On the way into town I pass a guy coming up Hurrah Pass who appears tentative. I ask if I can help and he said he was from Chicago and somewhat lost with no signs or familiar landmarks. I told him how to get to the Wind Caves and then Chicken Corner. Just the other side of Kane Creek I ran across a San Juan County pickup truck pulling two atvs. They said the county dividing line marker was wrong and they were suppose to find it and fix it. I told them how they could get to it and save them some time.
Just before I hit the stop sign in town there's a lady walking along in a dress carrying a bunch of clothes in her arms and she's mad. Clothes are falling out and littering the road but she's so mad she doesn't notice. I pull over and ask if she needs a ride. She throws all her clothes in the bed of the truck and walks back to pick up some more. She gets in and says "He has no idea how good he had it. It's early morning and he's drinking already." I take her to her requested location and she thanks me and a man and woman come out of the trailer to greet her.
At the bank in the window next to me there's a dad working with the teller and his 12 or so year old son keeps asking him if "can I drive when we get out there" and the dad is saying "we'll see."At the barbershop there are two guys finishing up their haircuts in front of me talking about how they can hardly wait to get on the dirt road and how they're going to smoke each other.
I get gas and groceries, mostly for critters, and head back to the lodge. Just as I pass the stop sign I see the same lady in a dress carrying a plastic bag full of clothes down the side of the road. There's a tear in the side of the bag and clothes are falling out onto the road. I pull over. She throws her bag in the bed of the truck and a few clothes that had fallen out, gets back in the cab and says "What a jerk. Who drinks this early in the morning?" I say "How did you get all the way back here?" She says "Power walk." I drop her off at the trailer again and say "You have anymore clothes over there?" She says "Yes, one more load." I say "I'm leaving town and not coming in again for awhile so don't count on me to be your ride." She says "I'm a housekeeper. You have some work you need done?" Michelle has just told me before she took off for for Salt Lake she didn't know what she was going to do so to start looking for somebody. I say "I do have some work for you." She says "8am tomorrow." I say "I'll be here."
As the canyon is going from narrow to wide I run across the San Juan County guys. They tell me they found the marker and I saved them half a day's work and we exchange cards. As I'm heading down the road on the way back the two barbershop guys blow by me coming from the other direction. Just before Kane Creek a side by side comes by from the other direction and the 12 year old kid from the bank is driving and the rest of the family setting next to or in the seat behind him. The smile on his face was priceless. In his world he had just become a man. At the same place I ran into the Chicago guy in the morning we meet again going opposite directions on Hurrah Pass. I pull over and stop to let him by and he pulls up next to me, gets out of his vehicles and reaches in to shake my hand. "Thank you for telling me about the Wind Caves. What a magical place. I'm coming back. Appreciate you helping us city people to get around, you didn't have to. You probably have to help flatlanders all the time. Thank you again."
On Thursday morning at 8am Jax and I pull up to the trailer. I had called and confirmed Wednesday night. I wait a minute or two and then navigate through the junk and knock on the door. A guy comes to the door. I ask for the lady that moved in yesterday (not doing names). He calls her twice, then says she's not in her room. Doesn't know where she is. I start to leave and he says "You got a cigarette?" I say "I don't smoke." He says "Can you take me to the store?" I say "I can drop you off on the way out." He says "Can you give me a ride back." I say "If you'll be quick about it." He says "Can you lend me some money for groceries?" I get in the truck and drive off. I swing by the store and pick up a couple things I forgot the day before and call the lady a couple times. Each time I hear two people yelling at each other in the back ground.
I get back to the lodge, put groceries away, and go clean the two hogans.
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