Coastal Stories in Life

I’ve had a great day today, and it’s not over yet. It started with yesterday, when My Soon To Be Ex Wife and I drove out here to spread the ashes of my Grandparents and Parents (see previous entry, somewhere, from yesterday).

Around 9:30 at night, we were starved and looking for food. There was nothing open in Cannon Beach at all, so we went to Seaside, to an Irish Pub that was supposed to be open until Midnight (wrong, they only now stay open until 11…figured). We sat down, ordered a couple Bushmill Blacks and Guinesses, and within just a few minutes, my good friend R walks in the door. I knew she was in Seaside with family, but I didn’t expect her to walk into THAT bar at THAT time of night, alone. What are the odds? Well, with our friendship, it makes sense that happened.

R was drunk and angry - her brother got into a fight with her (he was drunk, too), so she left. She threatened to go home, and as luck would have it she ran across us. They were leaving today, so after some talking we agreed to take her back to her hotel, she gathered her things, and is staying with us until tomorrow. Crazy, but perfect. I’ve known R since I was 21 (and that’s 25 years THIS month, by the way).

So…we got up and showered and ready to leave and finally took off around 1pm. Food was in order, and we found a place on Yelp that had fantastic reviews. It looks like a little hole in the wall, but seriously the food is home made deliciousness with strong pours and a wonderfully nice bartender. It scarily reminded both The STB Ex and I of where we used to live in the boonies - it was odd, but wonderful…so much so that we both agreed we’d live out here just to go there. Okay, that bar is too dangerous. When a place makes Day Drinking seem like the best thing on the planet, you just need to run. But, visiting, yes.

We decided to go to the Seaside Aquarium, as I hadn’t been in over 23 years, at least, and feed the poor Seals. They’re so adorable, but they’re in such a small space, I feel so bad for them. The fish at this place, and other critters…not good, not good at all. I’ve had fish, so now I know what odd fish parasites look like, and most every tank had someone with a problem. We saw a dead crab (it was upside down, it was dead), etc. It’s just depressing.

Then, after being fully depressed, we went to Funland Arcade, where The STB Ex bought us all $20 in games, and we had fun playing pinball, skeeball, and some carnival arcade type knock the clowns over game. We got enough tickets to get her an Oregon shot glass and 2 strips of cherry Zots. WooHoo! At least we had fun, that’s what mattered.

Tonight, it’s a Papa Murphy’s Pizza (of which I’ve never had a take and bake pizza that wasn’t from a grocery store - odd, I know), a movie (we got three in the mail that we picked up on the way out here, it’s between “All That Heaven Allows”, “Summer Stock” or “Dog Day Afternoon”), and drinks. We picked up Bourbon and Rum. Figured that was a better way to go than me being the DD and not being able to really enjoy myself while being the one who’s picking up the bill. This is my trip, so I’m paying for the enjoyment of it. My Dad would appreciate that.

Speaking of Dad…when getting things out of the car tonight, I smelled some decomp - just a whiff. It’s something I haven’t smelled since cleaning out his house over a year ago. Whenever I smell that, I know it’s him. R asked, “Can’t he just like poke you or something?” No, my Father likes to make his presence known. I’ll never forget that smell…and now I know for certain he’s here, in Cannon Beach, for awhile.