Monday Memoir, Sept 19, 1964

 September 1964 was a month of drama and changes and trying to find myself or get grounded again.  "Dusty" became part of my life and remained there for a number of years. Our story did not have a happy ending but since as the Irish say "It will be all right in the end. If it is not all right, it is not the end." I have always called our tale The Unfinished Story. Perhaps it will continue somewhere or somewhen else.

Sept 19, 1964

I got up and made myself go out and do my chores. It wasn’t easy though. We drove out and got back about 10:00. No trouble at least. I was late but went right to work. Leading Chief across the river, I saw B&B 6's supplies come and an extra bunk car too. More workers coming in? Rode past; Jim W was home but I didn’t stop. It would be betraying “Dusty” to ask someone else about him, let him tell me himself. I led everyone some today since we’re going to work on Red tomorrow. Ship him out Monday if possible. I got my chores done at 1:30. After lunch Charlie Mike and I hiked up past the camp cars and up to the old dump. Tony and a new guy were there with Jim, so we didn’t stop. Too soon it was chore time. We managed all that uneventfully. After supper (tamales) I wrote to Art and fretted. Yes, that’s write. Darn, it’s silly; C asked me to go out the first day after Dan left. Said he had looked for me the day before too. Wild, no? Wonder why? I hadn’t paid a bit of attention to him really. I guess he was here when I asked about Dan’s car. Then he stayed over one weekend in May or June and had some visitors.  And I recall that he looked at me hard that day. Then I don’t remember anything about him 'til that day the folks went to Flag. (Aug  19)  He sure looked me over that day. Of course I was asking for it. He said “Don’t go away mad” and a few other things. That was the day before they pulled out. As I talked to him, his cold blue eyes never left me a minute. Why I took a dislike to him then or earlier I don’t know. No reason, really. Then I hadn’t seen him any more 'til the day I talked to the T-bird guy. I was still disgusted; the next day he waved at me and all that time I wanted to see Danny. And then that fatal Friday and suddenly it was different. And then… And then…And now I can’t wait to see him again. I’m about the craziest. If I though I’d goofed with Danny…but I think he has taken it as a challenge --like when I said he bugged me in Dan’s note etc. And I gave him stare for stare at the bridge.  It’s been there between us all the time--he was challenging me with  his eyes, with his thoughts. Wants me because I’m different etc. I guess.   Well, even if it kills me I’m going to make him come to me next week. I’d better. I’ve got to lay down the challenge to him now. Does he want me that much? This afternoon I suddenly "saw" him lying in sand, face down, wearing plaid swimming trunks and a kid was pouring sand on his back. ESP?? I have to ask him Will he hunt me on Monday? I can’t wait to find out but I'll keep away from that damn bridge. I will.

Yes, I was in a dither and floundering right at this point, very confused with a number of unanswered questions. In the next week or so a few incidents occurred that clarified much and soon rather set the new connection solidly.  Sometimes fate, destiny or some Power Beyond pulls strings and makes odd things happen. 

Okay--Jim W and Tony were some guys on the gang that Charlie Mike and I had met. The dump I mention was up Bitter Creek past the old warehouse and I think is not accessible now but then it was. There was a lot of sun colored glass buried in it and we dug out a trove of pieces, even many whole and unbroken items, and lugged them home. I'd been fascinated with sun colored old glass for a long while and found this really neat. 

For those who may not be familiar with this mainly southwestern phenomenon, let me explain. Back in the late 1800s and early 1900s, glass was made with certain chemicals and content that reacted to the strong southwestern sun so that many pieces turned various shades of purple from pale lavender to a deep royal hue. Some also turned yellow or golden but this was more rare. Many old mine camps and ghost towns had "buried treasure" of this kind and people have collected it over the years. It is thus hard to find now but one can luck out at times still.

In a recent converation when Dusty asked me to go to the movie, I had said maybe Friday, knowing he would not be there since they quit at noon on Friday (four nine hour days and one four) so everyone could go home or out to party. He lived in Kingman and said he'd be "swimming in the Colorado River that evening." Maybe that triggered my brief vision.  This sort of thing was not uncommon but what it meant or indicated I have no idea.

Who was Art? I am assuming a pen pal but not a significant one since I get no mental image at all! I guess Charlie Mike and I could have gone out wandering that evening--until our 10:00 curfew!-- but apparently we did not. He was in 8th grade this year. 

Photos: First is Clarkdale-- not my photo--but the dump is/was just out of the frame on the lower left on the edge of the canyon. The next is the rail yard about 1964-65. The track used of the work trains is empty and beside the dark buildings, above the road bridge. Finally three pieces of sun colored glass that I still have. Much of my collection was lost and broken and I still have some more packed away which I hesitate to try to unpack but these show what it looks like. They all now sit on a chest of drawers in the "Red Dog Room."