Page 6 of Yellow
“You’re not afraid of dogs, are you?” She nodded toward the window where a large boxer had its paws planted firmly against the glass. “His name is Max and he’s a real sweetheart.”
“No, I like dogs,” I said and got my bag out of the car.
The minute she opened the door to the cabin, the big boxer stormed out to sniff me up and down.
“It’s okay, Max, this is Chloe and she’s our guest,” Onava told him.
I patted the dog’s head and scratched his back for a minute.
“Come on in,” Onava encouraged me from the doorway.
The inside of the cabin was indeed smaller than my LA bedroom. In one end stood a twin bed with a quilted bedspread, a side table, and an old vintage wardrobe closet. In the middle was a rug in bright red and orange colors that matched the bedspread, and on the rug was a table with three wooden chairs. The only other three pieces of furniture in the cabin were a small two-person sofa, a coffee table, and a bookshelf stuffed with books.
Looking around I said, “It’s really nice and cozy in here.”
“Thanks.” Onava carried the bags to the kitchen area, where she started to unpack.
“Ehm, where’s the bathroom?” I asked.
“Outside.”
My eyes grew to double size. “Outside as inoutside?”
She laughed in her deep voice. “As in you dig a hole and do your business outside.”
For a few seconds I was in shock, but then she came over and patted my shoulder. “Don’t worry, Miss Hollywood, I’m messing with you. There’s a latrine. Come, I’ll show you.”
With Max running around her, Onava walked out again and pointed to a small outhouse. “There is your toilet.”
“And the shower?”
“Right there.” She pointed to an outdoor showerhead mounted on the outside of the cabin.
My head whipped to her. “Are you kidding me?”
“No. It’s the best shower in the world. Has both cold and warm water and a view of the forest.”
“But there’s no privacy. Anyone could see you standing there.”
She laughed. “There are no neighbors here. Privacy is the least of your concerns.”
“But you’re here.”
“So?” She shook her head with a laugh. “I’m about as interested in seeing you shower as you are in seeing me shower. The real problem is that I had to turn the outside water off three weeks ago when night temperatures dropped below freezing. You know, because of the pipes.”
“Well, then what?” I asked with my heart racing. I didn’t mind living in close proximity to others. In fact, I kind of preferred it. But my personal hygiene was crucial to me. I needed a decent bathroom, and that was non-negotiable.
“Then we bathe inside. I have a wooden tub that I fill up in front of the fireplace, just like they did in the old days. It’s really nice, actually.”
“But…”
Onava waved a hand and walked back inside. “Trust me, you’ll survive just fine. No need to make a big deal out of it.”
It took me a minute to calm myself and join her inside, but when I did, I was instantly attracted to all the pictures on the wall.
“Your family?” I asked.
She came to stand beside me. “Yes.” With a smile she lovingly let her fingers run over some of the photos.
