Tomorrow would be another day. She’d continue
then. The fact that she had not found a single flake or chip she
believed was gold did not diminish her enthusiasm. Perhaps she
would find some tomorrow. Or the day after.
After a quick lunch, Amanda again set off,
this time to walk to Timber. She was going to call Dave and ask him
to send up her banjo. While she was at it, she’d reassure him she
had not forgotten about their meeting in Nashville to discuss a new
album with their producer. She dreaded the thought of leaving
already, even for a short trip. Still, she couldn't give up her
career, either. There were certain responsibilities and tasks to be
maintained, even when on a hiatus.
It was a pleasant walk to Timber, downhill
most of the way. Twice cars passed her, heading towards town. Each
time her heart skipped a beat. But there was no gray truck stopping
to give her a lift this day.
She had to walk the length of Timber, to the
bus depot, to the pay phone she remembered there. Depositing her
coins, it was only moments before the phone rang at the other end.
He’d be surprised to find her calling but not on her cell. Who knew
there were huge areas where no cell service could be found?
'Hello.' Loud music in the background almost
drowned out the speaker.
'Hi, Dave?'
'Huh? Yes, this is Dave. Hey, you guys, stop
a minute, I can't hear.' Gradually the background noise died
down.
'This is Dave,' he repeated.
'This is Amanda.'
'Well, where the deuce are you? We haven't
heard one word from you in ages.' As an aside, 'Yes, it's Amanda,
be quiet so I can hear her. 'Where are you? Do you realize we are
due in Nashville on the 26th?'
'Yes, I know. That's one reason I'm calling.
I haven't forgotten about it and will meet you on the 24th, in San
Francisco. I have a couple of songs I want your opinion on.'
'Bless me, the girl's gone writing again.
Yes, yes, two she says. Amanda, where are you?'
She looked around the small town fondly. 'In
a little town called Timber, in Calaveras County.'
There was a silence on the other end.
'Big trees and frogs; whatever are you doing
there?'
Amanda giggled at Dave's concept of Calaveras
County, the large sequoias and Mark Twain's celebrated jumping
frog. 'There's a lot more than just that here. It's a nice area. I
like it.'
'Are you in some hotel?'
'No. Dave, I bought a house. And I have a
creek and I’m panning for gold.'
'Bought a house? Are you kidding?'
Amanda could just picture his face. Dave was
strictly a city lover, for all he had been raised on a ranch as she
had been. His idea of a good place was the thirtieth floor of a big
hotel, complete with room service, spa facilities and an exercise
room.
'It's old, run down, off the beaten track and
glorious!'
He chuckled. 'I can imagine. Better you than
me. Okay, we'll meet you on the 24th at the hotel in San Francisco.
Don't be late, or I'll have apoplexy.'
'I won't. Can you send me my banjo? I'm
giving guitar lessons and said we'd do something with a banjo,
too.'
'Good grief, did I hear right? Lessons?
Amanda, what are you up to?'
'I'll explain when I see you. Send it care of
general delivery. I have Cora Rosefeld's old place, but don't know
if it has an address. I haven't seen a mailman yet.'
'I don't believe it,' Dave said faintly.
There was a chorus of voices in the background. 'Later,' Dave
hushed them. 'I'm writing this all down, Mandy. I think I have a
thousand questions.'
The phone clanged.
'Dave, I've got to go, no more change.
Bye.'
'Wait, aren’t you on your cell. No, you
aren’t. Where are you calling from? How can we get in touch with
you?'
'I'll be getting a phone at the house later.
Write to general delivery. I'll call you again. Got to go.
Bye.'
Amanda hung up and burst out laughing. She
wished she could be there. The speculation would be wonderful.
Probably all the background noise had been the rest of the crew
jamming. Well, she'd see them soon enough, explain then. Though
they would probably
then. The fact that she had not found a single flake or chip she
believed was gold did not diminish her enthusiasm. Perhaps she
would find some tomorrow. Or the day after.
After a quick lunch, Amanda again set off,
this time to walk to Timber. She was going to call Dave and ask him
to send up her banjo. While she was at it, she’d reassure him she
had not forgotten about their meeting in Nashville to discuss a new
album with their producer. She dreaded the thought of leaving
already, even for a short trip. Still, she couldn't give up her
career, either. There were certain responsibilities and tasks to be
maintained, even when on a hiatus.
It was a pleasant walk to Timber, downhill
most of the way. Twice cars passed her, heading towards town. Each
time her heart skipped a beat. But there was no gray truck stopping
to give her a lift this day.
She had to walk the length of Timber, to the
bus depot, to the pay phone she remembered there. Depositing her
coins, it was only moments before the phone rang at the other end.
He’d be surprised to find her calling but not on her cell. Who knew
there were huge areas where no cell service could be found?
'Hello.' Loud music in the background almost
drowned out the speaker.
'Hi, Dave?'
'Huh? Yes, this is Dave. Hey, you guys, stop
a minute, I can't hear.' Gradually the background noise died
down.
'This is Dave,' he repeated.
'This is Amanda.'
'Well, where the deuce are you? We haven't
heard one word from you in ages.' As an aside, 'Yes, it's Amanda,
be quiet so I can hear her. 'Where are you? Do you realize we are
due in Nashville on the 26th?'
'Yes, I know. That's one reason I'm calling.
I haven't forgotten about it and will meet you on the 24th, in San
Francisco. I have a couple of songs I want your opinion on.'
'Bless me, the girl's gone writing again.
Yes, yes, two she says. Amanda, where are you?'
She looked around the small town fondly. 'In
a little town called Timber, in Calaveras County.'
There was a silence on the other end.
'Big trees and frogs; whatever are you doing
there?'
Amanda giggled at Dave's concept of Calaveras
County, the large sequoias and Mark Twain's celebrated jumping
frog. 'There's a lot more than just that here. It's a nice area. I
like it.'
'Are you in some hotel?'
'No. Dave, I bought a house. And I have a
creek and I’m panning for gold.'
'Bought a house? Are you kidding?'
Amanda could just picture his face. Dave was
strictly a city lover, for all he had been raised on a ranch as she
had been. His idea of a good place was the thirtieth floor of a big
hotel, complete with room service, spa facilities and an exercise
room.
'It's old, run down, off the beaten track and
glorious!'
He chuckled. 'I can imagine. Better you than
me. Okay, we'll meet you on the 24th at the hotel in San Francisco.
Don't be late, or I'll have apoplexy.'
'I won't. Can you send me my banjo? I'm
giving guitar lessons and said we'd do something with a banjo,
too.'
'Good grief, did I hear right? Lessons?
Amanda, what are you up to?'
'I'll explain when I see you. Send it care of
general delivery. I have Cora Rosefeld's old place, but don't know
if it has an address. I haven't seen a mailman yet.'
'I don't believe it,' Dave said faintly.
There was a chorus of voices in the background. 'Later,' Dave
hushed them. 'I'm writing this all down, Mandy. I think I have a
thousand questions.'
The phone clanged.
'Dave, I've got to go, no more change.
Bye.'
'Wait, aren’t you on your cell. No, you
aren’t. Where are you calling from? How can we get in touch with
you?'
'I'll be getting a phone at the house later.
Write to general delivery. I'll call you again. Got to go.
Bye.'
Amanda hung up and burst out laughing. She
wished she could be there. The speculation would be wonderful.
Probably all the background noise had been the rest of the crew
jamming. Well, she'd see them soon enough, explain then. Though
they would probably
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