After my sit down discussion with Janice, and signing the papers that I did not read or look at, I gathered my clothes and headed back to Virginia. At long last I was homeward bound. I could have cared less about locating Jesse. My thoughts focused on getting back home, finding a place to stay, finding a job and getting on my own. Then make the trip back only to pick up Cameron. We would have peace at last.
Making My Way Back Home
I recall the weather was extremely cold. Down in the 20’s at night. And it was of all things, Christmas Eve. It was late when I reached town. Very few people were on the roads. I knew I didn’t have money for a motel room, so spending the night in the van had almost become commonplace to me. I drove around for a short time. With only 1/4 tank of gas left, I knew it would be best to find somewhere to park for the night.
The van, of course, stuck out like a sore thumb, so my best bet was to get off the main road and onto a side road. I came up on a small church with wooded area surrounding their parking lot on one side. It looked like the perfect place for me to hide and get some sleep. I had a rabbit fur waist length coat, which was popular back in the late 70’s, but no blanket or anything else to stay warm besides running the heat on the van periodically.
That night has to be one of the worst nights I have ever spent. I laid down on the floor of the van and pulled my legs up under my chin trying to get my whole body underneath that rabbit coat. It was freezing. I was miserable, and could see my breath. I cranked the van a couple times trying to knock the chill off, but it wasn’t helping much. It was so cold it hurt. I remember watching the gas hand on the gauges. It was laying on “E”, and I couldn’t bear the thought of running completely out of gas and having to walk somewhere.
Daylight finally came. It was Christmas morning. I can still hear the roar of a supped up engine pulling up outside the van. I got up to look out the passenger side window and there was Brent Barnes in his black 1969 Chevy Camero. A really good friend from the skating rink. He saw my van parked there and pulled in never expecting to find someone inside.
A True Christmas Blessing
“Mack!”, the nickname he gave me a long time ago, “what in the world are you doing in there as cold as it is?” I was never so glad to see someone. He knew Jesse and how terrible I had been treated. Brent had made a run to the store for his dad. It was just the two of them, Brent and his dad. “Are you hungry?” I was. Very hungry. He told me his dad was cooking breakfast and I should follow him in the van to his house. I explained, I wasn’t sure how far I could make it, the van was literally running on fumes. Brent said, “come on, I’ll buy you some gas”.
It was the best Christmas gift I could have ever asked for. Brent and his dad lived in a very nice home way off a country road. They welcomed me with open arms. There was a huge fireplace with a rolling fire. His dad was cooking country ham and eggs, homemade biscuits, red-eye gravy and hot coffee. It was a meal fit for a king. I’ll will never, ever, forget how they opened their home to me and gave me more than I could have ever imagined.
Brent is gone now. But I will forever be grateful for that wonderful Christmas morning.
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