Karen

What kind of fools us mortals be

To be given eyes but do not see

To know that time is surely spent

Then always wonder where it went

We spend our life in hopes and fears

Then look back with regret and tears

So take today for what it’s worth

For tomorrow is someone else’s birth

~ Gemini Joe ~

iane said I could stay with her and her husband until I could find an apartment. They set up a room for me in the basement. At first, it was great. I had home cooked meals and I was back on Long Island. It would have been fine except her kids had too much energy. They were always jumping around and making me nervous.

It was nice of Diane to take me in, but the house was so noisy. To get away from the racket, I went to the bar.

I knew everyone there in Lake Ronkonkoma. That’s where I met Karen. She was ten years younger than I was, but I enjoyed flirting with her. I wasn’t bad looking for my age back then. Karen had blue eyes that lit up whenever I came in, and said that I made her laugh with my corny jokes. She was a good dancer and we entertained the patrons on the dance floor.

One night, I came home very late. Everyone was sleeping so I tried to be quiet. I didn’t turn on the light at the top of the stairs going to the basement and I fell down the whole flight. Boy did that hurt, but I didn’t really feel it until the next morning. I had a bad headache.

Diane told me things weren’t working out and that I had to leave. Now I was in trouble. I had nowhere to go, but I packed my stuff in the back of my truck and left. I needed a drink so I stopped at the bar.

“You’re looking down, today,” Karen said. “What’s wrong?”

“My daughter kicked me out. I have to find a new place to live.”

“If you like, you can move in with me.”

“That would be great,” I said. So I moved in with Karen. We had a good relationship and I loved her so much. I even painted her portrait. Everything was great for a while. But, Karen had a twenty-four-year-old daughter, named Becky. Becky relied on her mother and didn’t let one day go by without stopping by or calling on the phone.

Becky didn’t like me, probably because I was much older, I guess. She was always whispering to her mother. I sensed it was about me. I was scared. I didn’t want to lose another good woman.

“I don’t think it’s working between us,” Karen said.

I promised to control my jealousy, but it was too late. I was homeless once more and left to look for another place. All I had was my pension so I couldn’t afford too much. As I drove around wondering, what I was going to do, I remembered seeing a mobile home park in Amityville. The trailers were small, but clean and well maintained. It had the privacy of a home, but a lot cheaper than a house.

As I rode around the trailer park, I noticed that someone was moving out of a corner unit. It had a shed and I thought it would be perfect for a small shop. I rolled down his car window as the movers carried furniture to a van. “Is this place still for sale?” I asked.

“I don’t know. You’ll have to ask in the office.” The mover said and pointed to an old white trailer with a crooked sign out front that read MANAGEMENT. I parked my car and walked into the office.

“I’d like to inquire about a mobile home, the one on the corner. Is it still for sale?”

“Yes, it’s for sale. The man who lived there passed away. The list price is $4,000, but I could let you have it for $3,500. There’s also a lot rental fee of $300 per month.

“Whew,” I whistled. That’s a lot of money,” I said, but I didn’t want to live in another apartment, so I said, “I’ll take it.”

The man shuffled through some papers in his drawer. “Fill out this paperwork. The lot rent is due by the first of every month. If you don’t pay, I confiscate your place. Oh, and I’ll need a security deposit of three hundred dollars.”

I filled out the paperwork, and then ran to the car to retrieve my checkbook.

“You can move in tomorrow, Mr. Finno.”

“I would like to move in tonight if that’s all right.”

“Suit yourself, but I’m not sure the electric is connected and I don’t want you burning candles.”

“I’ll probably go to sleep early and I’ll put the electricity in my name first thing in the morning.”

“All right, here are the keys. The small one is for the mailbox. It’s number sixteen, at the end of the block.”

“Thanks. Eh, what did you say your name was?”

“I didn’t.” He looked at me through squinted eyes. “My friends call me Slim.”

This is great I said when I went inside the trailer. I set up my blankets and pillows on the floor. Now I needed furniture. I decided I’d go on a search for garage sales.

The next day was Friday, so I had the pick of the best items at the garage sales before the weekend rush. I came back with a bed, a small table, and a chair and moved into the trailer. Other furnishings would have to come later.

The trailer was close to a busy main road and it took a few nights for me to get used to the sound of rushing traffic. I was all alone, but I tried not to feel too sorry for myself. At least I had a home.

Maybe I’ll get a dog! I thought. I couldn’t wait until the sun came up, tossing and turning all night, thinking about what kind of dog I would get.