We got ready to drive to Dallas on the Saturday. We had picked the day because Lauren would be off from school, and we could drive over and then see her on Sunday or Saturday. We washed our hair as I saw kids riding their bikes. I didn't have a bike myself, but I would try to play with them. I went to the restroom across the street in the pavilion as Dad was in the other one, and Rebecca then followed me. We looked for them. Later in the day I would want to go to the book exchange, the big one they have, and put in the Mockingjay book for another one. But for now we went along and walked to the people, going in front of the R.V. park, across a field of tall grass, and then going down, following the kids, with their bikes walking. They were at a huge pit of concrete, and we introduced ourselves to the ten year olds on bikes. They didn't want to play tag, just talk and play on the bikes. I pretended to be a real weirdo to get a laugh but Rebecca didn't want me to do it, taking me over and then pinching me if I did it again, apologizing. We ended up leaving, and those guys were pretty mean, saying bad words. They obviously weren't little kids anyway. Later Rebecca told to Mom how bad I had been, but later we made up and went to the Book Exchange with the Mockingjay book. I had gone alone one time, and now was coming for the final pick. Up the walkway and in the door, with the book under my arm, I went over to the Book Exchange.
Behind me to my right was the kids part and I spotted out a few books that I knew, like Harry Potter and Alex Rider's Point Blanc. It was cool, and I saw one about a church event, only a small chapter book, which was interesting. Rebecca kept taking out books, like a Left Behind DVD. I saw a crumbling old Behind the Arches about McDonald's thing, and I was torn between that book and the DVD's and the kid book and the First Son book about George W. Bush. Rebecca kept annoyingly taking out the books, as I discarded the chapter book, saying it looked girly and putting away the Left Behind because you can get that at any Christian Bookstore. That left Behind the Arches and the First Son. Which one would I choose? Well, Dad said I could get both, because one was old and crumbling away and the other wasn't. Plus, I was offering a new kids book, hardback with the dust jacket still on. So, Dad said it was fine and fair if I got both. I didn't feel good about not being honest, but oh well, I will pay them back later when I am rich and famous. We quietly drifted out, and Rebecca looked at one room while I turned my back on the lady, feeling terrible about what I was doing. But I got out just the same, mean old boy I am.
We put in the slides and the electric cord and all the other things, without much event, just the usual yelling and scolding for not being too quick, and the jogging, grabbing, more yelling, and attaching things, and more running on the rich morning dew, the wet groundwater coming on my tennis shoes as I swing around the front to the door, and go up the steps slowly, grabbing the key's to get to close the electric small door that it rolls up in. We drove out of Austin, now into the Northeast part of the state of Texas. I did a lot of Math in that ride, a little bit of blogging, but mostly it was Rebecca and I talking to Lauren R. on text, and Mom calling the Mom. Lauren said that her mom had said yes, and gave Rebecca her Mom's home phone and Mom called her, up in the front seat. Lauren told us stuff to do, but that she was more in the Fort Worth area and didn't do Dallas as much, but that there was a lot of cowboy stuff in Fort Worth, that the skyscrapers of Dallas had always fascinated her for some reason, and she told us of one that you go up an elevator and where you could turn around in circles and see the whole skyline. She said there was a chicken place that had really good food, and that there was a Six Flags. A lot of fun stuff.
Mom talked with the other Mom and they said they wouldn't be available on the next day, or the day after that, so this would really be the only day, and they asked if we could be able to go to a Tex Mex Restaurant, El Fenix. SO WE WERE GOING TO SEE LAUREN AGAIN! I was glad, for I had enjoyed talking to her and she was a very nice girl. We came into a certain R.V. Park called Cowtown, which was alright, gravel, and with two nice ladies in the office, with a counter to our front and an office and some shelves of books behind them. Both were old, both had short hair, and both were named Mary, with the same initial on their last name! Imagine that! You don't see that every day. We thanked them and got in the R.V. after detaching the jeep. We drove on the gravel, going along, going down away from the road and turning left. There was some four or five feet of grass, fenced in. These were dog runs, and further on were some sites and people. There was a brick building, where bathrooms and laundry places dwelt. Parking, we took out the slides and set up, having a little picnic table. Rebecca and I walked the dogs in the crisp air, the wind blowing and the grey sky overlooking us. Would this be a good evening?
I wanted to look good for the upcoming time we were to have. I got on nice jeans and new tennis shoes, plus a blue Navy Pier shirt I got in Chicago.(see blog post "Chicago!!!!The Windy City!") I have worn this shirt a lot, and it usually looks good but casual at the same time, or that's at least what Mom says. Mom got a nice sweater, with Dad a suit and tie. We got in the jeep, slowly and making our hair not move, and we texted Lauren about our constant movements. She stated they were taking a little long in traffic. Uh-oh. We came to a nice restaurant, with the sign and the sandstone outerwalls, that you usually see at a Mexican Restaurant. We parked and then walked inside a booming lobby, with a small podium to our left and more to the left in the hallway, with it's back to the entrance and to the left, was a counter selling treats, and candy, with a register for people who were paying for the meal. There were many people there, all in a line. We put our name down, the lady at the podium being gone for a long while and then returning. We were one of the first before it became a lot more crowded, thankfully, and I went to the restroom quickly, wanting to be the first one to see Lauren and her family and say hello to them. Rebecca and I both watched the threshold, between the doors with interest. We waited. And waited.
People talked, kids laughed, and a general hubbub increased.We looked around people who were false alarms, and were standing. Then, a family, and a tall girl, came through. It was them! Although on the inside bursting with excitement on the inside, I waved shyly and said yellow, awkwardly smiling. They all came in, the small boy kid, tan with black hair, and the brown haired Mom and the black haired tan Dad with glasses and a thick head. Lauren was tall, as I have already mentioned, and she has black hair, and pretty tan with olive skin, and big eyes, and she was wearing a jacket and books. Leather jacket, I think so, anyway. They were in pretty casual wear. I said it was really cool to be seeing them again, and that I never thought on the boat in Maine that I would see any of them again. (See blog post called "Whale Watching") Mom and Dad, although they hadn't really known the acquaintances, hugged and said hello to the new found friends. Mom said that we were waiting for a seat, as the lady signaled to us to come. Rebecca told some things to Lauren as we went through a room, with the people on either side, and a lot of old Mexican Paintings. We found ourselves at the corner of one place at the very back, by the entrance to the kitchen and everything, with the walkway down the way right there too. We sat down, with the Bourne family on one side and the Rangeo family on the other.
I looked at the menu, across from Lauren. I wanted to get something that wasn't messy, as I didn't know these people and they might be extra proper. I decided on an enchilada, although they said that something else was really good, the tacos. I kind of liked Lauren, because she was pretty, although only a little. Mary Beth, of all the weirdest things she's done, wanted to talk to Lauren in the meal, or have me give the phone to Lauren. Nonsense. I mean, it would be so weird and we were going to have good conversations during the meal, no texting. After the meal was done she wanted me to give her Lauren's number, but I wouldn't do that, because I knew how weird it felt when people got my number from other people. I wouldn't do such an odd thing. But back to the meal. I was going to get the Enchilada. Throughout the meal we spread stories, although Rebecca and I both interrupted each other a lot, wanting to be the one to get to the punch line and such. Rebecca pinched me. Lauren talked about some of her cooking stuff though, and I discussed superheroes and soccer balls with her brother, who's name is Trevor. Dad talked to the dad, and he was a worker of computers. The mom's talked about the different schooling of Texas and Georgia some. Everybody enjoyed it.
Rebecca told Lauren about Mrs. Anthony the witch who pretended to be a substitute teacher, and how creepy she was as I told them later about how a kid pulled the fire alarm and tee peed a bathroom in the same day, how I was swept up in the cafeteria when I was telling the janitor about the tee peeing which I saw and then how the fire alarm went and I was taken to the Vice Principal's office as a person of interest, who might of seen something, they thought. It was a fun day. Lauren said she was in 7th grade at a public school with uniforms, and said she was popular but not the mean kind. She supplemented a few stories that generated laughs as I ate more of the cheese dip chips that was very good. I was a little tired of Mexican Restaurants as we had been to so many in so few days, but we had not been to a Tex Mex and because this was Texas, we should use all our opportunities to get Mexican. My enchilada was good when it came at, and not too messy but pretty much so, as I got food on my new jeans. Lauren was nice as she was on the boat, and even the distance it is since I have seen her last, I still can't believe that fate has intertwined us once more. The odds of seeing them again our doubtful, but, the Savior being a carpenter was doubtful too, but... it's true.
After the meal we talked a lot more, now full in our stomachs. I went to the restroom,and Rebecca went too. I went before she did, conducting a plan for us to have a lookout and as soon as she came down the walkway we would stare at her. She came down, and we widened our eyes like she was an alien or something of the sort. She looked a little alarmed, and walked down as she laughed, as she did in the meal, a lot of awkward laughing. She needs to apologize for how much she laughs. She sat down, as Trevor still stared, but Lauren broke into a smile and chuckle, as Trevor and I leaned in, and Rebecca pinched me, saying to stop it and that she knew we were kidding. Then I broke, and Trevor after that. We all told her our plan, and she laughed along with us. The night was only young. After a while though we all got up, and then after that stood at the counter, as we made goodbyes. It was a good night, and cool to see them after all that time, and I was really stunned that I had seen them again after Maine. It is truly a small world, but I doubt we would have seen them if we didn't text and keep in touch. Lauren was fun and nice and Trevor wasn't too bad either, and there parents were good people also. I enjoyed that meal... at El Fenix with the Rangeo's.
I waved off Lauren, as hugging would be weird. Rebecca hugged her though, the men shook hands, and the ladies also hugged. We went out in the rain together, as they got in the car parked right by ours. We got in, and we said goodbye, that it was great to see them for one last time. I don't think I will see them again, but who knows; maybe in our travels the road will come to another intersection of the Bourne's and the Rangeo's. Maybe.
I told Lauren I liked her, but alas, sheer rejection, nicely but still cold. Oh well. Maybe I'll see some pretty girls in California. Oh well.
Goodbye for now, faithful readers.
Mrs. Anthony the witch! GRRR!,
Andrew.
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| Andrew, Rebecca, Trevor, and Lauren |
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