NUMBER FIVE--COFFEE, WiFi, and BATH TOWEL

OFF THE ROAD AGAIN

 Every fact mentioned 

below is true. 

No address  is given

for obvious reasons

During midday heat suffocation,

Plaza Royal Resort beckoned  

red-helmeted biker. "Step inside.

Be with ya in a secont."

Over slippery tiles, watched him glide

holding tightly as if were gold--

local newspaper's two-week old

coffee-stained comic pages.

WiFi and coffee, next 24...what more?

Indeed, no more what. No more.

Rented room one-twenty-two

Sign on door "Smoke-No-More"

Inside...recently produced nicotine-laced clouds

Asked "concierge", (grin!)  who puffed

like a diesel locomotive.

Wearing dirty torn shirt-and-shorts

--no shoes,

he answered "everybody here smokes!" 

Oooooooo. A clue! Stay or leave?

24-hour coffee, plus WiFi

No bath towel? No ANY towel! no table, chair...

Why all this hair in tub? No soap.

Refrig. Yes. Warm. Microwave. NO.

Dust on small fridge-top shows where micro WAS!

 TV or not TV? (none), nor phone--rememb-ring 

1940 marquee,"Phone in Every Room!"

Computer access?

YESSSSS!

And hava java anytime

(Focus on what is important)

Not carpet on floor, not handle on door.

One, just one dim bulb for 'brightless'. 

OH! did I mention...nooooooo toilet paper. None.

('Experienced red-helmeted bikers

bring their own, heheh!)

Say something nice here: WONDERFUL BED! 

And the hourly-scheduled train  on "Track 29" 

in front of room 122 bothered me not one bit.

Coffee hot! Sugar kept in mason jar, 

no spoon, just dump a little into cup, 

taste, dump a bit more. Ahhhhh! 

I could write a chapter on 

"Continental Breakfast"...

a nicely piled paper plate of 

stale, soft, old OREOS. 

They had once known freshness same year biker was born. 1933 (that one with red head gear!)

Writing this a week after the happenings, I'm munching an old, stale, soft Oreo and drinking (sweet!) coffee, enjoying WiFi. Wondering how I will explain to the Peeps who ask--with askance--why would anyone stay in  place like that? All I can say is, I am a writer and observe us all, in all of our humanity, and report on that. not to force humor, beyond that "Human IS Humor".

I did not let you know about the groups of young girls who hung around the ROYAL PLAZA, nor the dark-painted, window-tinted vehicles which laid their rubber here and there through the parking areas. I walked in the dark among the wheeling dealing Peeps, as if invisible--to get coffee.

During afternoon and evening, I was told, "Towels on the way. They are at the laundromat." At 10:00 PM I was handed a bath towel. One. It had not been laundered. It was new, with store tags still attached. (The only real puzzle of my stay at Royal Plaza Resort.)

Coffee, and WiFi! 

What more could a lone scooter-traveler wish?

LOVE and PEACE, you Peeps!

Steve E

(Hello Tara and Brian!)