Why Tarantulas Make The Best Stuffed Animals - Karl:Mission 89-3
I finally pull into LAX. I’m always been amused by LA’s airport. It reminds me of a science fiction cartoon with the arches and the spaceship shaped structure. I park the car in the StuffedZoo’s permanent parking spot and head into the terminal. Fortunately, by the time I get inside the check-in routine takes over and relieves my brain from stressing about V. I get my boarding pass, check my duffle bag and slowly make my way through security.
By the time I get to the gate they’re already boarding the plane. I settle into my seat for the roughly 4 hour trip to Austin. Pulling out the mission envelope I re-read the details.
Arrive in Austin. Drive to Menard. Meet Beau James and head to a nearby deer lease that is the last known location to have a reported sighting of the rare brown-tipped tarantula. Beau will help locate the tarantula. It doesn’t sound too difficult.
Four hours is a long time to kill when your heart wants to head one direction and your brain wants to head another. My solution, Sudoku. Finn got me hooked on it a while back. It works for the first half of the trip. Then I fall asleep.
A Slider snake is suddenly a foot from my face. I want to shout for V, but I startle myself awake at the last moment. I look self consciously at the passenger next to me to see if he noticed my sudden disturbance but he’s asleep too. Clearly time for more Sudoku.
Austin arrives just in time. I get to my rental car and head out to Fredericksburg, then Mason, and finally Menard. A booming metropolis of at least 1500, mostly people. Driving through town it’s not too hard to find the Hilltop Hotel. Based on the empty parking lot my reservation was redundant.
When I check in there’s a message from Beau that says he’ll be by about 7:30 to discuss the details. That gives me a couple of hours to settle in and grab dinner.
I walk across the blistering hot street to the local diner and order a vegetarian chicken fried steak and a salad. I couldn’t help myself. It was just too curious a description. When it comes I instantly regret it. Maybe for Texas this was “vegetarian” but where I come from that means no meat. I nibble at the salad a little and head back to the hotel.
When I walk to the lobby I see someone in a chair. He stands up when he sees me and says with a strong accent, “Howdy ma’m, I’m Beau.” The accompanying smile tells a tale of a lifetime of lax dental hygiene but there is also honesty and sincerity in that smile. Beau must be in his 50’s, about 5′ 2″ tall with leathery brown skin that speaks of a many hours spent in the Texas sun.
I smile back and say, “Nice to meet you. I’m Karl.”
“Unusual name for a girl.” he says more as an observation than anything else.
After years of explanations I just respond, “yes”, and he sits back down.
“I understand you want to catch a brown-tipped tarantula.” he drawls. “This is the first time that anyone has ever asked that. Mind if I ask why?” he asks as he puzzles over the request.
I realize after explaining the answer that he clearly doesn’t believe me but his good natured attitude is unchanged. Admittedly, the concept of the stuffocator, and making stuffed animals for the StuffedZoo, and the intended animal being a tarantula doesn’t make sense to me and I’m living the dream.
“The best plan is to sleep late. Wait until about 1pm and then we’ll head to the deer lease. Them tarantulas go traipsing about at the hottest part of the day. I’ll pick you up tomorrow about 1pm so have your gear ready. You sure you want to do this? It’s hot and dangerous.” Beau says.
“Sounds perfect! Thanks so much for your help Beau. See you tomorrow.” I smile as he stands to leave.
“Can’t wait to see your ’stuffocator’ in action.” he says with a twinkle in his eye as he walks out the door.
I think, “I can’t wait either.” but he’s gone before I can say anything and all I have left to do is head back to the squeaky slab of a mattress and hope for the best. With any luck I’ll get the tarantula tomorrow and make this hotel a one night stand.
Closing the door to my room blocks most of the heat but thoughts of V seep through the cracks in my brain.
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