conversations by the firelight

part 3

Nights were getting cold in the high lonesome as November approached. Already early snows draped the high peaks as the land prepared for a deep sleep. It was time to get these old bones inside for the winter where the fires were warm, the grub was good, and the coffee would float a pistol and raise the eyelids of the dead. I made arrangements for Electra but Beggar I would take with me. My friend made the trip up from Boise to the Sawtooth’s to get me and take me to Idaho City a rip-roarin’ town with the discovery of gold in the sixties, and now in the mid eighteen seventies finally calming down. Ma Macurecomb had a great little boarding house there and the best bear claws and sourdough biscuits this side of Pete’s gate.

The trip from the Stanley Basin to Idaho City is about two hours give or take dependin’ on the roads. Come winter it’s often closed and mighty dangerous drivin’, dubbed ‘avalanche alley’. Goes over Banner Creek Summit at 7,000+ feet adjacent to the little settlement of Grandjean along the south fork of the Payette River originating on the west side of the Sawtooth Wilderness beneath 10,211 foot Mt. Payette. Stopped and got some hot Joe in Stanley. Sure betterin the last black soot I drink with grounds swimin’ around like skeeter’s at dusk swarmin’ over the water on the lake and puddles on the ground. Them heated seats and a smooth ride could sure spoil ya, but I kinder liked it. Ask me lot’s of questions he did a bout life back then and how we made do. ‘Life was a lot simpler than youren’ I said, ‘and we did without what we didn’t know about. Lot’s of stuff was home grown and hand made from dinner to dresses, and there was a lot more feelin’ in it too. Life wasn’t what you accumulated its what you became. While yer just three days away from starvin’ and emptying your grocery shelves we were much more self reliant and self sufficient, thankful for good neighbor’s to help in a time of need. You know the price of everthing and the value of nothing, not reckoning the best things in life are not actually things’.

‘Noticed an ad on ESPN’ I said, ‘owned by Disney, a society wreckin’ raw sewage site with a woke agenda, brazenly sexualizing children and grooming teens for the LGBT+ lifestyle. Said, ‘stop Jewish hate and then replaced the word Jewish with Black, Asian, Latin, and LGBT+. Might as well included collard greens and slimy okra, snakes, spiders, Mondays, and Wolverines, as least for Buckeye fans, but never mentioning the greatest hate of all…..white hate, and in particular the white male, deliberately portrayed as mousy and weak, subservient to women, emotional and insecure, and everybody’s, including the alpha white males, favorite dammit doll and ugly stepbrother with buck teeth and a face you love to loathe. Also noticed Ham-ass Hate wasn’t included. After all we have imported millions of Muslims into this country, just ask Michigan, some with the strange terrorist de jure moniker that begins with a swine’s name and particularly repulsive to them. Kinda peculiar but strangely fittin’ to my way of thinkin’.

‘Let me share a story’ I said, ‘that was related to me. Goes sumthin’ like this’. ‘She was a young middle twenties American girl. She had straight long hair with shades of golden brown. She was a modern day Madonna Material Girl….It’s all good!, and a product of her hip culture and its prevailing licentious lifestyle. She was emersed in facebook, twitter, snapchat, Jay-Z, Adele, tolerance, diversity, gay marriage, with nudity and violence on the silver screen her Iphone and lap top all considered progress in this the third decade of her life likened to a day on the beach with sunny skies, warm water, and tropical drinks. No storms in the horizon in her fictional fantasy world. But then a change came swiftly and suddenly. The river of her life went from still waters to rushing waters of darkness, fear, and confusion. The life she lived ended abruptly. Judgment on America had finally come. She awoke to find herself in a dark, hot, and lonely place. She had no idea how her sunny day had turned into a nightmare with everything in flames but a soul as cold as ice. Then they came like riot police in the dead of night to torment her day and night. In an instant she felt all the evil one could imagine. Her throat tightened and her heart raced without hope or any light. She went from the best of times to the worst of times like a flip of a switch without any warning. Now the darkness came like a blanket in a freezing winter without any warmth or comfort, only sheer horrifying nothingness. The arrows of judgment pierced her soul time and time again, and she felt like screaming and she felt like dying but neither were to be found. In her sudden shock tormenters came grinning as they inflicted unrelenting pain mired in their hatred of mankind. The minute she realized she could see no end she released a blood curdling scream from the depth of her being crying JESUS, JESUS, PLEASE COME AND SAVE ME! But he did not come. She had made her bed in Hell and now had to sleep in it. ‘Member’ I interjected, ‘the pain of light is far greater than the darkness of night’. She was a willing though manipulated product of her culture and modern society, a god unto herself receiving the just recompense of her reward’.

Arriving at our destination in Idaho City in a rather somber mood after the story I told, I said a cheery goodbye with the promise to see him again soon. ‘Maybe I’ll join your family sometime over the holidays’ I said. ‘We would love it’ he replied. Waving as he drove away I turned and it was 1875 again as I faced Ma’s boarding house and walked in. She was suspectin’ me and with an ebullient greeting reached out to grab me with a bear hug, kiss on the mouth, and a big grin. Made me feel right welcome she did.

Now, I moved in and out of time bout as easy as folks changin’ lanes on the freeway. Along the way I became the possessor of some gold, now unreturnable but a blessing to everone I shared it with. I gave sum to my young friend dubbed 23 for his family needs and a chance to treat them special over the holidays. ‘Rest you set back now’ I said, ‘it’s the oldest form of currency known to man and mighty valuable to have on hand the day your dollar dies, it’s value like the end of all failed fiat currencies….nothing’.

Ma and I was mighty sweet on one another and we could be found sittin’ out in rockers all bundled up on a clear crisp winter’s day with Beggar curled up at our feet holdin’ hot ‘kick up a row’ coffee with a generous pourin’ of high shelf heat, none of that cheap tonsil varnish stuff. Ma was just as inclined as I was always drinkin’ with moderation…. whoever that fool was with his name on every bottle. Now I know what yer a thinkin’ but we was too old fer any of that stuff. She was still beau-ti- ful with time worn features and nicely set up, and we surely enjoyed each other’s company whether outside or inside in her parlor by the fire, sometimes joined by Ralph, another boarder, a little soft in the ‘tinker box’. I hired a live-in helper for Ma, a fine young lady fallin’ on hard times. Also paid for warshin’ at the local Chinese laundermat, now known as LG, Whirlpool, Samsung GE and Kenmore….. all Chinese. Somethings are slow to change and hard to warsh.

Jumpin’ ahead, come spring I was Ma’s little Rolly-Polly comin’ out of hibernation with all that fine feedin’, and needin’ to git back to the Mountains and Electra that were surely a callin’ my name. Hard though to say goodbye to Ma. ‘If I stay above snakes and out from under a dirt blanket’ I told Ma, I’ll be seein’ ya next fall. We gave our final hugs and kissed goodbye as I turned and walked down the road to 23’s car. I’ll save that visit fer another time.

Now just because I is antwacky and frayed on the edges don’t count me down and out. I’m still the kind of man that when my feet hit the ground ever mornin’, the Devil says, ‘Oh Hell, he’s up’!

Now be kind to yerself and yer kin……until then