Perditiones Part 1

I awake in a school bus, in the second to last row bench seat. It is an older school bus, with the bench seats that have high backs and hard bars along the top to hold onto when you inevitably get bounced around due to poor shocks. For those of us that remember the days of riding in a school bus, the back of the bus is the fun area, away from the bus driver’s watchful eyes. Where you can play games, gossip about the “cool kids” and “trouble-makers”, all while enjoying the wasted time before arriving home to do your assigned homework and chores.

The odd thing about this world, as I peer out the foggy or dirty windows, is that it has a yellow haze to it. Not quite like the early morning or late humid afternoon, but a very distinctly yellow haze. It appears the bus is parked in front of what looks like a very old gas station. This place can’t be operational. 

I slowly lift myself out of the bench seat realizing my body feels heavy, as though all the energy has been drained from it. I stop in a front row and run my finger down the window to check if they are just dirty. Nope, they are clean… interesting. Sluggishly, I finish making my way off the bus and into the gas station to see if I can find out what is going on. I am almost immediately greeted by an old man in a very nice suit and top hat. He doesn’t appear to fit into the surrounding area, as if he is on his way to an important dinner of some kind.

“Are you lost young lady?” the stranger asks.

“Well, um… I honestly do not know” I reply as I rub the sleep from my eyes.

“Ah, a new arrival then” he says with a smirk in my direction.

“New arrival? How am I a new arrival? I just woke up on the bus. Where am I?” I question as the rest of the town slowly comes into focus.

“I don’t think I should be the one to explain that to you, young lady, but I can tell you that you awoke on the bus because your driver, Ed, tends to let those that fall asleep continue to snooze a bit. He will probably be back in a minute to continue your journey. I imagine a sweet little thing like you will not be here long” he said in a high polished tone.

“Excuse me? I won’t be here for long? I have no idea what you are talking about. Why is everything so yellow?“, I spurt out in a hurried mix of words with no distinguishable break or breathe in between questions.

“What is your name, young lady? I am Derrick. I have been here for… darn, I can’t even remember how long I have been here. I run the little tailor shoppe down the way. If you are going to be here for a little, I can help you find work. I have been looking for an assistant for the front of the shoppe, and we all know a pretty little thing like you will help to draw in business” he says with a sly smile and a wink.

That is when I noticed that he was not as old as he first appeared, maybe in his early 40’s is all. His outfit gives him an air of an older time. Maybe he just likes older style clothing? It does give him an almost old money, regal look. As I looked closer I realized that his outfit was covered in a slight yellow dust. Is the yellow in the air itself? Am I breathing this in? How is he not acting like this is something that I should be concerned about. Why is he ignoring my questions about this place?

Just then, I hear a bell jingle, and out of the gas station shop strides a man in a mechanic outfit, who I presume to be the owner or a worker for the gas station.

“Name’s Ed, it is a pleasure to actually meet you Amy” he presents his hand to me for a shake, which I accept, reluctantly. His hand, his touch, is warm and comforting. “Now that you are awake that is. I hope you don’t mind, I figured I would let you rest a little bit. I hope you are feeling well?” he asks still holding my hand.

“So, how do you know my name and where am I?”, I say, caught off guard by his warm tone and acknowledgement of my name.

“Oh, sorry, I guess you have a few questions” he states casually, withdrawing his hand. “Well, I am Ed, your driver. We just had to make a pit stop, and unfortunately, the bus has broken down. I think I can get it up and running again in a day or so. For now, we will find you somewhere to stay for the night” he says hurriedly, as he begins digging through his pockets obviously searching for something.

“Okay, but where are we? How did I get onto the bus in the first place? I don’t remember deciding to take a trip.” I sigh, as I gently rub the bridge of my nose between my forefinger and thumb.

“Yes, yes, sorry. Here take this” Ed hands me some coins that are large, heavy, and feel as though they are made of wood, but make the sound of metal coins as he drops them into my hand. “You will need this for some food and a place to stay for tonight. As for where we are, we are in a town called Perditiones. It is kind of an in-between of sorts. Not to worry, we will get out of here soon and hit the road again.” He says, noticing that I have started looking at the yellow dust that has settled on my arm. “And don’t worry about the yellow, its a side effect of the air here. It doesn’t hurt and you will only really notice it on your clothes and things.”

A couple of my questions have been answered. I still have so many, but at that moment my stomach starts to growl, loudly. I grimace slightly, hoping the two gentlemen didn’t hear it. I stick the weird coins in my pocket and finally look around fully. This town, yellow as it was, was actually quite homely. The whole town seems to be only half a mile long or so. I notice a café down the road, appears to be 50’s themed and my stomach growls again.

“Well, then I guess I will go grab some food. I can expect you to meet me there Ed? I have some more questions for you of course” I ask with an eyebrow raised in emphasis and hoping that I am expressing the fact that it wasn’t really a question.

“Most definitely, I am craving a burger myself. I will meet you down there in a bit and I promise to help answer as many of your questions as I can”, he smiles with this last statement and I finally actually look into Ed’s eyes. They are very warm, the kind of tender eyes you expect to see looking at you from a parent or dear family member. How does Ed know me? Again, my stomach growls and instead of pursuing my questioning of the two men that now stood before me, I turn to make my way to the café without another word.

The café is only about 100 yards down the road. It is a paved road, however, covered in the yellow dust. This dust is literally on everything. The rest of the town appears a little run down, some rust and worn signs hung all over. You could tell though, that the residents were attempting to keep the town repaired. Probably just a small town, not much income to use for upkeep. I think to myself. Then, as I got closer, I could hear the music of the jukebox emanating out of the café. It lent itself to the time and theme of the café, 50’s music, loud and bouncy which gets incrementally louder as I approach. The smell of burgers and fries drawing me closer. However, I notice a very large mountain showing high above and quite a distance beyond the town. It was tall and appeared to pierce the clouds as I could not see the very top of it.

I open the café door and am immediately greeted by the waitress.

“Oh! HELLO DEAR! So happy to see you, please come in and take a seat anywhere you like” she beams at me with a smile so large it made her eyes appear closed. I always loved people who’s smiles shown in their eyes. I could tell she smiled often, plenty of lovely smile lines around her eyes.

“Thank you. It smells so good in here”, I gush as I take a seat at the nearest booth.

“Glad you have an appetite, darlin’. Earl loves to make the biggest burgers this side of  the mountain”, she beams. I assume Earl is her husband with the look she gives to him paired with a wink.

She hands me a menu which is only one page front and back. Not much of a selection is needed in a place like this I guess. Pretty much a choice of hamburgers, sandwiches, and melts. For a moment, I could not decide between a juicy cheeseburger or a lovely tuna melt on rye bread.

“I will take the tuna melt please, with extra cheese. Fries, and a chocolate shake.” I say, handing the menu back to her, already salivating at the thought of my meal choice.

“Wonderful choice, darlin’. My name is Rose. If you need anything else while you are here just give me a holler and I will head over in a jiffy”, she says calmly as she takes the menu away and strides off. Apparently no need to write down my order. I guess with only 2 guests in the whole place, not a lot of need for taking notes. I notice another gentlemen sitting at a booth in the corner, sipping on a drink and reading a book.

Rose is a kind looking woman, with a plump round face and rosy cheeks. She hums to herself as she strides away and the song from the jukebox ends. Without much to distract myself, I begin to look around the café. I can tell it has been around a while, quite possibly from the actual 1950’s given the décor and authentic looking jukebox. Just then, Rose heads my way from behind the bar with my chocolate shake and metal tin used for the mixing.

“I love to give the extra bit left in the tin, no point in wasting it. Am I right?”, she says with a wink.

“Most definitely, I will make sure to not let it go to waste. Do you mind if I ask you a question about the café?” I ask before taking a slurp of my shake.

“Sure sweetheart, ask away” she says as she leans against the opposite booth seat.

“How long have you been here in Perditiones? This café is wonderful. An awesome blast from the past”, I state enthusiastically.

“Well, we opened this place in 1953 and have been running it ever since. It is technically a diner, but you can call it what you want. We only serve coffee in the morning until about 9am” she replies warmly as though remembering busier golden days of old. “Not as many visitors these days, but we love our home–” 

Just then, the door opens with a bit of a bang and Ed walks in, using his back to push open the door. He’s carrying a big sack of something.

“Hey Rose, sorry, didn’t mean to interrupt. Was just bringing some things to share with Amy here” he says with a huff as though out of breathe slightly.

“Not to worry, Ed, I was just sharing the old boring history of our diner with Amy. Lovely girl, isn’t she”, says Rose with a joking smirk to Ed. Am I missing an inside joke or something here?

Ed sits down in the opposite booth facing me, setting the large sack on the booth seat next to him.

“First let’s eat, then you can ask away. I am starving!” Ed jokes as he acknowledges me.

Ed quickly orders from Rose and as she walks away I hear a ding from the kitchen alerting Rose that my tuna melt and fries are ready. Rose hurries back to deliver my plate. I look at Ed, he gives a nod and a motion with his hand signaling that it is fine for me to being eating before he has received his burger.

“So, where would you like to begin, Amy? I am sure you have a million questions. Bare in mind that I can only help to answer the one’s that I know, but I will try my best”, Ed says as he chuckles a little bit watching the way I am devouring my food, eating with both hands and not really taking a breathe between bites. Since I wasn’t showing any signs of pausing soon, Ed starts on his own accord.

“Well, I guess we can start with exactly where we are…

 

(To be continued)