Nestled on a high plateau among the steep, tree covered bluffs that lined both sides of the river, it was and still is the jumping off point for those about to make the long trek over the Rocky Mountains to the Pacific Coast. Beyond the Elkhorn River, some 25 miles to the west, the trees ended and 700 miles of rolling grassland began.
The Joker crossed over the Missouri via the downtown bridge. Excitedly, he pointed out the places he had spoken of so many times until they had traveled the length of the city, ending up in a western suburb where they stopped over at his best friend's new house.
Spiral had hoped the two men could spend a few days talking about how their lives had changed since the two were young rock-and-rollers running the streets. But adult responsibilities interviened and the time to move on came too quick. Soon they were packed up and speeding west along I-80 towards Denver.
They drove late into the sunset and spent the nite in a clean little motel out on the prairie. Early the next morning they headed on into Denver. The morning air was hot and dry. It had been years since Spiral had expeirenced the high altitude dryness of the mile- high-city. The cloudless day was going to be a scorcher.
With the Rockies towering above them they skirtted downtown Denver and headed directly to the apartment their new agency had picked out for them. The Joker had stayed on with MRA even after that agency had merged with Cross Country. Despite a few ripples durng the merger the new organization had been good. But after 4 consecutive contracts he wanted to try out a new agency. Medical Express had made him a good offer in Denver and he accepted. But the new apartment was nothing like the housing coordinator had promised.
It was a tiny litle apartment in a crowded mega-complex next to a big shopping mall. An old unit inside and out, it had a single small window A/C struggling to pump cool air into the swealtering 2d floor apartment. Despite strong reservations about spending the hot summer in such a place they figured it was only for 3 months and they could head out to the west coast that fall. Just as they were about to sign the lease the complex manager told them she needed a $600 deposit payable at signing.
"Can I use your phone?" the Joker asked, putting down the pen carefully.
He called his recruiter at Medical Express.
"Oh, well we never pay deposits for travellers," she told him.
"You never told me there was a deposit."
"Oh, well if there is a deposit the traveler has to pay it."
"You never told me there was a deposit," he repeated.
"Oh, well we never pay deposits for travelers and if there is one they have to pay it"
"I don't have $600."
"Oh, well it's the traveler's responsibility to have enough money to cover deposits."
The Joker took a deep breath. "Can you loan me the money and take it out of my first paycheck?"
"Oh, well we never pay for deposits."
"I'M NOT ASKING... I'm not asking you to pay it just loan me the money for two weeks"
"Oh, well we don't loan money to travelers"
"OK OK, what about the A/C?- you said it was central- it's not."
"Oh, well where is it?"
"What?"
"The A/C."
"It's in the living room."
"Oh well that's in the center."
"You're kidding."
She paused.
"What?"
"Central a/c does't mean that the a/c is centrally located." He took another deep breath and exhaled slowly. "Central air- it's a unit outside the apartment that cools all rooms equally."
"Oh, well you really won't need A/C here."
"Really?"
"Oh, well no its a dry heat here. Most people don't find it hot."
"Dry heat?"
"Oh, well yes, most people don't have A/C in Denver. You probably won't find any apartments with A/C."
The Joker hung up. She didn't sound this way 2 weeks ago.
"We're in big trouble."
They drove over to the next apartment complex. Just out of couriousity, he pulled up and went inside. The manager greeted them warmly and listened to their story. She showed them a wonderful 1 bedrom with a den. They'd also work out the deposit over a few weeks. And it was cheaper by $150 than the one Medical Express found.
"It has central," she assured them. "Most modern apartments in Denver have central air".
The Joker called his recruiter.
"Good news," he told her. "We found a great place!"
"Oh well, have you got your Colorado nursing license yet?"
"Ah, no not yet."
"Oh, well you need to get your license." She was starting to sound shrill. "You can't work without a license!"
"Oh, well you need to arrange the rent on this apartment I found for us."
"Oh, well, we have to call the police now."
"The police?"
"Oh, well we want a crime print-out on the complex. We can't put you some place unsafe"
"I foud the place- I'm telling you it's safe!"
"Oh, well we still need a print-out"
"How long will that take?"
"Oh, well about a week."
"You brought us 1500 miles across the country and you're willing to leave us homeless in a strange city and you're talking about our safty?"
"Oh, well we have responsibilities to our travelers. Besides, we found you a place and you refused it"
"I DIDN'T REFUSE IT! I couldn't afford it because you didn't tell me about the deposit."
"Oh, well we never pay ..."
"Where should we stay til then?"
"Oh, well you could get a motel."
"Will you pay for it?"
"Oh, well we never pay for motels except in emergencies."
"This is an emergency!"
"No Sir, we found you an apartment and you refused it."
The Joker was starting to get angry.
"Let me speak to your supervisor"
"Oh, well she won't be in til Monday. Just go get your license and report to work Monday morning or you'll violate the contract!"
"Oh, well you're an idiot!"
The Joker hung up on her. Spiral watched him take a couple of deep breaths.
"Well," he said, still looking at the payphone. "We're unemployed and homeless"
He cursed the recruiter quietly under his breath, turned and smiled at her, eyebrows raised.
"I'll follow you anywhere, Joker." she said and kissed him.
That nite they met some young friends of Spiral's at a coffee shop just outside of the Motel 6 where they had rented a room. A couple of wealthy kids, barely adults, they were having an argument about the future of their relationship. Spiral thought they hadn't changed much since she last saw them as troubled teens but it was the Joker who concerned her. While the two kids were arguing he had become quiet. Later, back in their hotel room she asked him about it.
"They don't have a clue, do they?" He looked sad.
"Joker, for all their wealth, these are very lost kids. You do what you can and hope for the best."
"Makes you miss the gansta punks and street kids." He smiled.
"Yeah."
"I love you"
She smiled. "I love you too, Joker"
The next morning they headed up to Boulder.
Boulder had grown over the last 100 years from a cluster of crude mining cabins to a sleepy collage town to the leading scientific and research center in the Rocky Mountain States. The Joker drove the pos mazda thru the clean streets of the city past the University of Colorado and busy downtown pedistrian mall straight thru to the foothills west of the city. They were gooing to spend the weekend here before heading back east. But she knew he had a need to see what was beyond first and she watched the city fall below them has they drove up the side of a mounntain. When the pos Mazda overheated from the altitude and 98 degree temperature he pulled over.
Across the hi-way the mountain stream tumbled down to the plains stretched out to the east. It would be a nice place to settle, she thought- winters were ruff at this altitude but it was beautiful. She was feeling stronger than she had been in months and hoped her health would hold. She knew the Joker would always be there for her and took much comfort in that but her health was still uncertain. No, despite the beauty she didn't want to stay here. There was still so much country to see.
The Joker looked at the sun and stood up. Helping Spiral to her feet he kissed her. Together they climbed back up the embankment where the pos mazda waited. Behind her the mountain stream sang a happy song.
She never looked back.
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