Mad Seasons [Abandoned Story]

50. New Destination

 It wasn't just in the van that we slept. The long walk to Joshua Tree the next day had left us exhausted from the heat, which had reached 34 degrees Celsius. We'd spent the night in a hotel in Pioneertown, a twenty-four-minute drive from here.

It wasn't an authentic town that dated back to the Wild West. Pioneertown was founded in 1946, the idea being to recreate a town from the 1880s that could be used as a set for films, some 50 of which were shot here. To attract tourists, real stores, restaurants and motels were created behind the facades, including a bowling alley that was the oldest in California but closed in 2010.

In this far-western town, there was nothing as grandiose as one might have imagined, but the decoration was totefois successful. There was a main street with buildings representing a jail, the sheriff's office, a hotel, a saloon and so on. It was fun to visit. As for the rather rustic room in the hotel built in the 1940s by Roy Rogers, it had all the amenities a city dweller could wish for.

The ceilings were vaulted with exposed beams, overhead lights and the room was adorned with a vintage Mexican rug, Pendleton cushions and a large Mexican blanket that covered the bed. Two small sconces were fixed to either side of the wide wooden headboard and a framed photo was fixed above it.

There was no room service, but there was free coffee and pastries at reception for breakfast and we wanted to try a hearty meal, there was the restaurant at Pappy & Harriet's next door. But we were so tired that we stayed in the room, eating what we'd brought and what was left, putting food in the room's mini-refrigerator for the next morning.

As soon as we entered the room, we stretched out on the bed, which was quite comfortable, and Eddie fell asleep, as did I. I woke up fifty minutes later. I woke up fifty minutes later to find him still asleep, and took the opportunity to freshen up and relax in the shower. The bathroom was uncluttered but pleasant and modern. When I emerged clean, relaxed and dressed for bed, Eddie was awake and turned to me.

"Was it good?"

"Very."

He smiled, rose from the bed and headed for the bathroom before turning back to me.

"If I hadn't fallen asleep." he said with a small smile, his eye mischievous.

"I'll try to stay awake then."

My reply made him smile even wider before quickly closing the door. It was only 9.40pm when I slipped under the sheets. My muscles were slightly sore and, just lying back in bed, I let out a contented sigh. I fell asleep a minute later without realizing it, awakened a little later by a soft kiss on the mouth, which I returned gently without opening my eyes.

Tiredness had got the better of me, and the next thing I heard was a low, tender, slightly distant voice wishing me a good night. I thought I'd dreamt it, but it wasn't so. We had slept for ten hours straight. Before leaving, we visited Pioneertown and ate at this restaurant; Papa and Harriet. With his cap and glasses that Eddie had worn just in case, we were considered mere customers. The place was nice and good.

A little depressed at the thought of leaving Joshua Tree, we set off in the direction of North Ponto Beach. We drove for 2 hours 50 minutes, listening to music most of the way. I'd filmed the landscape again, covered in mixed weather, and we'd stopped at the Mr D'Z Route 66 Diner, which stood on the side of the road with a flashy turquoise and candy-pink front. We couldn't miss it, and it was a must-stop. A vintage sign, black and white tiles, a zinc counter, photos of '50s stars, a jukebox and speakers blasting rockabilly.

The menu included hamburgers, hot dogs, fried chicken, sandwiches, ice cream, sodas and all for under $10. For the location alone, it was worth going in and taking a few photos with the permission of the owner, with whom Eddie had chatted a bit. He recognized him and asked if he would autograph his son's Ten album. What a surprise that must have been for him! He must have jumped for joy.

We arrived in the late afternoon and took the opportunity to explore the area. Hotels and restaurants were close by, making it easy to find what we were looking for. But for this night, Eddie had suggested that we sleep under the stars and find a secluded spot overlooking the beach later that evening. He had thought of everything. Sleeping bags and a very easy-to-pitch tent. The place was hidden, but I was worried that someone would see us, especially as camping was not allowed here.

We placed the two sleeping bags side by side on the sand and sat on them to observe the panorama. In the distance, the ocean stretched as far as the eye could see, reflected by the full moon that seemed to float on the waves. It was a restful sight. We sat there for over an hour, gazing at the sky, the sea and talking, before he came up behind me and embraced me.

As the night was a little chilly, we covered ourselves with a sweater and a heavy jacket, which he had advised me to bring, warning me before we left that the nights might indeed be cool from what he'd seen in the weather forecast. He wasn't wrong. We slept later in the tent, in our sleeping bags, fully clothed, huddled together.

During the night, a few raindrops fell, and the next morning we noticed that the tent roof was wet. Apart from that, we slept well, lulled by the sound of the waves crashing on the sand.

Early in the morning, we packed up and walked to the van that had been parked at the back of the tent.