THE MIDNIGHT SKULKER 17

San Diego, California

February 28, 1974

7:50 p.m.  Pacific Standard Time

Once the waitress left: “What do you and Mitch plan on doing tomorrow?”

“We’re planning on renting a car and look around our new city.”

“We thought we’d drive out towards Sea world,” Mitchell said, “then to Coronado Island and then head into Mexico.”

“If you’re just going to Tijuana, I’d suggest that you leave the car in the parking lot on the American side and walk across the bridge into Mexico. And be sure to have your driver’s license or some kind of identification so you can get back here.”

Taking his first taste of a ‘Margarita’, “That’s really good!” Licking salt from his lips, “We always have our driver’s licenses with us, but thanks’ for letting us know.”

“When do you plan on flying home?”

Drawing ‘Harvey Wallbanger’ through a straw, “Day after tomorrow,” Marsha said. “Plane takes off in the morning at nine-twenty.”

“I’ll be at ‘escrow’ soon as they open tomorrow. I should have the ‘docs’ back by late afternoon. As soon as I have them, if you’re back from Mexico, I’ll meet you at the hotel to get your signatures. If you’re not back, I’ll leave a message and meet you later.”

“How do we get the down payment to you?”

“I’ve set this for a ‘concurrent close’.” Seeing a look of confusion on Marsha’s face. “That means that as soon as your home ‘closes’ and records to the new owners, the funds for your new home, your home here, will automatically be wired into escrow and will, concurrently, record into your name.” 

“Then it’ll be ours and we’ll be able to move in whenever we want?”

“Yes. Tomorrow’s March first and, unless something unforeseen happens, you should be able to be in on  April one.”

                                               *****                                                                         

“Hi, Mom!”

Glancing at the clock in the kitchen: 11:12. “Now is kind of late! Couldn’t you have called earlier? Plane could have crashed and I wouldn’t know.”

“It’s only after nine here, Mom.” Rolling his eyes, “When’s the last time there was a ‘plane crash’ and everybody in the world didn’t know? Sorry, but we just got in. How’s everything there?”

“Well you should have called earlier.  Your children were waiting all day to hear from their mother and father. They’re fine.” Said angrily, “Your children are just fine.  They waited all day to talk to you, but they’re asleep now, except for your Michael… So, you see the news?”

 “News?” Shrugging his shoulders, “We just got in. What news?”

“A blizzard!”

“Huh?”

“Started this afternoon at about one and hasn’t stopped for a minute. Good thing you’re not coming back tomorrow, ‘cause they’ve closed ‘O’Hare’.”

“There’s a blizzard there,” he told Marsha. “It’s so bad they closed the airport.”

Even though she knew where she was going, and what awaited her, “I can’t wait till we get out of here and get away from this ‘farshtinkener’ weather! How’s the weather there?”

“Beautiful, Mom. Had to be, at least seventy-two when we got in tonight.”

“Three more weeks for us and your father and me will be out of here heading to where you are.”

                                                        *****                                                     

Flying to San Diego a month earlier, Walter and Myra had purchased a house… Well, actually, Walter had purchased the house and Myra went along with it because… 

(Marine Corps Air Station Miramar (MCAS Miramar)  is a United States Marine Corps installation that is home to the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, which is the aviation element of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force. Is located in Miramar, San Diego, California, about 10 miles north of Downtown San Diego.)

…Myra went along with it because, (1) Walter was rather insistent and, (2) Myra knew that because Walter had insisted, she’d have something… A major ‘something’ to hold over her husband’s head because the house Walter insisted on purchasing was located in a subdivision of less… far less expensive houses because: Off of Miramar Road and U.S. 5, this particular subdivision was located in one of ‘Marine Corps Air Station Miramar’s’ direct outgoing flight patterns.

                                                         *****

“It’s okay that I gave that saleswoman, that, uh… Sophie, the number of where you are?”

“Yeah., it was good you gave her our number. Actually it was her that showed us the place we bought.”

“So, what about ‘the place you bought’?”

“It’s beautiful, Mom! It’s smaller than ‘Schaumburg’, but there’s three nice sized bedrooms and a fourth that’s kind of small, but there’s two and half baths and a family room…”

“The kitchen? How’s the kitchen?”

“It’s much smaller than we have now, but Marsha says it’s completely workable and outside… Mom, the outside is beautiful!”

“So how much is this ‘beautiful place’?”

Hesitating a moment, “We got for one-ten.”

“ ‘One-ten’? You mean you paid for that house ‘one hundred, ten thousand dollars’!”

Looking helplessly at Marsha, shrugging his shoulders and rolling his eyes, “Yes, Mom, Marsha’n’me paid ‘one hundred-ten thousand dollars’ for this house.”

“My dear sweet son…”

How Mitchell hated hearing those words and that tone of voice.

  “My dear sweet son, we paid seventy-nine for where we’re moving. Seventy-nine thousand isn’t enough for your wife…” adding after a moment’s hesitation, “…and you?”

Becoming angry, “Mom, no! We’re leaving a beautiful home and we want to move to a beautiful home and we’ve four kids and there’s only you and dad! And we made enough on the house in Schaumburg to do it!” Thinking, but not saying: And we aren’t going to be living at the end of a God-damned jet propelled runway.

“Well I think it’s too much money! But who am I to tell you what to do?” Answering her own question, “I’m only your mother… Here, your son wants to talk to you.”

“Good night M…”

“Hi, Dad!”

Realizing she’d passed the phone to Michael, “Hi’ya, Mikie!”

“So, how’s our new home?”

“Beautiful, Mikie, just beautiful!”

“And does it…”

Knowing his question, “Yes, Mikie, it does have a pool!”

“Yea!”

“And there’s a Jacuzzi, too.”

“No kidding?”

“I wouldn’t kid you, kiddoo. And you know something else…” Changing the subject, “How’s the weather there?”

Flicking the outside light switch and parting the café curtain in the kitchen, “Lousy, Dad. It’s been snowing almost all day and it’s windy and freezing out there.”

“Marcy, Mikie says ‘it’s been snowing all day and it’s windy and freezing outside’! So what say as soon as I hang up we get into our bathing suits and go on down for a swim?”

“Aw, Dad, come on, you’re joking me.”

“Yeah, Mikie, we’re not going swimming, but guess what…? If we wanted to, it’s warm enough to do it.”

“I can’t wait, Dad.”

“Yeah, Mikie, me, too… Goodnight.”

“’nite, Dad.”

©October 11, 2011 / Mark M. Lichterman

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