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Today I arrived under the bridge early. It was a gorgeous fall day. So gorgeous that I abandoned all plans after work and headed straight to the Gorge to hike one of my favorite trails… Wahkeena Falls to Angel’s Rest. The leaves were in full color, bright yellow, and the wind roared through the trees [...]
Last week I barbecued solo. Travis sporadically decided to go play in Idaho and Mark never works the first Wednesday of the month. The week before I had made Dan a birthday cake. In reality I made him brownies with frosting and sprinkled with chocolate chips, but he didn’t know the difference. He loved it. [...]
“I’m a Boy Scout, to tell you frankly.” Wayne let out a wheezy, under-his-breath laugh. His wirey beard, of varying red shades, held an alert position and looked stiff as can be. He was wearing a baseball cap smudged with dirt and too many layers of clothes under his black down jacket. “I’m an Eagle [...]
On May 9th, twenty-ten, Brian turned twenty-two, again. Or at least that’s what he told Linda, our waitress at My Father’s Place diner and bar on Grand Avenue. It was Brian’s birthday. It was also Mother’s Day. It was beautiful and sunny with the bluest sky the world had ever seen, and we went out [...]
“Well, they finally did it,” Dan told me. “But I figure, after a couple years of not being bothered that’s pretty good, right?” Dan the Can Man had been raided by the police. While he was away, canning I assume, the police raided his camp and took everything he had. Including his sleeping bag. Now [...]
“I’m Smoke Box.” “What?” I asked in response. I pretty much heard him, but wasn’t sure if I’d heard correctly. But with meeting people who introduce themselves as ‘Gumball’ and ‘Moon Wolf’, it shouldn’t have taken me by surprise. “S-M-O-K-E-B-O-X,” he replied. He didn’t look much like a ‘Smoke Box’, but I could imagine ‘Smoke’ [...]
Dan showed up drunk. That was completely usual, but on this night he was not only drunk, but he wasn’t looking so good. I get excited to see Dan. Dan the Can Man comes and goes, is usually on some sort of mission, and is dumbfounded when he discovers himself to be sober. He’s one [...]
About three weeks ago, Travis and I arrived under the bridge ready to barbecue. People were scattered about, but, unlike other Wednesdays, were not waiting with eager, drooling anticipation for hot dogs. I noticed Bud sitting alone on the concrete wall where I normally set out the juice and condiments. I smiled when I saw [...]
“What type of horse did you used to ride?” I asked Jim. He’s a cowboy, you know. He raised his chest. “A Nevada Mus-tang,” he replied like taffy. “She was a chestnut, called her Sheba. Wanna know why I called her Sheba?” he asked me. “Because she rode like a qu-een.” Jim grew up in [...]
Brian rode his bike up Interstate, headed for Plaid Pantry. His trailer was broken, but he pulled it along. It was May 2nd, early in the morning, chilly, and he had one thing on his mind. Coffee. It was a part of his morning ritual… ride to Plaid Pantry, pump sixteen ounces of steaming French Roast into [...]
