Fourth Lake, Chapter 8

Wednesday morning, Judy and Phil woke up a little later than normal as their bodies were still dealing with their trek across Fourth Lake in a canoe.  It had been exhilarating, but now their muscles were sore.  Phil opened his eyes first and let Judy sleep a little while longer.  He didn’t move for fear of waking her.  He also didn’t move in order to protect himself from agravating his body aches.  It had been many years since he had worked so hard physically.  He used to play a little basketball at a local gym after he had started his CPA career, but that was long gone.

When Judy did wake up, she leaned over and gave Phil a light good morning kiss on his lips.  They spoke for some minutes recollecting their adventure of the previous day.  Slowly, gradually they got up and started the new day, with a promise to each other to take it easier than yesterday. 

For breakfast, Judy had cold cereal with milk and a sliced banana, while Phil had some toast with butter and strawberry preserves.  They both enjoyed orange juice from a bottle and coffee. 

There was another Watergate reference on television.  White House staffer, Pat Buchanan, told a repórter that the Nixon Administration was considering a strategy of going directly to the Senate.  It was the first time that the White House was acknowledging defeat in the House of Representatives.  Nixon’s supporters in the House Judiciary Committee received this news with anger and disbelief.  Disbelief was also a word that Phil used when he heard the report.  Both he and Judy shook their heads.

After showering and dressing in their swim suits, Phil and Judy both sat on their deck chairs looking out over Fourth Lake.  They both had brought books, works of fiction, from home for just such a time.  Phil was reading The Day of the Jackal by Frederick Forsyth, while Judy had just started The Princess Bride by William Goldman.  Eventually, Judy put hers down, and starred out at Dollar Island and its unoccupied house.  After some minutes, Phil noticed that Judy wasn’t reading any more.

“What are you looking at?”

“Over there.  Dollar Island and that house on it.”

“Are you interested in buying it?”

“No, silly.  But, wouldn’t it be fun to go there and check it out.  You said that nobody was there now.”

“I don’t remember anybody over there inviting us for dinner.”

“So what?  I’m just so curious about it.  To live in such a house, so isolated from peering eyes and nosey neighbors.  And it’s such a big house, a mansion.  You said it’s owned by some rich family.  It must be beautiful inside.”

“So, you’re curious.  Unless you can get an invitation or see an open house ad, I don’t see what we can do.”

“Phil, have you no sense of adventure?  Think of it?  We could take a canoe over there, walk around a little, and peek in the windows.  Maybe the doors aren’t even locked.  The crime rate around here is probably zero.”

“And what if we get caught?  We would be arrested and I could lose my CPA license.”

“Oh, Phil.  You’re getting to be such an old man.  It would be fun and exciting.  We could bring some wine and make love over there.  Just think about it.  Don’t say yes or no right now.  Please!”

After some hesitation, Phil said, “Ok, I’ll think about it.  Speaking of wine, why don’t we walk down to that bar we saw on Sunday and have a drink this afternoon.”

“Now, that is a good idea.”

Before lunch, the two swam around a little in the lake.  After a light lunch of sandwiches, they laid on the deck to improve their respective tans.  Later, Phil and Judy dressed up a bit and walked into Inlet for drinks at the Laughing Loon Tavern.  A short distance from their cottage, they passed Joe Williams returning to his.

“How are you, Judy?” he said, with a twinkle in his eye.  Phil and Judy hadn’t noticed him until he spoke, and then he was gone.  Judy was pleasantly surprised.  Phil, having not met Joe when they arrived on Sunday, didn’t know who this young man was who called his wife by name.

“Who was that?” asked Phil.

“That was Joe, Joe Williams.  He’s our landlord.  You haven’t met him?”

“I thought our landlords were some old couple.”

“He’s their nephew.  They had to go to Albany for some medical thing, so he’s here in their stead.”

“He certainly gave you a big smile.  I think he likes you.”

“Are you jealous?”

“What?  He’s just a kid.  Why should I be jealous?”

Judy was disappointed that Phil did not express any jealousy.  A little later, in Inlet, May Flanagan was on her cigarette break in front of the grocery store.  When Phil and Judy walked by, she smiled and said, “Hi, handsome.”

They both heard her comment.  Phil tried to ignore it.  But, Judy asked, “Who is that?”

“Her?  As I recall, she’s the cashier in the grocery.  You remember her from Monday?  I suspect she’s a big flirt.  Are you jealous?”

“You bet I am.”  She turned and sneered at May, who kept right on smiling at them.

Shortly, they entered the Laughing Loon Tavern.  There were very few customers there at that hour of the day.  Mitch Riley was tending bar.  Phil and Judy sat down on the stools directly in front of him.  Mitch was very happy to see Judy again.

“What can I do for you folks?” Mitch asked.

“What would you like, Judy?” asked Phil.

“I’ll have a cosmopolitan, please,” she said looking directly at Mitch, with a friendly smile on her face.

“Right away.  And for you, sir,”

“I think I’d like a whiskey sour.  Do you have V.O.?”

“Of course.  Give me a minute.”

While they were waiting for their drinks, Phil and Judy eyeballed the Laughing Loon and compared notes.  They were making more small talk when Mitch returned with one cosmopolitan and one whiskey sour.

A little later, Phil went to the men’s room, leaving Judy all alone.  By then, her cosmopolitan was almost gone.  Mitch came over to her.

“Say, Judy, can I buy you another drink?”

“I thought you were supposed to sell drinks, not buy them.”

“If I give good service to my customers, maybe they’ll come back for more.  That’s good business.”

“Do you buy drinks for all of your customers?”

“No, I don’t.”

“Okay, I accept.  I’ll have another cosmopolitan.”

“Great.  By the way, my name is Mitch.”

“Thank you, Mitch.”

When Phil returned from the men’s room, he didn’t notice that Judy was on her second cosmopolitan.  Judy didn’t mention it.  Neither did Mitch.