Zero Day by Doc

                                        by Doc Nolan

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(Note:  A ‘zero day’ is a day that a long-distance backpacker takes off from hiking – sometimes spent in town, sometimes ‘on the trail’.  It is a respite from collapse, both physical and mental, after days of trudging up and down mountains through rain and under the baking sun.)
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It had been six days.  It was time to rest.  Jimmy had simply sat down and decided, ‘From here I don’t move for the next 36 hours – maybe more!”  It had taken a half hour lying on his back gazing at the cumulus clouds scudding across the blue vault before he had the energy to put up his tent.  The sun was way past noon in the southern sky, but he still had several hours until sunset.   He estimated about 3 pm.

He heard a noise.  A vehicle.  It turned out to be a jeep, trailing a cloud of dust as it crossed the open field from a distant dirt road.

“Well, how are you doing?” shouted Jane.  Yep, she had said she’d come here and she had.  Jimmy was more than a bit surprised.  “How did you know I’d be here today?” he asked.  “Well, I figured you’d show sooner or later if I waited for you.”  Jimmy realized she was right.  She had a lot of patience.

“Oh,” she added, “I brought pizza!”  She grinned.  “Oh my fucking god,” said Jimmy.  “You are kidding!”

“Don’t get your hopes up, sonny,” she said.  “It’s from this morning and is stone-cold.”  She knew he wouldn't care.  She knew Jimmy that well.

As they ate the pizza, there was a long silence.  She spoke first.  “I’ve missed you a lot, Jimmy.” She put her hand on his knee, gently stroking it.  He knew she wouldn't like the truth.  “Uh, Jane, I’m really not in the mood now.  I’m hot.  I’m sweaty.  I’m ridiculously tired.  The only thing I want to do is to sleep.  OK?”  He could tell from her face that it was definitely NOT OK.  He hoped she wouldn’t start a fight.  He didn't have the energy.

“Well, I didn't expect that response, Jimmy!”  She glared.  He felt even more weary now.  She was not into hiking and he supposed she simply had no idea of what exhaustion was.  He forgave her.  He knew better than to say a single word.

“Well, aren't you going to say anything?” she asked.  He shook his head ‘no’.

“I will, then.  I fucking drive all the way up here to meet you and you tell me ‘I’m not interested’.  Right?”

Jimmy nodded, but added, “Let me try to explain…”

She interrupted.  “Make it good, Jimmy.  I am not happy!”  She stopped there.  He was thankful.
“I am very tired.  I want you to spend the night with me in the tent.  I want to hold you and hear you and smell you and touch you.  I’m just saying I don’t want anything more than that.”  She stared at him silently.

He then remembered something.  He reached into his pocket and found it: a mass of green crystals he’d found while crossing a stream.  It was unusual because the rock hadn't been tumbled in the water until it was smooth.  It was newly uncovered.  He had no idea how it had survived and ended up there.

“I found this and I thought you might like it.  Green is your favorite color.”  He waited to see if it would appeal to her – or be dismissed as a ploy.  She smiled.  That was a good sign.

“You are weird, Jimmy!  One second you’re telling me you’re too tired for sex, and the next you’re giving me something pretty.”  She gave him a funny look.  He returned the gaze, equally puzzled.  He didn't see the connection.  He was exhausted and didn't feel any twinge of sexuality and he wanted to give her a present.  Two different things.
 
They finished the cold pizza and then Jimmy suggested a freeze-dried lasagna (Mountain House).  She didn't seem very excited by the idea but once he’d boiled some water over his alcohol stove and poured it into the bag she seemed as hungry as he was.  Almost.
That night as they cuddled under his quilt, he spoke up.  “I’m sorry I’m not able to ‘do it’ tonight.”
She replied, “Shhhh.  Don’t worry about it.  Some other time you can make it up to me.”
“I will, you know,” he replied.  There was another pause.  Jimmy spoke again.
“Will you meet me at the end of the trail next weekend?”  He waited for her answer.
“I’ll try.  I’m not making any promises,” she said.

“OK.  Just do me a favor of leaving a message on my cellphone if you are not going to meet me.  I’ll get the message once I’m in town and have service.”

“I’ll do that.”  She paused.  “You still owe me, Jimmy.”

Jimmy replied, “I know.  I’ll do whatever you say once I’m back in civilization.  You know I always do, right?”

“Yeah”, said Jane.  “You do.  This I’ll let pass.  Anyway, you look like shit, frankly, Jimmy.”

“Yep!  I know.  Thanks for understanding, Jane.”

She replied with a chuckle, “Now go to fucking sleep, you asshole.  And when we get back together, remember that you said ‘I’ll do whatever you say once we’re back in civilization.’

The couple were soon snoring.  Neither of them even heard the coyotes yodeling under the full moon that night.  They just snuggled, warm and dry in the middle of nowhere.   The sleeping couple both believed that promises made under a full moon are never to be broken