TheBanyanTree: The Ozone Motel - a redux

[B Drummond]

  White houses line the street where the Federal highway
meets Ring road.  Left at the light takes you down 
by the state hospital.  But don't go that far. Look to the 
right a quarter mile down.  See the sign -- it leans
a little --  "The Ozone Motel"

  Come to the office, the jutting room with the jalousie
windows and faded "Air Conditioned" sign hanging 
on the door, and push the metal bar on the glass door.
Step inside on the worn linoleum floor. Come early 
but not before 3:00 pm.  The manager won't be sleeping 
then.  

  Don't act disturbed if his attire looks disheveled or 
his hair unkempt.  There is a good reason for them 
both that I don't time to divulge.   Pay no attention 
if he looks you over closely and goes to the window 
to see what kind of car you're driving before he 
quotes you a room rate.  Do not pay over $20.00 a 
night, whether winter, spring, summer or fall.  Stand 
your ground and he will back down.  Drive a bargain at 
The Ozone Motel.

  When he asks you if you want to see the room
first, tell him NO.  Tell him that you don't want
that room.  Say you want a room that fronts
the lake, say you want clean towels and sheets,
and say you want them at the same rate.

  Don't bother to ask where the ice maker is, the
soda machine or the pool.   Sign your name
on the register with the crest on the cover
proudly hailing The Ozone Motel.

  Take your things and the key and park out 
front underneath the sign that buzzes at night,
lighting the way to "The Ozone", "The Ozone"
"Motel".

  When in your room knock on the shower wall
 -- three times quick, two times slow -- and I'll meet
you in half an hour, on the bench by the lake
in the back of The Ozone Motel.

  We'll hold hands and feed ducks and talk
of old times. Just you and I. They say I'm all better 
now; not to worry that it'll ever come back.  If it 
does, the manager, he knows what to.  Call him 
quickly and leave. He will take care of it all.

  The view is just grand of the hospital at night,
with the water tower rising above the mist off
the Ponchartrain Lake.  The place grows on
you after a week or so and you'll soon feel
at home -- with the ducks and my hand and
our view of the lake.

  Oh, my darling,  I miss you so. 

  See you soon at The Ozone Motel.




   bd
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