During the two weeks back in Clarkdale that began on Saturday, May 27, I wrote not a line. There was very little good or uplifting to discuss but I hit a few higher spots on the period when I was back in Flagstaff on June 12. Most of what I will write here on this first week is reconstructed from memory.
To begin I am almost sure I actually got 'home' Saturday May 27 though both possibilities are hinted at in my notes. It did not matter greatly. At any rate, I learned fairly soon from Charlie Mike that Dusty had probably been fired. I'm not sure how he had heard this but it proved not to be a false rumor. B&B 6 was still there as they had not yet moved, but due to the holiday weekend, no one was around. I did manage to slip a note into the message can with my new telephone and room number at least. I had gotten them when I took my stuff over to Wilson Hall before I left Flag.
This sudden shocking event was confirmed on the morning of May 30 when the crew got back from the holiday. Of course there were officials and others around so there was no way I could go over and even speak to Dusty. There was nothing 'official' about our relationship at that point except between the two of us and I would just have added confusion and maybe worse if I showed up. We did see he was there, anyway, and I was fairly sure he found my note. I believe the local came in that day. By Thursday, at the latest, they cut Dusty's camp car out of the consist and took it away for a few days.
Charlie Mike and I guessed they took it to Kingman which was his home of record so he could get his things out, then took it on to the new foreman's location to get his possessions and brought it back. I knew Dusty had a couch, a desk, a few chairs, a bed and a refrigerator that were his and of course his personal things. I have no idea what he managed to do with it all because he had been renting a small trailer to live in and he was now unemployed.
Despite this shock and anguish, about which both Charlie Mike and I carefully said no word in our parent's hearing, everything else was fairly 'typical' of the situation at home at that time. We had animals to take care of and tried to get them exercised, fed and watered. School at Mingus was not quite out yet so Charlie went up to Jerome for a few more days as I took the chores back. I rode Buzzie quite a bit. She had picked up some and was doing better. The others were all okay.. I was too busy and really hardly dared try to go check the message can. There was more than enough to keep me distracted and constrained. If Dusty left me anything, I never found it. Probably there was nothing or the can probably fell unnoticed when they uncoupled the two cars anyway.
I went to the Mingus graduation with Charlie Mike, not sure of the date, probably June 7 rather than May 31 but do not know. We took the bus up from Clarkdale. I saw almost no one I knew and felt misplaced and lonely. I did not speak to Jim at all as he was running around and Charlie Mike said there was now a rumor I was PG and he was the father so low profile seemed the best . I later wrote him a somewhat sharp letter since I was slightly offended anyway. He apologized later and it was okay on through the summer.
The conflicts in which the folks were increasingly more deeply involved were accelerating at a geometric rate. I began to suspect it all would end very badly which it did eventually, late in the summer. The summer was not off to an auspicious start at that point anyway. I was glad I had someplace to go back to, actually very thankful. I am not sure if B&B 6 was soon moved or not, probably later than mid June. For me though, that siding was now forever empty. I had photographs and memories and that was all that remained.
Photos: I'd just do dark clouds but as I said, it was not really the end for everything yet but definitely not all right. So some other scenes: First the empty Clarkdale rail yard. This was from late spring 1965 but the view was the same except the smelter stack was now gone Next is Buzzie; she was a bit skinnier than this at that time but rough coated as she had not been brushed out much from spring shedding. And last, this was in Whetstone many years later but the feeling of foreboding comes through very strong. It felt like a loaded pack to me at first as I started back to Flagstaff.
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