Kris was on a mission. It hadn't been that long ago that she was lost and alone, wandering aimlessly, while suffering from amnesia. It had been a rough time and she had found out that the world was full of people who had no problem preying on the weak. Of course, this wasn't something she didn't already know from being first a police officer and now a private detective. It was different, though, when she was the one who was weak and vulnerable.
But on the flip side, there were also people who would go out of their way to help, even when their own circumstances weren't the best. Case in point, Jimmy, the old man who lived on the beach, who she had spent some time with. He had been so kind to her.
That was the mission she was on now. She wanted to find him. It wouldn't be easy, since the beach was a huge place and she had only the vaguest idea where she had met him. He might not even still be there, but she had to try.
She thought she might be headed in the right direction, but after walking for what seemed a long time, she turned around and headed in the opposite direction. It was probably a waste of time. Perhaps she should have let the girls and Bosley in on her plans. After all, they had met him too, only with clearer heads while they had been frantically searching for her. But Kris felt she had to find Jimmy alone.
It wasn't looking good. Well, she'd give it a bit more time and then she would go to her car and phone the others. They might be able to help.
But just as she was about to give up, she saw the tent.
"Jimmy, Jimmy."
The old man looked up. "Kris? You came back?"
"Of course I did. We're friends, aren't we?"
"That's what you said but…."
Yeah, why should he have ever thought she'd ever come back? It wasn't like his life had taught him to see the good and have faith in people. "I know you probably didn't think I'd ever come back."
He looked at his feet. "Yeah."
"I understand. But I have. I had to."
"Why?" He was looking at her now.
"Because we're friends. You helped me out when I needed a friend and now I want to do the same for you."
He shook his head. "You talking about A.A. and all that junk or something?"
"Something like that, yes." She was kind of surprised he'd gotten her idea.
"No way. Forget it. I'm fine the way I am."
"But you could be better off."
He smiled at her. "Maybe I could be in the standards of the world. But not mine."
Kris frowned. "I don't think I'm following you."
Now he laughed. "O.K. I'll try to explain. Maybe alcohol got me here. All right, no maybe about it; it did. But it's not so bad of a life. It's warm here and I've got freedom to do what I want to do. Nobody really bothers me because to them, I got nothing they want. I make enough redeeming bottles and cans to eat and even get my booze. I did enough of what you think of as normal living in my life. I don't want to do it anymore. Now do you see?"
"I don't know. You're really happy living like this?"
"Yep."
"But your family? Don't you have one?"
Jimmy laughed. "They wrote me off a long time ago. I have no desire to see them again and they don't want to see me either. It works out well."
"Well, all right." Kris could see that there was nothing she could say that would change his mind. But she could still be his friend and she was. "I won't stop coming around. I could bring you some food and things."
Jimmy smiled. "If you want. I won't stop you. But I really only care if you keep coming around. Will you really?"
Kris smiled. "Yes, I will." She meant it, too. "But I've go to go now. I'll see you around, though."
"I'll be here."
Yes, she was sure he would be.
The End.
