CHAPTER FOUR
They start walking and head for the lake, following the shoreline. The ground was pretty level here, and the walking was easy. Whenever he thought of hiking, which wasn't often, he always thought of mountains to climb, or at least hills. This was actually nice. Warm sun, cool breeze, fluffy white clouds, who could ask for more? Next thing he knew, he was flat on the ground, with all the air knocked out of him. He added stars to the view now too.
"Joe! Are you OK? Joe! Can you hear me?:" Bill is all concerned. "What happened, Joe?"
He pushes himself up into a sitting position, and tries to get his breath. He nods his head to Bill, indicating he was Ok.
"What happened, Joe? Did you trip on something?"
He looks at Bill thinking, no, I just decided to lay down for a minute.
"Yeah, I must have." His breathing was getting easier now.
"Didn't you see anything in the way?"
"No, I was looking at the clouds. Didn't see a thing."
"Well Joe, you're supposed to watch your feet, not the clouds. I think I see an exposed tree root, that must be what got you. You going to be OK? Want to go back to camp?"
"No, just give me a minute, I'll be fine." He stands up carefully, nothing seems to be injured but his pride. And that's OK, he doesn't have much of that left anyway. He brushes off the loose sand from his clothes, and opening his canteen takes a drink.
"Ok, I'm ready. Let's go."
They head off again, this time Joe watching his feet, not with his head in the clouds. They walk up a hill and away from the lake. The view from the top was great, the lake was spread out at their feet. They go on for about half an hour. It really was a nice day, but was starting to warm up some.
"Want to head back now? I'm beginning to get hungry, how about you? A sandwich and a cold beer. Sound good?" Joe catches Bill's enthusiasm and
replies,
"Sounds great, Bill, especially that beer. It is hot out here."
They turn and head back the way they just came. Arriving at the campsite they get the cooler out and some paper plates. Bill opens two beers and hands one to Joe. Nice and cold! Really refreshing.
"What you got in there, something good, I hope." Joe peeks over the lid, but can't identify anything. Of course if Bill packed this, maybe it's better left unidentified.
"Looks like a couple garlic nut butters, you want one, Joe?" Says Bill offering him one.
"What else you got in there, Bill?" Desperately hoping there is something else.
"Well let me see, there is a salami with pepper cheese, pickles and onions."
Except that.
"Wait Joe, there is another bag in here, it's got your name on it." He hands it to Joe, who takes it very cautiously, holding it like he's afraid it contains live bait, which wouldn't totally surprise him. He slowly opens the bag and dares to peek inside. There he finds a note from Eileen, with just the word "enjoy" written on it, a little heart drawn next to it, together with three sandwiches, a roast beef, a ham and a turkey. He looks at Bill with a big grin on his face.
"I think I'm in love!" he tells him.
"With what, your lunch?" asks Bill.
"No, with your wife!"
"Well, that's something a guy always wants to hear from his best friend and partner. What brought on this sudden crush?"
"Roast beef, ham and turkey, that's what! You better watch it, I just may steal her from you." He chooses the roast beef and settles down to eat it.
"You know, Joe, you made me promise not to talk about women this trip, shouldn't that include you not lusting after mine?"
"Sorry Bill, I'll try to control it. Besides, she started it. Now let me enjoy my lunch from my girl." He takes the note from the bag, folds it in half, kisses it and puts it in his pocket.
Bill just shakes his head and laughs.
After lunch they just sit and relax for a while. No wonder Bill likes this so much, it's so quiet. Joe can't remember the last time he experienced anything like this. Nothing in LA compares. Even in the middle of the night, there is always some noise. Closing his eyes and listening, he can even hear the leaves rustling from the breeze. The warmth of the sun, the good lunch and nature sounds lull him into a totally relaxed state, and he drifts off to sleep. Bill is dozing too.
After a while Joe becomes aware of sounds other than nature. Someone or something is rummaging through the contents of the car. At least he hopes it is someone, and not a bear. Bill says they would be lucky to see one, but Joe is content to be unlucky. He listens, still not sure. Instinctively he reaches to check that his gun is ready should he need it, then remembers it's at home. Looking at the car he can see someone in there going through the contents. He turns to wake Bill, but he's not there. He gets up and carefully walks to the car. That is definitely Bill's rear end sticking out. Guess it was a good idea to leave the gun at home. He can see the headlines now: 'Sergeant shoots partner in a dispute over wife and sandwich.'
"What you doing now, Bill? I thought you were a bear in there." He walks over to the car and peers into the back where Bill is.
"Just digging out the fishing gear. Here, take this will you?"
"Sure, what is it? Looks like a tackle box."
"That's because it is a tackle box, Joe. Set it on the picnic table." He reaches back into the car and pulls out a hat that he places on his head. Joe is looking him over.
"That's some hat you got there, where did you find that?"
"I didn't find it Joe, I inherited it. It belonged to my Dad and he gave it to me. It's our 'lucky' hat. He always wore it for fishing, and now I do too." The hat was just an old fishing hat, made from canvas. The entire surface was covered with all kinds of fishing lures, most of them a bit rusty.
"Does it bring you any luck?" Joe asks.
"No, not really I guess, but it brings back a lot of good memories" says Bill.
"That sounds better than luck, Bill. You're lucky to have the hat, and the memories."
Bill smiles and nods at Joe's comment. He knows that Joe doesn't have those memories. He's hoping this weekend will a least give him some good ones to remember.
"When are we going to go fishing?" asks Joe while looking into the tackle box. He's seen tackle before but nothing quite like this assortment.
"About six, Joe. We can take the canoe down by the lake so it will be ready when we want it."
"Why wait till then? Couldn't we go now? It's only one thirty."
"It's too hot right now Joe, the fish are in deep water. It will be cooler then and they'll bite better. Come on, let's take the canoe down to the lake."
After untying and removing the canoe from the top of the car, they each take a side and walk to the beach. Joe is surprised at how light it is, and easy to carry.
"We'll leave the paddles and the tackle in the campsite until we're ready to fish," Bill tells Joe.
They set the canoe near the waters edge, but not in the water.
"We don't want it to float away, Joe" he says.
"Good idea. We'd have to swim out after it."
"Can you swim?" Bill asks him.
"Well, sure, you don't grow up in LA with the ocean at your front door, and not know how to swim. I used to go to the beach a lot, when I was younger. Then as I got older, I started going less. Concentrated more on the job, never found the time, you know how it is."
"Yeah, we kept going more because of the kids. Eileen grew up in Minnesota, land of 10,000 lakes. So she liked swimming too, though she never did like the ocean. That's why we did more like this, at a lake."
"I've never been in a lake." Joe said. "Being in a canoe will be a first for me, too"
I just hope that I won't do both at the same time, he thinks. He still has that vision of him dumped in the lake, in his mind.
It was hot in the sun, even by the water. A little to the right where they left the canoe, was a huge oak tree, it's branches hanging over and just barely brushing the top of the water.
"That will be a good spot later to try for bass," Bill points out.
Joe sit's down on a large rock near the water, partly shaded by the tree. It's cooler there, but he still feels warm. He decides to remove his boots and socks, and enjoys the cool sand against his skin. Noticing this, Bill decides to do the same. He walks over to the water and wades in a ways.
"This feels good, Joe, come on."
Joe walks over and wades in a little too. It feels really nice, especially after wearing the heavier boots he is not used to.
"Want to go for a swim, Joe?" Bill asks with a mischievous grin on his face.
"Yeah, that sounds good, but I never thought to bring a suit. Did you?"
"Sure I did Joe, the same one you did."
"But, I told you, I didn't bring one."
Bill went back on shore, already pulling his T-shirt over his head, then undoing his jeans.
"You got your suit on under your clothes?" Joe asks, watching him undress.
"Yep! And so do you, Joe! Your birthday suit! You brought that, didn't you?"
Joe looks at Bill with astonishment as he finishes removing jeans and boxers. He gives them a toss, and runs into the water. Joe just stands there, nonplused, not believing his eyes.
"Bill! What in the hell are you doing? What if someone see's you?"
Bill stands in water up to his chest, shaking it from his eyes.
"How many people have we seen today so far, Joe"
"Well, none, but still…"
"OK, even if we double that number, that's still 0, right?
"Yeah, but….
"Joe.."
"Yeah?"
"Forget those 'buts' and get your butt in the water! Come on, it's nice in here, it will cool you right down."
Joe hesitates, he doesn't do this kind of thing! Of course not many people do strip naked in downtown LA, well maybe some do, but he's not one of them. There's that 'but' again. The water sure looks cool and inviting.
"Are you coming or not Joe? Or do I have to come drag you in?"
Joe looks around again, still see's no sign of life, wild or otherwise, oh what the hell, he thinks, what's the harm. Off comes the T-shirt, jeans and boxers, tossing them over by Bill's, he make a run into the lake and jumps in.
The shock of the cold water takes his breath away.
"I th-thought you s-ssaid it was n-n-nice in here" He says to Bill, his teeth chattering so hard he's afraid he'll bite his tongue.
"Just give it a minute, you'll be fine" Bill can't help but laugh at Joe. Actually he's surprised. Old 'stone face' doesn't usually throw caution to the wind, much less his underwear! This is a side not usually seen of Joe. He's got to give him credit, he's being a real sport this weekend.