Post by Danielle Basch on Nov 4, 2017 9:01:44 GMT -5
I don't know where I'm going
But, I sure know where I've been
Hanging on the promises in songs of yesterday
And I've made up my mind
I ain't wasting no more time
But, here I go again
Here I go again
Whitesnake - Here I Go Again
Blue Bonnet Trailer Park
Lawndale, CA
Wednesday, November 1, 2017
The engine of Danni’s red Jaguar F-Type convertible roars as she pulls into the driveway, carefully turning into one of the parking spots in front of the park’s rental office. After shutting off the engine, Danni gets out and looks around. She stares aghast at the numerous empty spaces she sees along the path, and is even more alarmed by the real estate agency sign she sees posted in the window beside the door. Shooting one final look around the park, she grabs the doorknob and walks inside.
Damn... what happened to this place? It's like a ghost town here....
Danni: Hello?
She looks around the office, resting a hand on the empty desk that dominates the center of the room. The walls are decorated with framed photos of vintage shots of Lawndale’s landscape, taken over the course of the city’s 107-year history. After a while, a middle-aged woman steps out from behind a door on the far end of the room. She tucks a lock of her grey-streaked black hair behind her ear as she approaches the desk. As she sits down, she looks up at Danni and smiles.
Woman: Good afternoon, Miss. How may I help you?
Danni furrows her brow as she sits down in a chair on her side of the desk. With curiosity in her eyes, she tilts her head.
Danni: I was curious as to whether or not an old 87 Airstream was still parked here.
The woman nods her head, the smile never leaving her face.
Woman: Yes, it’s kind of a permanent fixture here, seeing as I own it. It’s also currently vacant, though I can’t imagine why someone like you would be interested in it.
Shit! I knew I should’ve worn my old Levi’s instead of the Dolce & Gabbanas. Way to blend in, LeBlanc!
Danni smiles awkwardly as she nods her head.
Danni: Actually, I would like to look at it.
The woman continues to stare at Danni, as if wondering why someone dressed so affluently would want to set foot in a place like this.
Woman: Um, I don’t mean to sound rude, but I have to ask. People don’t usually look to rent here unless they’re really down on their luck. You don’t seem to fit the bill.
Danni shrugs her shoulders, chuckling nervously as she gives the woman an apologetic look.
Danni: I suppose I don’t. But there is a reason. But before I get into that, I couldn't help but notice the real estate sign in the window. Not only that, but the fact that only a few of the spaces are actually occupied. What’s happened here?
The woman’s head drops a little, the friendly spark in her eyes dwindling as she casts her eyes down toward a stack of papers sitting in the box labeled “IN” that sits beside the phone. She clears her throat, then looks up at Danni, her face frozen in a solemn expression.
Woman: Well, to be honest, with the cost of utilities rising, people have been packing up and moving out of the park, one by one. It’s gotten to the point where I’ve realized that I need to sell the land and move on.
A genuine look of disappointment creeps across Danni’s face as she blinks her eyes.
Danni: Well, that’s a shame... you see, I used to live here.
Woman: Oh, come now, honey! I’ve been here for almost 40 years! I’d remember seeing a pretty face like yours pass through here.
Danni blushes at the flattering comment, giggling as she covers her mouth with her hand.
Danni: Thanks, but I’m not surprised you don’t recognize me. My mother and I only lived here for about a year. You see, we moved here shortly after I was born.
Woman: Come to think of it, I vaguely remember a young woman with a baby.... the poor thing’s boyfriend left her high and dry. Wait, who was your mother again?
Danni: Her name is Marie LeBlanc.
The woman taps her finger against the table, mouthing the last name silently as she tries to remember just where it is she knows that name from.
Woman: LeBlanc... OH YES! Now I remember! I was fresh out of high school at the time. Your mother was around my age, so I agreed to babysit you while she was at work. Look at you, all grown up! How have you been? For that matter, how’s your mother?
Danni: She’s great! Once she got back on her feet, we moved back to El Segundo. I grew up, graduated from high school...
Woman: And from the looks of your left hand there, you've snagged yourself a man with some deep pockets!
Unsure as to how to respond, Danni offers up a nervous smile. There was really no need to tell this woman that she had more money than she knew what to do with.
Danni: I’d like to think we do alright....
Woman: Indeed. So what are you doing slumming around here?
Danni: I hardly call it slumming. It’s more like taking a trip down memory lane... to get in touch with my roots, if that makes any sense.
Woman: Some say you should never look back. You might one day find yourself there again.
Danni: But by that same token, taking a moment to look back allows you to see just how far you’ve come.
Woman: That’s a fair point. So, you still want to take a look at that old trailer?
Danni nods her head.
Woman: Well, since I’m going to be selling the park eventually anyway, would you possibly be interested in buying it?
Danni ponders the thought for a moment. How would she explain the purchase to Donovan? Nostalgia? And what in the hell would she do with the trailer if she were to buy it? But the more that she thinks about it, the brighter her smile gets.
Danni: You know, I may just take you up on that. But I DO want to see it first....
Woman: Of course! Just give me a second to find the key....
The woman reaches toward a nearby pegboard, where 11 hooks are embedded. Most of the hooks are empty, but the woman grabs one labeled “#7”.
Hmm... Lucky number 7, eh?
She hands Danni the key to the trailer, and with a nervous smile, Danni takes a deep breath and leaves the room with the key in her hand.