Big Sur, California. Highway 80..
Big Sur, California. Highway 80
A Chapter by Coyote Poetry
Chapter two 
Big Sur, California.
Chapter two. Highway 80
I was surrounded by four beautiful Iowa girls and I was glad I picked Iowa city for New Year eve. Alana introduced Debbie, she had red hair and blue eyes, she reached out her hand. I took her hand and I told her my name is John. Alana introduced Diana, long free flowing brown hair and coffee brown eyes . She reached out her hand and she asked me. Thank you for your service and why are you alone on New Year eve, soldier? This is too sad. I smiled and I held her hand. I told her, longest and saddest story needing to be forgotten. The Army gave me 45 days leave and I am going to Fort Ord, California, sign in date, January five. I decided I needed six days to get to Fort Ord. I picked five cities to visit and I am blessed to be here with you. I released her hand and she smiled. Donna came forward and she hugged me. She told me. I am glad you are with us to celebrate the New Year with new friends. I looked at the four girls and I asked. I hope you invited some friends. One soldiers can’t make four ladies happy on New Year eve.
Diane with a wicked smile. You are wise dear soldier. Three young men will be here soon but one of us need a dance pardner and I hope you don’t mine being Alana date tonight? It was 10.30 pm and Charley announced from the stage. In fifteen, time for some dancing and Happy New Year Iowa city. Bob came to us. He gave us some hats and some glasses for the midnight toast. I asked the ladies, what do you need to drink? I liked these girls, they ordered whiskey and a beer. I loved the mid American girls. Strong, educated and love to have fun. I looked at Alana and I told her. Would be my honor to have you as my dance pardner. She laughed at me and she told Donna. Like he had choice. Here is Iowa city, us women control the world. The four women laughed and three young men came toward us. I stood-up and Alana introduced Stan and I shook his hand. He was tall, wore glasses and he looked smart. He told me. Glad to meet you and Happy New year. Here in Iowa city. We like the good songs and we have the prettiest girls in the USA. I told him, I agree and thank you for allowing me to join your New Year night with you. Our pleasure new friend. He yelled at Bob. Keep the whiskey coming and ensure the band had some drinks. Bob gave him the finger, smiled and he said okay. I liked Stan already. Alana introduced Paul. He was a big boy. Long hair and laughing blue eyes. He took my hand and he told me. Tonight we raise hell and don’t worry about tomorrow. A new Year, war over and good song and pretty women. This is enough. I told him. You are right my new friend. I liked him too. He was a wild man. Alana introduced Steve. Blond hair and calm face. He shook my hand and he told me. My brother is active at Fort Hood, Texas. I am glad you are with us. I hope my brother is having some fun in Texas. I told him. Is is marry or single? He told me. He is single. I told him, Austin, Texas, best party in the USA. I believe your brother is doing well. He smiled and he said. I hope so. The whiskey and the beer was brought to them by Bob.
Donna joined Stan, Debbie joined Paul and Diane joined Steve. Alana sat next to me, she hugged me and she took my hand and she asked. Are you having some fun? I told her. Thank you Alana for allowing me to be with you on New Year eve. I am having a lot of fun. Stan raised up the whiskey to the sky and we followed his example. He toast to new friends, whiskey, pretty women and more beer. We all agreed and touched glasses. The music started and everybody at the table roamed to the dance floor. Charley broke into a song. He told the people in the bar. We have a returning soldier and he loved Hank. This song is for him. “Family tradition”. I asked Alana, ready to dance with a Michigan boy? She smiled and she asked. Are Michigan boys dangerous? I told her, no warrants for my arrest today and I am only dangerous to whiskey bottles. She smiled and she whispered. Okay, maybe I will be okay and let’s talk less and dance more.
We went to dance floor and she held me close on the dance floor. She was a mid-west gal, brave, tough and wasn’t afraid of life. I asked her. Where is your date Alana? She told me. I don’t have one. One child, divorced and didn’t want a date. But your sorry and lonely face made me feel less sad and I decided. Tonight I would have some fun. I kissed her neck and I told her. Thank you kind lady for being with loneliness man in Iowa city. I liked her. Her eyes held sadness and she was trying to be okay. She laughed and she whispered. Maybe I was the loneliness gal in Iowa city. I told her, not tonight. You have good friends near, a brave soldiers and the Irish whiskey is strong. The song is wonderful and tonight. We can begin a new year with some laughter and some joy. She put her head into my chest and she looked-up. She whispered, you make me laugh, I haven’t laugh in a while. We went back to the table, drank more whiskey. I argue with Paul about college football. In the end he was right. Michigan college football team couldn’t win a bowl game. Our table was loud and I felt good to be with new friends welcoming the New Year. I liked talking to Diane. She asked me many questions. Her eyes were wild and untamed. She told me, I am going to the University to be a doctor. I want to save life, not take life. She asked me. Why, a soldier. I see in your face. Kindness. I told her. I have a thousand reasons to be who I am now. Dead brothers, bad decisions and lousy choices in woman. We become who we suppose to be. Her eyes turn sad and she told me. If you seek death, death will find you. I told her, death didn’t want me and I am glad to have met you, Diana. She laughed and she told Bob. More whiskey and where is the champagne Bobbie? Almost 12 pm.
At 11.55 pm Steve toasts to more whiskey, more vacations and less assholes. We touched glasses and Charley announced. Slow song a-coming. Drink your drink and get dancing. I asked Alana. Can I have the dance after the the midnight hour pretty lady? She smiled and she said. Of course. At Midnight, everyone in the bar, including the band and Bob. We drank to the New Year. Everyone kissed and I saw the eyes of Alana, sadness. I reached over to give her, a small kiss and she pulled me close and she gave me a warm and sweet kiss. I told her thank you and she whispered. Thank you for befriended me.
We danced to the first song of the New Year and her body rested against me. I told her, I am glad to have you as company and maybe we can write, if you want. I will write of my great California adventures. She kissed me and she told me. I would like this. She kissed me and we held silence.
Big Sur, California. Highway 80
Third chapter.
The music was loud and me and Alana drank less and danced more. The other three couples were cuddling and kissing on the dance floor. She watched my eyes and she asked. Are you alright? I know people and some people are liars. You never know what they were thinking. You face hide nothing and I see kindness in your eyes. How did you end-up in the Army? And so lucky, the California coastline as the ending for you? I told her. Like you, I tasted the bad days and the bad people. Sometime we are taught lessons to make us smarter and we can know, what we need. I got lucky and the Army taught me, life was better than death. Maybe I am not right yet, maybe all of us are a bit crazy? She smiled, kissed me and she brought me close. We hear Bob announced. 2 am and you must go home or anywhere you are welcomed. Charley played the last song. A Willie Nelson song “The first rose of Spring”. After the last song, Charley told everyone. Thank you for showing-up and Happy New year to everyone, see you guys soon. I went to pay the bill for the table. Grand total for many whiskeys and many beers was eighty dollars and I told him. This is too low Bob. He smiled and laughed at me. He came around the bar and he told me. Here in Iowa city, we lost many to war and we appreciate the soldiers. We appreciate laughter and a good time. I own the bar and this is the total my new friend, no more or no less. Now remember, you must visit Iowa city when you are near. You are a Iowa city son now. He reached out his arms and I took his hand. He held my hand a second and he told me. Live your life, allow the past to make you appreciate today. I thank him and I handed him hundred dollar bill and I told him. I will see you soon Charley and thank you for the kindness.
I went back to the tables. The seven kids will adding up their money and making the decision how to pay. I heard Hank say, this will cost us a bundle. Diane told them. We have enough guys, it was New Year eve. We had a lot of fun. I interrupted them and I told them. I paid the bill my new friends. They looked annoyed and Steve told me. That wasn’t fair, you were our guess. I told them, I spend one year on the Iraq border, saved 20,000 dollars and you made me very content. I met a beautiful Iowa city girl and danced with her, welcoming the New Year with a kiss. I met kind people and I always remember this night. Donna rose-up and she came to me. Gave me a quick kiss and she told the group. I arranged a room with coffee and some breakfast. No-one leaving till the alcohol is polluted by the Holiday Inn strong coffee and some food.
Stan invited Charley and the band for the coffee and the breakfast. They told him. Their wives and kids are waiting for them and thank you all. We herded to the free room. Debbie and Diane pushed me into a chair. Both sat on my lap. Debbie gave me a quick kiss and Diane gave me a long kiss. I told her, I may fall in love. She laughed and both girls got-up and ran back to their boyfriends. Diane smiled wickedly and she the group. Now the writer can say he kissed four girls in one night in Iowa city. Everybody laughed and Alana sat on my lap. She laid her head into my neck and she whispered. I must leave a 4 am. The babysitter need to go home. I asked Diane, why do you believe I am a writer? She looked honest and she told me. The journal and pen, always a give away my new friend. A pretty lady came in with the coffee and the breakfast. Stan announced to us. Our new friend Johnnie will give us his address in California and on our Spring break or Summer break. We will visit, we have been planning a California trip since elementary school. All of them agree. The pretty lady who brought the food in, she came to me. She told me. My name is Helen, night manager and watch dogs of my college kids. Paul looked at me. Helen, like a stepsister I never had. Now Alana was the smartest of us and she is already a nurse and we are career college students. Helen reached-out her hand and I took it. She pulled me forward and she kissed my forehead, face-cheeked and tender kiss on my lip. She whispered. Don’t be war hero, they become forgotten and remembered by few.
We small talks about everything, drank the coffee and we ate the food. Helen left and she came back with some paper and pencil. I wrote down my address down eight times and each one, wrote down their address. Stan smiled and he told me. We don’t expect letters, just postcards from every place your see. I told them, I will my new friends. It was almost 4 am and I said goodbye to my new friends. I walked Alana to her car. I thanks her and I told her. Can I call you? She had a look of a questions on her pretty face and she whispered. Why Johnnie? I smiled and I told her. I like you a lot, befriended you would make me very happy. Always nice to have friend in strange places. She went into her purse and she wrote on a photo of her and her child, her phone number. A beautiful baby girl. I told her. You have a beautiful child and thank you for being kind to me. She hugged me tightly and she whispered. Please be safe dear soldier. She kissed me sweetly and she escaped to her car. I watched her drive away and I told myself. That is a girl I could love forever.
I went to the Desk and Helen appeared from the backroom. She smiled and she told me. I am glad you appeared. You were a angel, dear Alana needed to enjoy the New Year eve. I told her. You, the kids and Alana. I truly appreciate. She smiled and she whispered. Was our pleasure and what do you need John? I need a 10 am wake-up call. I need to do the heavy driving with the sun in the east. The western sun in the evening, blind me. She smiled and she told me. 10 am call soldier and please drive safety and I look forward to some post cards. I smiled and I told her. I will do my kind friend.
I arrived at my room, very tire and a little drunk. My goal tomorrow, Lincoln. I read about Lincoln, old city with great history. I wanted to arrived early to do some light roaming of the city and test the famous bars and music. I thought of Jennifer. Her far-away voice made me sad for a second. I knew I attracted the crazy women only, the odd people. I thought of Alana and how she made me felt. She made me feel safe and warm. I remember Diane and her wildness in those dangerous eyes. She was a wild one. The four men, kind and generous to a stranger and I knew I was blessed tonight in the city of Iowa city. I liked Donna and I hope her brother returned home safe and sound. I fell asleep dreaming of Alana and the phone awoke me at 10 am. No voice, just a silence.
I took a long shower and packed my bags, put the eight addresses into my journal. I was sad to leave Iowa city. I knew I would return again. Iowa city and her kind people had stole my heart. I left my room, I didn’t eat and I drank two cups of coffee in the lobby. I paid my bill and the clerk, a young man. Handed me a letter. I put the letter in my pocket and I went to my truck. I put on some Jim Morrison song. “L.A woman” blasted on the radio and I jumped on Highway 80 west with the sun at my back.
Dancing Coyote