And so the group traveling the path had to stop in the small rural burg for the night. The wheels had come loose on their gypsy wagon and both the radiator and the menagerie of pets they toted within were getting restless. Two Labrador retrievers and four Abyssinian cats poured out of the side door as the motel attendant smiled at their antics.
"Labs n'Abys! I 'magine they make fur good snuggs at night, don't they?", he remarked through his pleased chuckles as he checked the group in to the four rooms in the back.
"They sure do!", replied Trillian, the taller of the women in the clan.
"I got some newspapers here fur ya to put on the floor", said the motel man. " It wouldn't do to have a misshap in th' room . Had 'em long?"
"Oh, we picked them up on the way 'cross country, mister. They sure do have us luvinlife!'
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The moon climbed higher in the night sky as the group settled in. Elmer, the "toot boy" had pulled out his harmonica and serenaded the shiny orb as he sat by the small window in his room. As the troupe individually all slipped toward hypnogogic states of semi-sleep, they were startled awake by the rattling noise outside. It seems a red woodpecker was loose in the trees behind the motel and was stirring up quite a ruckus.
Motel man lit his pipe as members of the troupe; his only tenants at the moment, came out to marvel at this bird that was tearing into the massive maple just outside the window.
"It's a freak of nature, I tell ya!", he said as he puffed on the stem. "We get 'em all the time! Don't pay 'em no mind."
"Well, they sure make it hard to sleep around here!" said "toots" as he tried a soothing lullaby to try and calm the manic bird's ire.
Motel man studied the assembled troupe of wanderers and thought back. Back to the days when he too toured in carefree caravans. It had been during the Depression. Times were hard but his circus group always managed to find a gig and he giggled as he thought of the harried animal trainer he toured with. The poor guy had his hands full with the birds and trained beagles and that one walrus that played the xylophone.
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Morning came and the night had settled. All had found sleep, though none had wanted it. Motel man had drifted off in the rocker on the porch outside the office. He awakened to find the gypsy band packing up their bus and ready to settle their bill.
"We sure didn't think we'd be this rested after all of that noise!", Trillian remarked
"We musta been visited by the Love Spirit sometime after midnight! I don't know when I've slept better!" said Elmer as he corralled the two labs with the leashes.
" I had quite a good night, m'self", Motel man said to them as finished the paperwork.
"hmmmm....let's see....that's six people by four rooms...that's no charge!"
"NO CHARGE?" exclaimed Trillian. " Are you sure? We can pay."
"No", said Motel man. " I worked it up on my calculatin' machine and that's how it comes up! Y' see, m' space bar broke or sumthin' and I jes can't make the numbers add up to nuthin', so....we'll just call it a wash if it's all the same to you."
"But we took up four rooms! You're sure you want to let us slide?"
"Yea', I'm sure....besides you got to get that buggy fixed up in town and all....besides, you all made me remember some long gone days...."
He leaned forward as he pressed the offered dollars back into her hand and said in an oddly haunted whisper, "You keep it, Miss....let's just call it a lil gift....from one wondering soul to another, alright?"
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Motel man watched as the clunky wagon pulled away, still steaming but sure to make it to town for repairs. He lit his pipe and took a long swig of the Whitedevil moonshine in his hip flask and smiled.
The End
