Montana! I looked at the card again closer. Benjamin Jones, It read. " You're Benjamin Jones,' I asked. "Yep, but only my sainted mother called me Benjamin," he said as he tapped the card with the stem of his pipe. " everyone else calls me Jeb." " Where in the blazes is Blue Mountain, Montana," I asked? " Bout a 4 hour drive from here, Sonny. You take the freeway over Lookout pass and take the ramp off at the first podunk town you come to. Signs there will tell you how to get to Blue Mountain. Can't get lost, plan on being there at least 3 months."
Jeb got up to go and pushed the stuff I bought over my way. I stood up and gave him my hand. After we shook hands, he reached in his pocket , got the rock out and tossed it to me. Said, " This will give you something to think about." Then turned and gimped out. I tossed the rock up and down a couple of times, then looked at it again. Yep! Something to think about all right.
A rough looking dude peeled off from a group of other rough lookers, and sauntered over my way. " What you say there Sonny, Got an interesting rock? Mind if I take a look at it," then he took it out of my hand, looked at it real close, then tossed it up and down a couple of times. "Kinda heavy, looks like hematite.. Mind if I keep it?" " Yes, I mind," as I snatched it from his hand. " A friend just gave it to me." " Well you don't have to get huffy about it," he grumbled as he walked back to his group. Wow! I'm thinking. Some people have some nerve. Not to mention he ticked me off calling me Sonny. Those guys must have known Jeb and knew he had a claim, otherwise why bother me when they seen him toss me the rock. Wonder what color they are?
I gathered up my stuff and went out to my truck and put in in the canopy. Man I got a whole lot of stuff to get done if I'm going to get ready by Monday.
First off, I have to see the landlord of the apartment I have not far from the lake. I paid him 3 months in advance and told him to keep an eye on my place. Now I know he won't set foot near it.
When I got home, I fixed myself some lunch then sat down at my computer to make out a list of things I had to do. I knew I could depend on Marge next door to take care of things in my apartment while I was gone.
First I had to take my sleeping bags to the laundry. Next came the laundry right here.
When I got back, Marge was standing in the hall with my mail and wondered why I was home so early. I had to tell her about losing my job and about Jeb and the mine. I showed her the rock and told about that darn chipmunk. I put some clothes in the washer while I was talking to her. Mentioned as to how I was going to have to go to a thrift store and pick up some clothes to work in. She said not to get in too big a hurry there. She said, "remember that dude that stayed a while with me last year?" "yeah, but what has that to do with me?" "Well!" she said as she grabbed my arm and drug me out and over to her apartment across the hall. We went to a closet in her extra bedroom and she pointed at a large box. " He left and never came back. Left his clothes here. He was your size and I bet everything in this box will fit you. Perfectly good grubbies. All clean too. You might as well have them since I was just going to take them to the thrift store one day any way." We went back over to my place and I opened the box and looked through it. Great, 3 pair of jeans, right size. briefs, socks, tee shirts, and 2 pair shoes. A bit wider than mine but good enough to wade in the water with. Great, one thing to cross off the list. " Thanks a bunch Marge, this really helps me out.a lot. I'd like you to have the stuff in the fridge and freezer while I'm gone, and water my plants too." I knew there would be no problem there because I've gone the same thing for here a couple of times when she was out of town. "I'll take good care of things while you are gone. I can't get over it. You are going to be a prospector." "Well that's the plan, I said as I started putting the extra clothes in and old duffel bag.
Next day I went and got my sleeping bags and cleaned out the back of the truck. Put some of my other clothes in a bag. Put my pillow in a clean garbage bag and started to load stuff up in my truck.
I debated about taking my laptop but figured what the heck, it don't take that much room and I Can charge it from the cigarette lighter in the truck.
I sat down for a bit and looked over my list. Just about got everything done. The phone rang and I answered it. It was Julie and she was almost hysterical. " Joe! Joe! You got to help me" she cried. " This place is a madhouse, you got to come back and take over and fix things." " Whoa there gal, remember I was canned. I don't work there any more." " But the Boss wants you in tomorrow to straighten things out." she sobbed. " There are 4 other guys that work there, he can get one of them to do it. What happened anyway?"I asked? "The new guy screwed up all our orders and deleted a whole lot of stuff on that computer, he don't have an idea how to use." " That's just great, so the cowardly Boss asks you to call me because he knew I would do most anything for you, huh?" "But Joe, we are getting desperate.. All the other guys quit when they saw how that turkey messed things up and the Boss had canned you for him." Well! I'm sorry to let you down babe, but I have a new job already. In fact with what experience I have, I'm already a junior partner. Tell that cowardly Boss, no dice. And karma is a bitch." I hung up and laughed out loud. Yep karma is a real bitch, Boss. I might have stretched things a bit but what the heck. If that darn coward can't correct his own mistakes then he has no business being a Boss.
Next morning early I had coffee and toast with Marge. After a hug or two, I was ready to hit the road. "You are going to be a prospector now, Well take care and call me when you can," cried Marge After another hug, I was in the truck and on my way.
Blue Mountain, here I come.
To be continued..
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