Nobody Says It's Easy

35

Breakfast was over, and the campsite was tidied up.

"Okay, fellow campers," said Hadley, "what do y'all want to do? Are we still going to explore the town?"

"I'm not up for hiking and rooting around in musty old buildings," said Lou Edna. "My feet are killing me. Not to mention, my beauty sleep was interrupted way too much last night. I've got to work on maintenance."

"How do you plan to maintain, girlfriend?" Hadley asked.

"I packed a ton of new beauty aids. I'm dying to try them out. Just leave me at the campsite. I'll be happy as a clam on the tidal flats."

"Okay," said Hadley. "What about you, Beanie? You ready to go see the town?"

"Nah," said Beanie.

"You got other plans?"

"Yeah," he said. "I want to go fishing."

"Oh," she said. "You want company?"

"Nah," he said. "If you don't mind, I'd like to drown my bait by myself."

Beanie went to his inverted V and began putting his fishing pole together.

"But are you sure you don't want me to tag along? You know I love fishing,"

"Hadley."

"Well, I mean what if you get too close to the water's edge?"

"Okay," said Beanie. "My shoes get wet. That's alright. They'll dry."

"I don't mean just your shoes."

"I'm not going to fall in. What kind of an idiot do you think I am? Can't you just leave a man alone for five minutes?"

Beanie stormed off toward the pond.

"That's strange," Hadley muttered. "I've gone fishing with him a hundred times."

"Leave him alone," Lou Edna said. "It's his vacation, too."

"I just don't want to see him getting hurt."

"Hurt schmurt. Beanie's a grown man. You forget that sometimes. All you ever see is a little lost hamster with hound dog eyes. Leave him alone. Stop smothering him."

"You're right, I guess. Geez, I guess I'm off by myself. You mind if I take the car?"

"Of course not," said Lou Edna. "And quit obsessing over Beanie. He'll be alright. What trouble can he get into in this place? It's deader than Peabody's Pet Chia Shop. Besides, I'll be around to keep an eye on him."

"You're right," said Hadley. "You know where the food is. Be sure Beanie eats lunch."

"What about Lou Edna?"

"Lou Edna," Hadley said, "has never been known to miss a meal in her entire life."

"You are about the most depressing thing I know. You remind me of the day I started getting varicose veins," said Lou Edna. "Have fun on your gallivant."

"I will."

Hadley pulled out of the campground and headed toward town.

"No different from my usual solo flights," she muttered.

Still, she couldn't help feeling a little lonely.