Craziness

It had been a hell of a week for Travis, after Toni left on Monday Jimmy came to tell him they had a head of cattle down; a cattleman’s worst nightmare. Throughout the day more became sick and the vet was there most of the day and also on Tuesday. It was Wednesday before the culprit was found, mold in their feed. The feed he’d bought after the flood when his own planted grains and grasses had been destroyed.

All the feed had now been burnt in the pit where it was kept for the cattle. Travis had been kept busy all week and that was perhaps the best thing for him. He didn’t sink into that dark corner as he was prone to do when depressed. It was Saturday and he was in Coffs aiming to take his boat out. Kyle had arranged a crew and he was alone except for Kyle, alone of his own choosing. He felt a little guilty for not asking Tee but he wanted the time alone.

He’d stopped in a little corner store at the end of the street to buy some beer and juice.

Jean Robinson was off on Saturday although Kim Barrett had tried to convince her she should work. She’d never worked on Saturday in the Sydney store and was not going to start it in The Glen. She had a small unit in the building where Michael Stanley lived. Today she was going to do her laundry and had nipped down to the little corner store for some detergent.

She was standing in line behind a man who smelled awfully good she thought when he stepped back and onto her foot.

“Oowee.” She rubbed her foot on her calf.

“Oh, sorry are you okay?” Travis turned and asked.

“Yes,” he had his sunglasses pushed up on his head and had the most startling eyes.

He picked up his bag from the counter and smiled slightly as he passed her. Jean paid for her detergent.

“Oh, that man has left his card,” the clerk cried out.

Only a moment and Jean had his card in her hand and ran out of the store, she glanced down the street and saw him, the name on the card surprised her…Travis McGee.

“Mr. McGee,” she called out walking swiftly down the street. Kyle turned and caught Travis’s arm and he stopped. “Mr. McGee…you left your card.”

“Oh, thanks, thanks a lot.” Travis pocketed his credit card.

“I’ve been to your house.” Came burbling out of her mouth, she could have bit her tongue, what was she doing?

Travis took a look at her, not recognizing her at all, “Have you…when was this?”

“At the BBQ, I work for Kim Barrett.”

The name Kim Barrett meant nothing to Travis, “And you are?”

“Jean Robinson, I live here in Coffs.”

“Okay, well thanks again,” he turned to walk away and stopped, “what are you doing today?”

“Um laundry,” she smiled and held up her bottle of detergent and then wondered why he’d asked such a question. He’d smiled and continued on. She watched him for a moment and then turned and walked back down the street to her unit. Well, now she’d met Travis McGee…and wow!

Travis boarded his yacht and took the drinks down the steps into the lounge, they were still waiting on a crew member before they took off. He put the drinks in the little fridge and looked over at Kyle who was tuning the big flat screen TV mounted on the wall.

“Kyle…find out who she is…Jean Robinson.”

“Now?”

“Du-uh.” Travis lit a cigarette.

The engines were revving up when Kyle came back into the lounge and handed Travis a print out. He went back to the remote.

Travis glanced over it and picked up his phone from the bar and called her.

“Hi, this is Travis, put down your laundry basket and come for a ride.”

“What?”

“Wouldn’t you rather go for a boat ride, beats laundry.”

“I…no I don’t even know you, how’d you get my number?”

“Modern technology honey, do you want to know me?”

Jean nearly dropped her phone, “You have a lot of nerve.”

“I do, I surely do. So what do you say…yes or no, I only hear no once.”

“I…I don’t do things like this…just go with somebody I don’t know.”

“Neither do I…normally but I thought, it’s Saturday…why be normal.”

Jean smiled turning her head a little, “This is crazy.”

“Yeah I guess it is but if we don’t go a little crazy sometimes we’d all be sane and what fun would that be. I’ll send Kyle for you, pack an overnight we’ll be back tomorrow evening.”

“Oh now wait a minute…”

“Don’t worry, I’m tame there’s plenty of room here, a crew and Kyle.”

“What kind of a boat are you talking about?”

“You’ll see, they’re warming up the engines now, Kyle’s on his way.”

“What happened to no, I never said yes.”

“I noticed that and I noticed you didn’t say no either. I’ll see you in a bit.”

Jean was left with her mouth open, how did this happen so fast? She couldn’t do this, no way…where was that little bag…oh no she just didn’t do this sort of thing…some pj’s, a change of underwear, pants a jacket, tee shirt, she’d lost her mind…completely lost it...he probably thought she was some….but she wasn’t and she’d let him know right away…who was Kyle?

She waited breathlessly by the door, her little bag hastily packed by her side, this might be the ring and if she didn’t reach out and grab it she may never have another chance on the merry-go-round. After all sometimes crazy things happened for a reason and she’d allowed herself to be swept along by him…there had to be a reason for it. Her doorbell rang she looked down and kicked the basket of laundry toward the lounge area and opened the door.

“Miss Robinson? I’ll take that little bag for you, I’m Kyle Corvin, Mr. McGee’s assistant.” He figured that was as good a title as any. Personal security, right hand man, babysitter, bringer of women.