Not One More Minute

There is a lady who comes into my business about once a month or so.

She was always friendly, smiling, perhaps wound a little too tight but we always had short and enjoyable conversations.

One day a few weeks ago our conversation veered towards kayaking.

Spring and early summer were cold and wet (even by western-Rocky Mountain Region standards) and I was commiserating about having only paddled a couple of times so far this year.

As the conversation progressed we checked the weather forecast and (since I had two kayaks) we decided that we would kayak together on Sunday morning.

The lady met me at the house, we loaded boats into the back of the Suburban (since LC had the truck full of wood) and we headed two miles down the South Fork Highway, turned onto the Lower South Fork Rd and pulled into a dirt circular driveway ready and enthusiastic to be heading out onto the water.

As we were unloading the kayaks we heard the first clap of thunder off in the distance...................

It had been mostly sunny when we left the house, and only fifteen minutes later the sky was rapidly looking more ominous.

With a disappointed sigh, we looked at the colorful boats, looked up at the sky again, and decided that we would wait out the weather.

As we quietly chatted we glanced up at the sky every few minutes, watching as a band of dark clouds rapidly moved over us and continued on their way to Carter Mountain.....................

Still hearing occasional claps of thunder but watching as the ominous clouds continued on their journey away from us, the lady and I decided to risk it.

We were ready to paddle.

The sky was mostly watery blue.

It was warm and the lake was mostly calm

We were ready to go......................

Looking at mountains on the back side of Buffalo Bill Reservoir as we left shore and headed out..................

It was still early enough in the season that this section of the reservoir was still filled with birds.

Small islands dotted the water.

Nesting areas for pelicans, ducks and seagulls.

Very quickly we both fell into an easy going combination of paddling, picture taking, and conversation.................

I learned a lot about this lady while paddling that I didn't know before, and I actually spent more time listening that I did talking.

Case workers - drug addiction - angry middle of the night text messages to fellow employees - problematic work histories.

By the time we headed back to the house and said our goodbyes the lady made the observation as she tried to hug me that I "wasn't a hugger".

Well yes............actually I am.  

Hugging often and at every opportunity.  With the less-than-a-handful of people with whom I care deeply.

Everyone else?  Not so much.

But I didn't say that of course.................

A week later this same lady stopped at my business.

We talked and laughed about the kayak trip.

And then she began to speak of her grandmother, who lives with her part time.

Quickly the conversation turned to how mean her grandmother was.  How difficult her grandmother was to care for.  

She made the observation that she had been trying (unsuccessfully) to find prescription drugs on the street to help control her grandmother.

I suggested an appointment for the grandmother so a doctor could review her medications and possibly prescribe something else to help with mood swings.

  I also cautioned against giving her grandmother illegal drugs that may conflict with other medications the older woman was already on.

The womans' response was that she didn't care about side effects.

And then she abruptly began to cry.

 And I wordlessly watched her cry.

Was I supposed to console her?  Put my arms around her?  Say something sympathetic?  

I don't know.

I did none of those things.

I wordlessly watched her cry for a few minutes until she eventually stopped.

She quickly changed moods and suggested that we should go kayaking together again soon.

I told her that I was not interested in kayaking with her again.  

That I preferred to paddle alone.  

But thank you for coming out with me last weekend.  I really enjoyed it.

And with that she left.

It was all very uncomfortable, but we both smiled and pretended that it wasn't uncomfortable.

And so it goes....................

LC was a law enforcement officer.

He was a member of a drug task force, and almost died in an ambush attack after a cartel-driven hit was put out on all five members of the task force.

He was very seriously injured.

Forced into medical retirement.

He lost his livelihood.  

He lost the job he loved.  

All that training over many years - down the drain. 

After all these years he still deals with health issues related to his injuries.

I'll be damned if I spend one more minute with this woman...................