So now I was a server at the Canyon grill in Yellowstone National Park. I came in at the very last part of the season, while my fellow workers had been there for most of the tourist season. There were three groups of workers, college age, retirees, and also a group of professionals of varying ages. Even though I am a retiree, I ended up hanging out with the folks with whom I worked, the kids. We all lived in a dormitory that smelled like a hiking boot. My room was 4 doors down from the bathroom. The laundry had a few questionable washers and dryers. One washer was the harvest gold color, popular in the '60's, making the machine significantly older than most of my colleagues. The work was hard. I am somewhat deaf, and that didn't help.I missed my Gale badly, and my cell would not work at Canyon. I was the new guy, so I kept my mouth shut for a while. And because of those "kids" I loved it. I think of those guys and their kindness every day.
One young guy said, "Dude, my roommate quit, so I got some uniform shirts you can have, but Dude, I'll wash them. Dude, he never did laundry." So three clean shirts were brought to my door.
Jess, the best thing to come from New Zealand since "Lord of the Rings" would attempt a Georgia accent. I told her that I would marry her if only she were my cousin. She would ask me to bring my guitar and sing some of my songs. I always tried to get Mike to laugh. He has an incredible laugh that carried throughout the building. I would identify the snapping of my latex gloves as the most frightening sound for a man of my years. The laugh would erupt making the day a better one for all of us.
One evening I rode with John and Rab, in the back seat of John's truck. Most of the room was taken by a large speaker system. Very stimulating. Anstee always asked me to join the younger set in their evening escapades. The highlight of one particular bonfire was an anti grilled cheese sandwich diatribe by Austin, one of the cooks.I once took a package to a nearby UPS store for Anstee, and had to identify it as merchandise from Victoria's Secret. The clerk got a laugh out of that.
I could go on and on like old men often do. I'd name so many others and tell so many tales.
I now am back in my home, with a bath close by. Our washer and dryer work well. The lady that I've loved for most of my life sleeps beside me, and that is worth a couple of worlds.
But, my Yellowstoners, I have your names in my FB account and your words and faces in my heart for as long as I live.
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