Mornin Sunshine!

I wake to the lovely vision of a woman’s cute naked ass waggling back and forth as she wriggled her way back into her too-tight jeans.

“Mmm, now that’s a sight worth waking up to.” Blinking my eyes a few times then rubbing them I sit up. It takes a second for my groggy mind to triangulate location and situation. South Dakota. Halcyon. Motel. The cute butt was Cassidy’s. Got it.

“Mornin, sunshine!” She says as she suddenly throws the curtains wide to let morning light come flooding in.

“Ack!” Shielding my eyes like a Nosferatu with one hand I hurl a pillow Cassie’s way with the other. “That’s just cruel!” I blink and squint toward the blinding day, slapping my cheeks a few times. “Should get to work anyway, but still…” I wink. “Oughta put you over my knee for that.”

“Don’t you dare threaten me with a good time, hot shot.” She swats her own denim covered ass. Returning to the bed she crawls onto it, her tits hanging free in that way I just adored, then kisses me. “Last night was fun.”

“Damn right.” I steal a grope of her little titty then stretch out the tight muscles of my back and shoulders. “Mmm.”

She nips at my lean pec then pushes off the bed to find her shirt. “I gotta get going. I really should check on the hubby and kids before opening up.” Letting out a big laugh at my look of horror she says. “I’m kidding! But I do have some stuff that needs doing. I’ll see ya around, D.” Slipping into her shirt and shoes at the same time, a move I’d perfected myself during these morning skedaddles, she says. “Swing by the parlor later. I can do something with that ginger mop top.” She peers back over her shoulder, pausing a moment just to appreciate the view. “Half price. Newcomer special.”

“Why mess with perfection.” I quip, rubbing my shaggy red locks. “Catch ya later, Cas.”

As soon as she was out the door I spring into action. I turn on the radio to get some tunes playing then head to the washroom for a quick shit, shower and shave. While Barb hadn’t given me any particular start time she had said that today was my first day on the job and I wanted to make a good impression. Once under the gloriously powerful water pressure of the hot shower I find myself in no hurry to leave so I give myself a full nose to toes manscaping. After a full body shave I always felt like a new man. New town, new job, new adventures, it seemed the thing to do to start out on the right foot.

Digging through my clothes I settle on my green dress shirt…then shake my head. Too formal. This wasn’t that kind of job and definitely not that kind of town. Remembering Barb’s gaudy muumuu and using that as my north star I pull out instead a nice, if a bit faded, red and white bowling shirt. With this I wear some fresh cargo shorts and my sandals. If she complained I could gussy up, but I doubt she would.

On my way down I see the guy from room 104, a gruff looking man with callouses on top of his callouses and the black grime of honest work still caked beneath his nails, loading his bags into his truck that was parked just in front of his open door.

“Need a hand there, fella?”

He stops and gives me a look then glances up toward my room, seeming to know where I’d come from despite not seeing me until now. His bristly face brightens into a grin. “Was out here havin a smoke last night. Sounded like you had a hell of a night.”

With a smirk I say. “No rest for the wicked.”

“Cassidy?”

I cock a brow. “Er…yeah.”

“Figured.” He chuckles. “She’s a handful, ain’t she?”

“Sure is.” I say before moving the topic swiftly along. “Need a hand loading up?”

“You asked that already.” He says, tossing his bag into the backseat of his truck. “A real good Samaritan, huh?”

“Part of my job, actually. I work here.”

“Serious?” He takes in my casual attire. “Huh.” He tosses me his room key which I deftly snatch out of the air. “Mind takin that for me?”

“You’re all settled up with Barb?”

“Yup.” He slams his back door then opens his front. “Anywhere around here to get a hot breakfast?”

“I…have no idea.” I confess, scanning across the road to see that the gas station was open but not the restaurant. “Just rolled into town last night.”

“Last night?” He pauses with a look of surprise. Glancing toward the office then up toward my room he says. “You don’t waste time, do ya?”

“No Sir.” I laugh and give his tailgate a slap. “Have a good drive.”

Again he chuckles then hops into his truck. With a rumbling roar and a blast of diesel fumes he pulls out of the parking lot to head East down the highway. I take a peek into his room, the door to which he’d left wide open assuming I’d take care of it, and I’m relieved to see it relatively tidy. Closing the door I head to the office only to find it locked.

“Hrm.” I look at the key in my hand, back toward room 104, then to my left to the laundry and storage room. “No time like the present.”

***

By the time Barb emerges from the office at around a quarter after ten, resplendent in fuzzy pink slippers and matching pink housecoat, I had cleaned 104, dealt with the P-trap in my room, did some basic puttering and was in the process of sweeping the walks with a stiff bristled broom I’d found leaning against the side of the building. She squints at me through her big square glasses with a perplexed look as she unwraps a granola bar and begins to munch.

I walk up to her, broom in hand. “Good morning, Barb.” I pass her the key the man had given me. “104’s clean and ready. Smell’s gone out of 212. Also cleaned out the traps on the washing machines.

“Boy.” She says. “You gotta slow down and pace yourself. I’m tired just looking at you!”

“Well I gotta impress the boss.”

“She’s impressed.” She says then turns and waddles back into the office. “Continental breakfast is free.”

Following her into the office I discover that our ‘continental breakfast’ consisted of granola bars, yogurt cups, a kettle for tea or instant coffee, and a bowl full of assorted fruit. Score! I thought I wouldn’t get to eat until I got my day’s pay. This place was getting better by the hour.

***

My sweeping of the walks had turned into the sweeping of the entire parking lot as I hadn’t much else to do. Barb shakes her head when she sees me doing it but she doesn’t stop me. In time I meet the guests and a few locals who wander by to check out the new man in town. They were your typical assortment of salt of the earth type you might meet in small town America from coast to coast.

About noon I spot Terry walking around from behind the gas station repeatedly tossing a ball up and catching it as he walked. I hadn’t seen him before now and I knew he hadn’t driven here so I guessed that must live in one of the trailers in the trailer park just beyond the station. My interest is piqued when I notice by the size that it was a hardball he was tossing.

Dropping the broom I clap my hands. “Ball!”

Terry looks around a moment as if the voice had come from the heavens before spotting me. He stands a moment confused then looks at the ball in his hand and back at me again before throwing it my way. The ball flies straight and true and I snatch it from the air as easily as the keys from earlier. Without delay I throw it back again. He catches it then comes to stand in front of the pumps and throws it my way again. As we toss the baseball back and forth across the highway we begin to talk.

“You got a glove?” I ask.

“Behind the till.” He motions back toward the station.

“Nice. I got one in my car.” I say. “Just starting your shift?”

“Yep.” His clipped ‘yep’ reminiscent of Ric as he sends the ball back my way with a bit of mustard on it. “12 to close. You?”

Bap! I catch the ball bare handed without a wince then send it back harder still. “Been working since sun up.” I exaggerate. “Barb’s keeping me busy.”

Bap! Terry finches as the hardball slaps into his fleshy palm. “Okay! Geez.”

“You started it.” I grin.

“Fair enough.” He says. “You play?”

“You bet. Center field. I’m not bad at Shortstop either.” I say. “But I can fill in wherever.”

“Huh.” He looks at the ball then back at me. “I’ll get my glove.”

With a laugh I kick up the broom handle and grab it then jog back to my car to grab my glove.

***

A few hours later I had just helped a nice couple into their room when I return to the office. Barb slaps two twenties and a ten onto the counter, saying. “Lord knows you earned it, Dusty.” As I swipe the bills into my palm she adds. “Wish I could afford to pay ya more, but things ain’t exactly booming around here right now.”

“Fifty’s all I need, Barb.” I say with a smile and a wink. “Thank ya, beautiful.”

She sputters and rolls her eyes. “Get outta here!”

I flash a glance toward the clock as I leave the office. It was just past 4. That left me nearly two hours to grab some dinner and explore my new community before it was time to call home. I stop in my tracks, the memories of last night’s call echoing in my mind. Pulling out my phone I double and triple check the time difference then set an alarm just to be sure.

With a hollow belly and fifty bucks burning a hole in my pocket I start strolling down the road toward the Post. While the siren song of deep-fried aromas from The Great Wall beckoned almost irresistibly, tonight I was in the mood for a hamburger.