A World Well Spoken

Good Afternoon

And, another beautiful day, land of enchantment. Cool nights, warm days, correspondence from friends doin' wonderful things; young people, old folks, stuff that don't make the "news".

And, ya another dream, speakin' of "news" and stuff that "don't make it", me and a homeless fella; I was leavin' my truck at a parkin' lot, let's say Albuquerque. This old fella was tellin' me, that, really, it was "his" parkin' lot and I should give him a couple a dollars for parkin'. I was listenin' and this other fella comes up screamin' and yellin' at the old fella, explainin' how he was crazy, this was a public lot and he should just go away and leave folks alone. Well, thank goodness, the loud fella went away and the old fella, who'd taken some leave come back and we started discussin' what would be a fair price for me leavin' my truck there, some while, nice and civilized; figurin', that if I had somewhere around a dollar in change, that'd be pretty good.

Now, you might wonder why I'd go on and strike a deal with the old fella, when, odds are, that loud fella was actually layin' out the "truth", so, I'll tell you another story, actually happened. I was waitin' for a ride outside the grocery store, Cuba, New Mexico; 'bout once a month, lady down the road goes ta do her laundry and knowin' the very "iffy" condition of the ranch truck here, she offers me a lift, to the store. Anyway, this native fella comes up, as often happens here abouts and asks if I have any spare change. I explain that I don't have much and we proceed to find another topic of conversation; maybe names, Israel his, I believe, shakin' hands, where ya from, horses, somethin'. This goes on a little and, apparently, just long enough for him to have forgot askin' me for some change, so, he asks me again. This time I explain, that I only have two dollars, but, agree that if I gave him one, I'd still have one, and, that seemed an acceptable deal. Then, we go on a little futher and, again, absent minded or not, he asks me if I could spare some change. I laugh and say, "look, I only had two dollars and I already gave you one, if I give you another, I won't have any!". All of a sudden he looks at me, kinda worried and puts his hand on my arm; "never say you don't enough", and proceeds to quote a chapter and verse from the Bible, I suppose.

Right about then, the lady give me a lift, comes out a the store and holds out a bag a groceries for my native friend; everybody kinda surprised and cheerful. We all exchange cordialities, load up my groceries, back a her truck, her and me climb in, wave to our new friend and head for home. My lady friend/ride turns and looks at me, "you gave him your lunch money, didn't you?". I think for a minute and confess, "yes, I reckin' I did"; so, she volunteers, that she has to get gas and gives me two dollars, get each of us a hamburger, my dollar just enough for a icecream we split.

When I get home, I look up that chapter and verse, Bible in the outhouse; it was the part where many were fed with a little.

Last night I took the truck, loaded up my tools and headed for The Bend, see about settin' some posts. I got up to the gate onto The Bend and it started to rain; blowin' in from the North. Don't take much, out here, turn dirt to mud and this rain was comin' in fair. I turned off the truck, sat there and watched; setting sun beams, all fanned out, streamin' through silver grey clouds, rain drops on the hood, splashing and leapin' like kids in a puddle. Windows half down, the wind rushing in, or around as it could, fresh and cool, a world misty gray green, rain only, mostly shut out; not exactly a neatly wrapped world, but a world spoken sweetly and well.

Have a nice evening!

Best,

jeune