CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

            After leaving the Pemex station, The Reverend and Ginger drove out west of town a couple miles and pulled into a nice RV Park called the Brisa del Mar, where they asked if there was space. The manager told them that the park was full but that they would probably be able to find camping space at Shipwreck Cove, located at Kilometer 9, just past the Hotel Cabo San Lucas.

            "How about in the next town?" asked Ginger.

            "There are several very nice RV parks there," said the manager. "Do you happen to be members of the Vagabundos del Mar?"

            "What is that?" asked the Reverend.

            "It's a travel club which has its own park. It's located on the left side of the highway, about a mile before you get into Cabo San Lucas. It's called Casa Rodantes VDM. If they aren't full of their own members, they will accept others."

            "That is a strange name," said Ginger. "What does it mean in English?"

            "Casa Rodantes means house which travels along the road," replied the manager.

            "Seems odd to me that all of the parks are full at this time of the year," said Ginger. "I thought that people went on vacation in the summer."

            "It is difficult to find RV spaces anywhere in Baja during the winter months," replied the manager. "Most of them are rented for three or four months at a time by people who come here to escape the cold weather where they live."

            As they drove along the highway, they topped a hill and saw a burning automobile by the side of the road.

            "Do you think that someone has had a wreck and needs help?" asked Ginger as they approached.

            "I don't think so," replied the Reverend. "It looks as if the car was stripped before being set on fire."

            Just as they came to the burning hulk, Ginger looked toward the ocean and shouted, "Look! Whales! And two of them, looks like a mother and a baby whale. Quick, turn down that road to the beach and let's go watch them."

            They followed the road for a short distance, watching the whales as they would surface, send spouts of water into the air and dive back below the waves with a flip of their huge tails. These whales were stragglers which were working their way around the tip of Baja before setting out on the long voyage to their summer feeding grounds off the coast of Alaska.

            "There's Joe Bob and LuAnn, the people that I told you about meeting at the pig roast when we were at the Serenidad," said Ginger. "Let's stop and see what they are doing."

            Just as Ginger and the Reverend stepped out of the van, a big black dog came running toward them. A man who looked like a hippie shouted, "Blackie, get your ass back here and don't bite that man. He looks like a preacher and the last time you bit one of those things, you had the runs for a week."

            "Howdy, Ginger," said Joe Bob. "We got ourselves a party going here. You folks care for a cold beer or a shot of Jose Cuervo?"

            "Sir, We are Children of God and would never think of allowing such sinful liquid as that to cross our lips," said the Reverend.

            "Come on now, Reverend, lighten up a little," said Ginger. "These are nice people and you don't have to drink anything stronger than a Pepsi if you don't want to. As for myself, I'd appreciate a good cold beer."

            Travis got to his feet and introduced himself. "I'm Travis Taylor and this is Tom Davis. This is his home and we are his uninvited guests."

            "I'm Ginger Wilson and this is the Reverend John Harrison," she said, holding out her hand to Travis. They shook hands, holding on and looking at one another for several seconds.

            "Have a seat, Ginger," said Travis, offering her the box on which he had been sitting, then taking a seat on the ground.

            "What will it be little darlin'," said Joe Bob to Ginger. "I got Carta Blanca, Superior and Tecate, all colder than a mother-in-law's kiss."

            "A Tecate will be fine," replied Ginger.

            "Sot!" scolded the Reverend as he retreated to the sanctity of the van.

            "Those hellfire and brimstone preachers are all alike. How do you manage to put up with him," remarked Joe Bob.

            "Oh, I just ignore about half of what he says," she replied as she sipped the cold beer.

            "I suppose that I really should do something about the car that I left up on the road," said Travis.

            "You don't have to worry about it," said the hippie. "It's probably already been stripped and torched by now."

            "We saw a car burning up on the road when we drove in," said Ginger. "Was that yours?"

            "It was a rental car," replied Travis. "Looks like it belongs to the insurance company now."

            "Look," said the hippie. "That's the Bluefin coming around the point, but it looks as if it is riding awfully low in the water."

            They watched as the boat plowed its way into the cove, turned and headed straight for the beach. They heard the engine stop just before the prow of the boat slid onto the sand.

            "He's beached it," shouted the hippie as he jumped to his feet, grabbed a stick which was leaning against his chair and began to hobble toward the beach. "Everyone run down and help him with the lines so the tide doesn't carry it back out to sea."

            Carlos stepped around the windshield and slid from the flying bridge to the front deck, where he tossed ropes to the people as they arrived. "See if you can hold us in this position for a few minutes," he shouted. "The tide's going out rather fast and the bottom will soon be resting firmly on the sand."

            By this time, the hippie had arrived and shouted to Carlos, "Que Paso, Amigo?"

            "We were taking on water. When the tide is all the way out, we will be able to repair it. She will float again at high tide just after midnight."

            As soon as the boat was firmly aground on the sand, Carlos put a boarding ladder over the side and everyone climbed to the ground.

            "Well, damn if it ain't Rebecca Crenshaw," said Joe Bob as he motioned her to a seat on the beer cooler. "How did things work out for you at the Serenidad?"

            "I'll never tell," she replied.

            "Joe Bob! That's not a nice thing to ask a lady," scolded LuAnn.

            The two missionary couples refused the offer of beer or tequila and went to sit with the Reverend, who was reading his bible by the van.

            Luis and Maria hadn't come all the way into the camp but were standing under the palm trees, holding hands and talking softly.

            "It looks as if Maria and Luis have quite a bit in common," mentioned Rebecca.

            "Luis is old enough to get married," replied Carlos. "Maria seems to be a very nice girl who would make a beautiful bride and a good wife."

            Carlos shouted Luis, "As soon as the tide is out, repair the fitting before it gets too dark." Luis and Maria walked down the beach toward the boat, hand in hand.

            Joe Bob got up and went to his pickup, saying, "Speaking about darkness, I'd better put up the tent before it gets too dark."

            It took only a few minutes for him to pitch the Eureka tent and throw their sleeping bags inside. When he returned, he brought along several pieces of driftwood he had picked up along the beach for a camp fire. When the fire was burning brightly, everyone formed a loose circle around it.

            It would be difficult for one to find three more totally opposed theories of religion than the Mormons, Jehovah's Witness and the Reverend; who were now involved in a heated theological battle near the van. The Reverend was waving his arms and shouting, "The Baptists have the only true faith. They alone know what Christ really said."

            The Mormons countered with, "Joseph Smith was a disciple and actually talked with Jesus Christ. He read what was written on the golden tablets. We have the true word."

            "We are the true witnesses of Jehovah," replied the other missionaries, "So we have the word first hand."

            It was all too much for the Reverend to endure so he dropped to his knees, clasped his hands and began to pray. "Oh Lord, you have sent me to this land of sin and degradation and cast me into the midst of pagans, drunkards, fornicators and false believers. Please, Oh Lord, give me the strength to make these poor lost lambs see the errors in their ways and help me lead them back along the path of truth and righteousness."

            "One thing that you can say for Jesus freaks," said the hippie. "They sure know how to blow a good party all to hell."

            "What we need is a little music to turn this party around and give it some life," said Joe Bob as he returned from his pickup with his guitar. He strummed a few off-key chords, twisted the tuning knobs and said, "OK, everyone join in and we'll sing The Yellow Rose of Texas, the Texas National Anthem."

            When they finished the song, Joe Bob told them, "Did you folks know that the woman that song was about was the reason why Texas won its independence from Mexico? She was a mulatto whore who got Santy Anny into bed with her and kept him so busy that he plumb forgot all about old Sam Houston, who was just over the hill, beating hell out of the Meskin army. By the time that he got his pants back on and figured out what was going on, the war was over and he'd lost."

            The hippie spoke up, "We appreciate the lesson in Texas history, but do you know anything else?"

            "I shore do, pardner. I know lots of other songs. Fact is, I'll do a special one just you and your dog," replied Joe Bob as he began to sing.

            "Don't pet my dog, he'll mistake it for romance.

            One scratch of his ear sets him in gear,

            And he'll teach your leg how to dance."

            Blackie seemed to know that the song was about him because he perked up his ears when he heard it. Then he got up and went to sit beside Joe Bob. As soon as Joe Bob began to sing again, Blackie tilted back his head and added his own discord.

            "What kind of dog you got here?" asked Joe Bob as he scratched Blackie's ear.

            "He's called a Rottenwilder," replied the hippie.

            "Don't you mean a Rottweiler?" asked Travis.

            "Nope, Rottenwilder. He has a rotten disposition and was wilder than a box of snakes when he came here," said the hippie.

            Joe Bob set his Tecate down after taking a sip and Blackie deftly tipped it on its side and began to lap up the beer as it flowed out.

            "Smart dog you got here, Tom," said Joe Bob. "Where did he learn that trick?"

            "I have no idea," replied Tom.

            "Must be the company that he keeps," replied Ginger. "He seems to have taken a liking to you."

            "Well, damned if I am going to drink after you, Blackie," said Joe Bob. "And you waste too much like that. Go get something for me to pour your beer in."

            Blackie got up and trotted around back of the camper. A few seconds later, he returned, carrying a beat up old aluminum pot in his mouth.

            "That's more like it," said Joe Bob as he poured half a bottle of beer into the pan. After that, each time that Joe Bob would take a sip of beer from his bottle, Blackie would also lap some from the pan. Before long, it was difficult to tell which of the two was the more inebriated as they harmonized in drunken songs about Texas.

            "I've got drunk a lot of times with big, black, mean football players; but this is the first time that I ever got drunk with a big, black, mean dog," said Joe Bob.

            Luis shouted from the boat, "Papa, the leak is fixed. Maria and I are going to walk around the point to see Tia Lupita. We'll be back before the tide comes in."

            "Speaking of leaks," remarked Joe Bob as he laid down his guitar and walked off into the darkness. Blackie trotted along behind him until he reached the pickup, where he lifted his leg and anointed each of the big tires.

            Joe Bob returned, sat down and remarked, "You don't buy beer, you just rent it."

            Carlos stood and began to walk toward the beach, "I'd better go check the boat to be sure that it will be ready when the tide comes in."

            Rebecca rose and followed him into the darkness, saying, "Hold up a second, Carlos, and I'll go with you."

            Ginger was wearing a short, yellow sun dress which rode up well above her knees as she sat on the box, giving Travis, who was seated directly across the fire from her, an occasional flash of her matching yellow panties. It was obvious to everyone around the fire that he found the view to be most interesting. By the same token, the growing bulge in his trousers hadn't escaped Ginger's attention.

            Ginger removed her sandals, walked to the van where the verbal holy war was raging even hotter, picked up a folded blanket and returned. She held out her hand to Travis and said, "Let's take a walk along the beach to see if we can find some more driftwood for the fire. Better leave your shoes here so you don't get them full of sand,"

            As they disappeared into the darkness, Joe Bob laughed and said, "Driftwood, my ass. That's the last that we'll see of that pair tonight."

            "I never saw anyone take a blanket along when they went after firewood," said the hippie.

            "They're probably going to chop a bunch of wood out there in the dark, but I'll bet that they don't bring any of it back for us to see," laughed Joe Bob.

            "You men are all alike. You have dirty minds and think from your pants," scolded LuAnn.

            Carlos reached down and helped Rebecca climb the ladder into the boat, catching her as she stumbled and holding her close for a second. A chill ran up and down her spine as he slowly released her. "Would you like for me to hold a flashlight or anything for you?" she asked.

            They descended the three steps into the cabin and Carlos took a flashlight from a cabinet. He opened the door leading down into the engine compartment and pointed the light inside. "It appears that Luis has the repairs done and all of the water is out of the bilge."

            He turned off the flashlight and without a word, slipped his strong arms around Rebecca's waist and kissed her firmly on the lips. She put her arms around his neck and returned the kiss.

            "Here we are, acting like a couple teenagers, kissing in the dark," she said with a laugh.

             It had been such a long while since he had felt the warmth of a woman in his arms. He could feel her firm breasts against his chest and gave her a long, passionate kiss.

            The firm bulge in his trousers pressed against Rebecca's pelvis and she began to quiver and shake. Suddenly she realized that she was actually having an orgasm, something that she had never done before from simply kissing a man. In fact, while she enjoyed sex with her husband, she seldom ever had orgasms with him.

            Carlos opened the door to the bedroom beneath the forward deck and led her down the two steps into the semi-darkness. The only light in the cabin came from the moon shining through the small port hole. She heard him turn a lock on the door. They kissed again and his hands moved slowly over her body. As they slid up her sides, raising her light blouse over her breasts, she lifted her arms and allowed it to slip over her head. Then she released the snaps on her bra and dropped to the floor.

            When she put her arms around his neck again, she could feel that he had removed his shirt and the hairs on his muscular chest tickled her breasts. Rebecca had spent many hours working on the exercise machines in health clubs and was proud of the fact that her figure was still as striking as it had been when she was twenty.

            Their lips clung together as his hands moved over her body again, pushing her skirt and panties along as they slid slowly down her legs. She had never wanted a man so much in all her life, not even her husband when they were first married.

            Rebecca felt him unbutton his trousers and heard them drop to the floor, then he held her close and laid her back on the lower bunk. She could feel another orgasm coming, but tried to hold it back so she could experience it with him.

            She lifted her leg over his waist and pressed her body tightly against him. She felt him move and press back against her. Then it entered slowly, the biggest penis that she had ever felt. How could a man who was no taller than Carlos, have such an massive organ? Perhaps when he was a boy, most of his growth hormones had concentrated in his penis instead of using their power to make him grow taller. She gasped for breath, pressed back against him and found more.

            They rolled and moved together for what seemed to be an eternity. She not only had the orgasm which she had been holding back but one after another in close succession until it seemed that she would faint if she had one more. When the lovemaking was finally over, she was exhausted and drained of all energy. She had never even fantasized being with such a man.

            They held one another close and basked in the afterglow of lovemaking. When the incoming tide began to slap against the sides of the boat, they dressed and she asked Carlos, "How much money will it take for you to repair the diesel engine on your boat?"

            "Much money," he replied with a sad note in his voice. "To do it properly, it would cost at least six thousand American dollars just for the parts. I can do the work myself, but it would take two months to complete the repairs. By then, the Marlin season will be over."

            "Why can't you just buy a new engine for it?" asked Rebecca.

            "There are new engines in La Paz, but one would cost at least ten thousand American dollars. I don't even have the money for the parts to repair it, much less a new engine."

            "I have a suggestion," said Rebecca. "I'll furnish the money so you can go to La Paz and buy a new engine to get your boat back in operation immediately. Then I'll stay here for a while and help you run your boat. Would you like that?"

            "Very much Senora," replied Carlos. "But I do not understand why you would want to do that."

            "Just say that I like you and that the money is a loan," she replied. "Since we are going to be more or less partners, why don't you begin calling me Becky. That's what all my friends call me and Senora sounds so formal."

            Travis and Ginger held hands as they walked along the beach. A yellow moon was rising out of the Sea of Cortez and the sand felt warm against their bare feet. The stars in the inky black sky appeared so close that one could almost reach up and touch them.

            "Talk about ironic situations," said Travis, breaking the long silence. "Would you believe that I am supposed to be on my honeymoon in Acapulco at this very moment?"

            "You're kidding," said Ginger. "Why are you walking with me on a beach in Los Cabos when you are supposed to be in Acapulco with your wife?"

            "To make a long story short, there is no wife. She left me standing like a fool at the altar this morning."

            "That's awful," said Ginger. "Why on earth would any woman do that to a man whom she loved enough to agree to marry?"

            "Actually, she never really loved me at all, and now I realize that I didn't love her either. We were just sort of going along with her mother's plans until she realized what was happening just in time to keep us from making a very big mistake."

            "You poor baby," said Ginger as she held his hand tightly and kissed him on the cheek.

            They stopped walking and he held her close. He could feel her firm, round breasts and erect nipples pressing against his chest. Ginger was so very different from either Daphnie or Doris. He wanted to hold her and feel her warm body against his, something which he never found appealing about the others. In fact, he had never really wanted either of them to touch him. He kissed her lightly on the lips.

            To Ginger, Travis was someone very special, totally unlike any man she had ever known before. She had never really felt any love for either of the two boys whom she dated in high school, just that she could feel comfortable having sex with them. She put her arms around his neck and gave him a wet, lingering kiss while moved her pelvis slowly against the bulge in his trousers. Her tongue explored places which had previously been known only to his dentist and toothbrush.

            When the kiss was finished, a hot flash came over Travis. He was left breathless and felt as if his knees were about to buckle beneath him. "Where did you ever learn to kiss like that?" he asked.

            "Don't worry about where I learned how to kiss, just always remember who taught you," she replied.

            Ginger spread the blanket on the warm sand and they sat down. They held one another close while they talked. The moon rose higher in the sky, casting black shadows around them bouncing sparkling diamonds off the slow rolling waves of the Sea of Cortez. The light surf filled the night with soft sounds as it crushed against the beach a few feet from where they sat.

            Finally, Ginger said to Travis, "You are supposed to be on your honeymoon tonight, so the least that I can do is see that you have a part of one." While some people only have sex, Ginger and Travis made love in the most classical sense.

            The moon rose higher and they had to move the blanket higher on the beach as waves licked at their feet. A pair of coyotes talked to one another in the darkness of the hills behind them while the sound of voices drifted from where the boat was beached. They heard the engine start and the boat pull away, but they didn't care because they were lost in a special bond which was being formed between them. They were each falling in love for the first time.

            The moon had plunged into the Pacific Ocean and the sun was sending pink daggers into the gray of the east when Travis and Ginger awoke. The air had become damp and chilly and they had pulled the blanket tightly around them. "Good morning, darling," said Ginger as she kissed him lightly on the lips. As the red ball of the sun rose out of the Sea of Cortez, they folded the blanket and began to walk back along the beach.

            "The van's gone," said Ginger when they came into view of the hippie's silent camper. When they arrived, her suitcase was setting beside their shoes and five twenty dollar bills were folded and stuck in the handle. "Looks like the Reverend has dumped me. I hope that this will be enough money to get me all the way back to Kansas," she said as she counted it and put it into her purse.

            "You told me last night that you had always wanted to see San Francisco, so why don't you stay here with me for a few days and then we can fly there together. I'll be glad to give you a first-class tour of the town," suggested Travis.

            I certainly can't afford airline tickets, besides, do you think that we can get reservations out of here?" she asked.

            "You don't need to worry about the cost of tickets and I assure you that I can get reservations on the airplane which will take us there," replied Travis.

            What should we do with this blanket, keep it as a reminder of last night?" said Ginger.

            "I don't know about you, but I'll never need anything to make me remember that night as long as I live," Travis answered. "Let's leave it for the hippie; he looks like he could use it."

            "Should we wake Joe Bob and LuAnn?" she asked, looking toward their silent tent.

            "It's too early to bother them. Let's walk up to the road and see if we can catch a ride into town."

            They put on their shoes, Travis picked up her suitcase and they walked up the hill to the paved highway where the burned-out hulk of the rented car had been shoved into the ditch. They had gone less than a quarter mile when they heard a car approaching from the rear. As they looked around, a black Mercedes sedan pulled to a stop beside them.

            The well dressed Mexican who was driving the Mercedes asked in perfect English, "Would you folks care for a ride?"

            Ginger and Travis held hands and sat very close in the back seat of the car. "Could you tell us how far it is to the Hotel Cabo San Lucas?" asked Travis. "I'm supposed to have a reservation there."

            "Only about a mile," said the driver. "That is where I am going. What is your name?"

            "Travis Taylor. Why do you ask?"

            "I'm the manager of the Cabo San Lucas. Your bags came from the airport on our van yesterday, but when you failed to arrive last night, I notified the local police that you were missing. When they reported early this morning that they had found the remains of your rental car, we became concerned. I'll notify them that I found you because they are planning to begin a search of the beach for you this morning. Did something happen to you."

            "You might say that something did, but I can assure you that it was the best thing that ever happened to me in all my life," replied Travis as he squeezed Ginger's hand.

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