09.1 Circus in Corpus Christi

It was Monday, 7^th August, Natalia drove out of Charleston. It took her three and a half hours to arrive in Augusta. She took a short break and continued through the traffic towards Atlanta on I-20 to arrive at 6:30 pm. She was caught in traffic as soon as she climbed off the freeway. It took another hour to find a rather overpriced Cottage Inn.

Next day, she started at nine and climbed I-85 to race towards Montgomery. She made stops at Pensacola, Biloxi and finally to Baton Rouge where she stopped at a Motel 6 sharp at twelve midnight. 

On 9^th August, Natalia began her trip at 10:00 am and reached Houston at 3:30 pm. There was no sign of a storm. It was sunny. Rains dumped water in Midwest. She passed the traffic to arrive at Scottish Inn on Gulf Freeway, near Highway 35; Telephone Road. The room wasn’t all that comfortable however, outdoors looked peaceful and maintained well with green turf and trees in a row.

Next day, she enquired about places to stay and things to do in Corpus Christi. It seemed there were some materials to look upon including a Telephone Directory for Area 361 where Natalia found a telephone number for the address that Alejandro passed.

Fourth day since leaving Charleston and fortieth day since leaving home in San Diego, she rolled up the Nueces Causeway. Friday, 11^th August – five days to rave. At some point she observed the North Beach passing in peeps. Sabal palmettos appeared shorter and less trees. After passing the Harbour Bridge, it took a five-mile drive to arrive at Days Inn that she booked in advance in the name of Mono; a nickname friends at junior high used to call.

When she turned into the path at 901 Navigation Boulevard, she saw an entire screen of deep blue sky in an overcast beyond the low building. Days Inn was a two-storey motel standing in an open ground. Few palms on both sides of the driveway. Natalia parked her Bronco in front of the motel and arrived at the Registration to check in by a white counter. She was given Room No 158 facing the courtyard and a porter gladly carried her bags packed for a double. All this time, Natalia carried only a handbag to the room and kept her luggage in the Bronco.

Natalia’s room faced east. A swimming pool and carpet grass in the foreground, few palms in the lawn.

A modest room with brick red doors, beige walls and a brown panel behind the bed, CRT television, black furniture, deep blue carpet, fridge and bath with tub.

Natalia took dinner at the restaurant which was very idyllic. Particularly, the booths suspended on wood spindles with Formica laminated tops and rubber coated benches. Ground beef tacos with seasoned meat, cheese, lettuce and tomatoes were much better than a fast-food version.

She wheeled to cover 400 sq km of the Body of Christ. Natalia traversed Maurus Circle avoiding a forced entry. She turned to Bloomington Street and drove to its end seeing no sign of a motorist.

Not too far, on Padre Island Drive where service shops line up aloof, she found a Suzuki shop and focused on a white and blue DR250 dirt bike.

Down on Padre Island, she found lines and lines of automobiles and people enjoying the beach and many surfers in the water. That was some sport she could enjoy until the rave. She remembered not reading about surfing in a brochure. It was Saturday, indeed.

Padre Island shores were vast with loose sand, windswept dunes, warm water and grassland plains; it is the world’s longest barrier island. There were no trees to give shade. A constant breeze buzzed in her ears to sear the skin in the brine. An aroma of herbs filled the lungs.

The island was sparsely populated. However, a rapid growth in population in North Padre Island at the time was taking place – an area that sits in Corpus Christi constituency in the jurisdiction of Nueces. An imperative prospect of the occupation was that over 70% occupiers own the land.

Soon, Natalia located Balli Park down south Park Road 22 within a couple of miles. Then after fifteen miles drive towards south down the road, she came to stop at the National Seashore Park. This place was closed down for renovation. Empty and vast grassland all around.

She raced back to Balli Park and enquired at a 7–Eleven shop. Someone said there was no rave this time, no Komos and no tickets. She was lost at that point.

In the afternoon, she caught a cab and arrived at the Suzuki shop to hire the motorbike. She added a surf rack. Natalia climbed on, toes touching the ground, and kicked the starter. She raced up on the highway. She wore a black helmet in her power costume of the Muay Thai outfit; half-finger gloves, Taekwondo shoes, black sports bra, headband, armbands, red slit shorts, with the mesh bag around her neck and a towel from the hotel.

Natalia rented a shortboard from a surf shop on Padre Island and went down the beach. In a moment, she was paddling for a wave. She caught few good waves and enjoyed the whole afternoon. She was quite exceptional, a lean tall yellowish figure with waving shoulders – born to surf.

On the way home, she passed Maurus Circle and noticed the lights at 906. A white Corvette Roadster with a white and red Wisconsin license plate, LNZ-616, parked in the front yard. Folks were in there.