CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Sadly, though some things had gone well since my move to Sonora, other things were not going too well. Barbara and I were seeing less and less of each other as time went on. We were both busy working and, slowly but surely, growing apart. Though things remained cordial — we never truly fought or had any hostility toward each other — I could tell that things were reaching the point of no return. I had to move out of the house before I wore out my welcome.
Of course, I hadn’t just had a relationship with Barbara; I had become part of her extended family, too. Peggy had been a huge source of support in my dark periods, but now that her daughter and I were on the verge of calling it quits, I didn’t want to become a burden or inspire resentment in her by lingering in the house any longer than I had to. It was time to find a new place to live.
Luckily, I had made friends with the people at Coyote Creek, including my bosses. Charles, the owner of the restaurant, lived in the town of Crystal Falls, which was located slightly north of Sonora, near another town called Twain Harte. As you drive up the hill from Sonora, the scenery becomes more and more beautiful. Twain Harte had a number of vacation cabins, which were often rented by visitors. It was almost like living in the woods. There was also a lake a few miles north of Twain Harte called Pinecrest Lake, which was stunning to look at.
Charles said I could live in his basement until one of the rooms in his house became available. He had a roommate at the time named Jason; he and I would become friends in the near future, since we both enjoyed listening to a lot of the same music and had a shared interest in lifting weights. I was pretty sure that he was planning on moving out of Charles’s place soon, though, and I would be able to take that spot.
I moved into Charles’s basement, where my bed was an old mattress tossed in one corner with my luggage on the floor next to it. The scenery and Charles’s support helped make up for sleeping in the basement. His home was a three-story house, with a gorgeous mountain view, and he told me I was free to use the bathroom and the kitchen upstairs. I remember being surrounded by natural beauty and beautiful scenery, giving me a peaceful feeling.
Barbara and I eventually would start our divorce process. It had been a mutual agreement and was easily achieved, since I had virtually no possessions besides some clothes, and I sure didn’t feel entitled to anything she owned.
I was on my own again, but I felt like I was in a better position than I had been before. I had a bit of work experience, I was slowly learning how things worked in America — banks, hospitals, “the system” — and I was slowly making friends and building connections that would allow me to survive. Despite all the challenges I faced, I was still grateful to be in California. I felt as if I was barely surviving and living from paycheck to paycheck, but I had developed a few good friendships, and for the most part I was happy.
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