trynottoforgetchapter5

Chapter Five Rick Logan and Room 103 were the two signs on the door to Rick's new abode. His name was accompanied by a picture of two puppies sleeping on a pillow. The room number was a brass plaque permanently attached to the door. Although most of the doors up and down the hall were decorated with various types of pictures and decorations, Rick's had only his name and room number. He was thinking he might come up with something to spruce it up a bit. He made a mental note to think up something that would let everyone know he had arrived. He opened the door to his room and was taken aback by his new accommodations. His room was ten feet by twelve feet with a window unit below the only window. A cursory glance at the bottom of the window told Rick it was inoperable. He opened the door to his bathroom. It was also very small and confined. A toilet, a wall-hung lavatory, and a fiberglass shower stall were crammed into the four-by-eight room. The room was furnished with a single bed and an old armchair. There was no table or other type of chair, but then again there was no room for them anyway. There wasn't even a closet for Rick to hang up his clothes. He threw his bag on the bed and plopped down in the chair. It was every bit as uncomfortable as it looked. A cloud of dust enveloped Rick as he continued to sink deeper and deeper into the abyss. Rick wondered what else besides dust inhabited his sleazy chair. He tried to extricate himself before any possible inhabitants might invade any areas he might not want invaded, but try as he might, he could not pull himself up and out to safety. He quietly leaned forward as far as possible and rolled out of the chair and onto the floor. He leaped up and started beating himself with a throw-pillow that was on the arm of the chair. A huge cloud of dust sent him choking and gagging out into the hall. Rick went looking for Evelyn to find out when housekeeping could give the place a good once-over. Rick stood and watched her for the longest time. He figured she'd been standing there for at least ten minutes. She was not doing anything that he could tell but looking up and down the corridor. He approached her quietly, trying not to startle her. Hello there. I am Rick Logan. She turned and smiled. Hi, Mr. Logan. My name is Julie. Rick looked up and down the hallway. Could I help you find something, Julie? Yes, you certainly can. I just moved in, and I'm not sure where the dining room is. Do you know? Rick looked down the longer hallway to the left and saw the sign above the door. I believe it is this way, Julie. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is. It is.