When you read today's entry, it is soon clear a lot had happened. That is almost an understatement!! In some ways I guess it could be termed the beginning of the end but the finale was still long in coming--a year and some, actually. Instead of explaining I will pick up and cover bits of a few intervening days to give this day a context. right after this journal page.
Sept 30, 1966
I managed to keep busy. To Accounting at 9:00 and then caught up on
my homework so I’d have nothing to take home. Lunch and off to History. It
began to rain. When I got back to the dorm I checked my message box and found a
note from Dad. I guess I am psychic because something told me to check. I got my
photos back but they gave me credit for
bad ones instead of film as it was most of the roll. I was a little peeved. At
3:00 I got restless and left with my purse, little blue overnight case and
little blue umbrella. It had really rained and hailed uptown and it was a
mess. I slogged along. We missed but the Boss finally came back to the
courthouse and found me so we left. Went
to the bank to sign an affidavit (more of those damn things) and I saw another “Dusty
look alike” but this guy wore engineer boots, a non-western shirt, and had a
roman nose and a beer belly. But he sure looked at me strangely. We went home
via the Montezuma Stable to see the animals and I got all the details of the
past two weeks. It is really something. It had rained and rained and rained. But I
was glad to be home for a bit anyway.
I mentioned the storm on the 19th and clearly it went on for some time. Must have been one of those tropical storms that came inland. As I said in last entry, the folks went out and struggled to get the pasture fences back up but that was a futile and wasted effort. Midweek, I think the 27th, I got letters from Mom and Charlie Mike and learned that all the pasture stock have been rounded up, loaded into a big stock or cattle type truck and hauled away to be impounded about Thursday the 22nd Only Prez and Peachy were not found, probably off somewhere on the river. This becomes significant before long, like next time. The only animals left in our control were those kept in Clarkdale, seven equines and one donkey.
I was really not shocked because we'd had conflicts over trespass issues and such for so long and the lease payments on the pasture had not been made for several months. It was inevitable. The odd thing really was it had not happened sooner. I felt guilty and sorry about it for awhile but came to realize my presence or absence would have made no difference. It might have actually been worse if I were there and did something stupid.
In some ways I was very mad; the Old Man should have seen this coming and taken some action like disposing of some of the animals, relocating them or ??? But he was too blind, stubborn and/or defiant, and too wrapped up in the effing lawsuits! I was glad at that point Tina was gone and Little Dusty although I was sad for Rico and Bravo and some of the mares and favorite mules but I knew in my heart they would be better off. From my departure on, they would not have gotten the care they deserved and needed. Charlie Mike could not do it on his own and had to go to school. Still that was several thousand dollars basically pissed down the drain. Even at slaughter rates. those 25-30 head were worth a significant amount. I have no accurate count but estimate that number. So very foolish and so damned typical. .
On to a few other things. I spent the weekend of 24-25 in Flag, walked a lot, and saw Maureen (Jewell--old Mingus friend) at the depot. She was going to Albuquerque and promised to write but it seems she never did; she just vanished. I think I have found her on FB but no response. I skipped the rodeo club picnic/barbecue as it was raining. Sunday I actually got dressed and went to church, to the pretty one up Beaver. It was Methodist so not unfamiliar but everyone was 60 or more it seemed and I knew I would not go back although they were very nice. I think that was the last time I stepped into a church except for a few required funerals and weddings. What I was needing or trying to find did not seem to be there. I knew little about Pagan beliefs then but eventually found them and knew it was right for me.
Monday the 26th I saw Jerry Airth, another old Mingus alum. He had been part of my Mingus Spirit staff in 1962. He was now doing graduate work and a TA in the English Department. We went and had coffee and visited a few times. So much of the day-to-day was now even more routine than it had been as a cowboy girl. Nearly a month into my coed life, I said I cannot regret it. It was a choice I had to make, a fork to be taken. I will miss some things for the rest of my life but everything has to be bought in some way or another.
The first weekend of October at home will keep until next week but I will mention I soon finally heard from Dusty after I was back at Flag! More on that next time. No, I an not trying to create cliff hangers!
A few more scattered photos, looking back in the dusty vaults. First two of the family working on the flooded fence. Mom and the boys and then Charlie Mike--maybe posed as he cannot recall dad letting him use the chain saw. Next looking down on a familiar scene really never to be visited again. And two more from NAU. First at Homecoming with some of the guys pulling the old Lumberjack Wheels in the parade. (football players or foresters? Not sure!) and a view from the NE corner of the North Quad toward the SF Peaks. There are many more buildings around there now.
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