In the trailer…

Just when I was admiring how quiet the dogs have been, next door’s dog takes off on a half-hour fit. It didn’t start barking till 10:00, though, and at least the dogs around here, when they do bark, don’t bark much during the day.

Haven’t heard anything else around here yet. A good 99% of the time it’s quiet. Finally! Yeah, but this peace I’ve been dreaming of and fighting for over the last 8 years is something I better enjoy while it lasts.

No Friday night stress like I had in the city! God how I hated weekends on N. 21 Ave.! I can just imagine how many cars are in front of next door! Those poor moochers. Wait till the summer when they’re outside gabbing from sunset to sunrise! It’s just a hell of a relief and a hell of a feeling to know that I no longer have to be forced to listen to and deal with those Mexicans!

I talked with Teresa on and off last night and it was fun. She enjoyed my company and I found her pleasant to chat with.

She looks and acts older than she is. I thought she was in her early 20s, but she’s only 18. She’s engaged and has a 2-year-old. Figures, huh? At just 18? Truthfully, though, if anyone had to be a teenage mom, I’d hope it’d be her. She’s so intelligent and with it for her age. She’s your classic mom looks-wise cuz she’s huge. She says she doesn’t care that she’s big. I envy her attitude.

She was shocked to learn I’m 34. She thought I was around 27.

According to the computer, last night was our 17th night there. That’s scary. And that doesn’t count the days we spent at the La Quinta, the Holiday, Hampton, Red Roof, or the Southgate.

Well, no place is perfect, but the Fairfield is definitely my favorite.

I bought us some chips and shared some cookies and soda with her. She gave me a bag of hard candy.

She might let me steal this fake green leafy tree that’s been cramped behind a cabinet-like thing for a while. She’s gonna get a feel for if her boss would miss it or not, I guess, then let me know Sunday night whether or not I can whisk it out.

She also was cracking up over some jokes I was telling her, which she repeated to her mom and stepdad.

I told her that if all went well, she’d never see me again after next Tuesday. That’s not what she wants, she said, and I gave her our cell phone number. She knows and understands, though, how much we want to get in that house.