Home Chapter 2

        Morning came muggy, hot and overcast. A typical September day on the Gulf Coast. A very weak cool front was moving in setting off rain showers. The first warm drops hit Jim's forehead and he and Oscar huddled together under an old black umbrella someone had probably salvaged from a dumpster. When the shower passed they were a wet bedraggled  pair of animals. Oscar shook himself reasonably dry while Jim decided to let the sun which just came out dry him a little bit.

     In mid-afternoon Des returned from her morning errands and together they worked on clearing out the abandoned old tent of debris; trash, dirt, old empty can and bottles. It took three trips to the trash pile before it was reasonably clean and semi-livable. They took dry blankets and spread them out on the floor and an area on some boxes that provided an elevated surface.                               

      That night they talked and slept securely under a roof. Even though it was a green canvas roof, it kept the night forest animals at bay. Also dry and protected from the occasional shower. They felt their lives were settling in and they could get started with getting back to where they were when this nightmare started. Harder for Jim not having the resilience of his youth unlike the much younger Des.