I got started on the way out of town. I always did like the drive over Lookout pass. I decided to stop at the top for a break. Walked around a bit then sat down on a bench for a short while to enjoy the morning sun and the fresh air. I wasn't in that big a hurry. All at once a big beautiful, German Shepard dog came running up to me dragging a leash. She stopped in front of me and put her paw upon my knee. I reached out and petted her and said," What a beautiful lady you are., Where did you come from." I looked up about that time and saw a young woman looking for the dog. She spotted her over by me and came running. She said, " There you are you bad dog," as she shook her finger at her. She said, "I hope she isn't bothering you, I stopped to get a rock out of my shoe and the next thing she was gone." I laughed and patted the dog some more. I said , She is a beautiful lady, what is her name?" " That's it .' "she said. " Lady' . I petted Lady again and asked if she was on vacation. She replied, " No, she lived in Spokane with her Father and they were going to Billings, MT . to spend a few weeks with her Mother, before she started college." . She wanted to be a nurse. She asked if I was on vacation to which I said," not really, I'm on my way to a new job." " Doing what", she asked? " Well truth be known, I'm going to be a prospector." "Wow", " That sounds interesting, oops, there's Dad waving to me, gotta go.. Come on now Lady," she said as she ran away. " cute kid," I said to myself.
Back on the road again, I slid a disc into the player and was singing along with the Confederate Railroad. , who needed a little time out for bad behaviour. I finally got to the right exit, went into the tiny town and saw the sign showing the way to Blue Mountain. 5 miles it read.
The road left town and went up a short hill then out onto a broad valley. Looks like all ranch land. . Road ran along side a creek for a ways then up another rise. Way up the valley I could see the mountains. Darned if they didn't look a bit blur. Must be from all the blue spruce trees growing there. Down out of the side valleys were long broad mounds of glacial debris
Around a short bend, there it was. The big town of Blue Mountain. Population 753. Looked like about 6 or 7 businesses. I passed a building with 2 old gas pumps, a mercantile, post office combined. I saw a barber shop, beauty shop, gift shop combo as well. A cafe crowded in there between it and a parking lot. Most of these buildings were up on high foundations, and most were on the same side of the street. Had an old fashioned covered boardwalk along in front of them. I spotted the Blue Mountain Mining Company building. I parked, climbed the 3 steps to the boardwalk and went to the door. A screen door mind you. Guess they don't have air conditioning. Went inside and was greeted with a, "Hi there Sonny. Just in time. Just got here a while ago myself." He was sitting there by a table over in an alcove, with two other people. " Come on in and meet Darcie and Stan Edwards. They run this place." " Hello there Sonny, pleased to meet you", said Stan. " Glad to meet you too. but names Joe," I said as I smiled at Jeb. Darcie said, glad you could come ..Err Joe. Jeb here has been telling us all about you." "He tell you I'm gold?'. "Matter of fact he did mention it," Darcie said as she smiled at Jeb. After introductions were over, I looked at Jeb and Said, " Blue Mountain Mining company is a sand and gravel business?" "Ah, no Sonny. It is owned by the mining company but is a separate business, I'll tell you all about it later."
A burly guy burst in the back door, another screen door as well. " Howdy folks!" he exclaimed.
" Load me up again there Darcie., looks like I will be hauling all day.." " what about the other guys Keith," she asked? "They will be hauling ballast from the blast pit today." Darcie entered some info on the computer. The printer buzzed and clicked and Darcie handed him some papers. "So long folks" he said as he went out the back door .
I must have looked as puzzled as I felt, because she said, " there is a huge parking lot out back for trucks. She no more than got back to the table than another dude popped in. Darcie went to the computer and said, " What can I do for you today Jim?" "Well Darlin, you can give me ten bags of your black sand and two bags of your pea size crushed white quartz." Printer hummed and spit out a paper she handed him. " See ya later Darlin" then he was out the door.
"Black sand," I said. " what on earth would anyone want with black sand?" Darcie said, " He uses it to make pure black mortar you can't get with regular sand, even with black dye. That will turn a dark grey." She had to answer the phone and Jeb , Stan and I talked about my being a prospector. Darcie went out the back door and a while later she came in with a big tray, covered with a big checkered cloth. Pulled it off to reveal plates with huge roast beef sandwiches made with home made bread and a pile of thin sliced roast beef that smelled heavenly. I almost drooled. I think my stomach thought my throat had been cut, I felt that hungry, smelling those sandwiches. Darcie said, ' I know I should have asked you what you wanted to eat but never knew a man who didn't like roast beef." " Oh! this is fantastic. I didn't realize how hungry I was until I smelled them." I looked over at Jeb wondering how he would manage this. He reached in a pocket and pulled out some false teeth and clamped them in his mouth. "don't look at me like that, that pocket is just for teeth." And he went clack, clack. There were cups of horseradish sauce and a chef sauce Darcie said was spicy, but the horseradish sauce was hot. I lifted the top slice of bread and drizzled on some horseradish sauce. The beef was so juicy I could hear my arteries clogging up. Man this is the best sandwich I'd had in a long time. and Darcie wasn't kidding when she said the sauce was hot. I wondered if smoke was coming out of my ears. But it was so good. There was a plate of french fries and I used my fork to snare a few.
A bit later, I said, " did you know he carries a rodent in his pocket?" Darcie laughed and said< "You met Chester then I take it?" "Yeah! Quit unexpectedly I must say." I told her how and then Jeb told them about Tabitha the shriek and we all had a good laugh. Darcie pulled out another dish with paper plated turned upside down on it. Off came the plates to reveal a fresh peach pie she cut into four pieces and placed on plates and gave us each one. Pie and more coffee and I was ready to burst. Jeb rose and went into a door across the room. Stan said, "So you are going to be a prospector huh?" "Yeah! That is the plan." "Well you won't find a better partner, Joe." Jeb came out and had a tooth pick in his mouth, minus the teeth. " You might wan't to take a trip back there before we get the show on the road." He was right, I did.
Jeb and I said our thank you's and we all shook hands. Stan said, " Good luck there prospector" as we went out the door
To be continued..
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