PLANNING OUR WEDDING

I had been with Blythe for nearly a week and we had developed a pattern where we spent the evenings sipping wine and talking on the veranda.  I said:  "Blythe, I have been thinking about getting married at the campsite and I don't feel comfortible with it; not enough control over unforseen events.  She said she felt that way too and suggested the First Methodist Church where her parents were married.  "They have a little special place..a small auditorium called The Rose Room.  My Mother told me she had Song of India played before the ceremony.  I liked the idea very much and suggested we fly to Tahoe for our Honeymoon. "They have palatial Hotels and gambling if you wish"  She said she wasn't into gambling.  I said maybe we could just play the slots.  In typical Blythe fashion, she replied:  "Buddy, there is only one slot you better be intersted in."   It was catching.  I said "Yes, I hit the jackpot there once, it was the noisiest slot I ever played....all sorts of bells and whistles.   We agreed on Methodist wedding and Reno......slot(s).   She brought up Bob Key again and told me that my story gave her the "creeps."   I told Blythe about our fun in freaking people out and how we stared at people eating dinner at the tables along the window on Brand Blvd.  Then I told her about his foray in freaking out a Real Estate lady by pretending to be looking for a house and how she showed him a real nice big one and how she asked him if he had any fanily as the house had four bedroom and three baths.  "When he came to the first bath, he got down on his knees and stuck his face into the bowl and sniffed.  When she asked again about his family, he said he was single but there would be about five ladies staying there plus the Madame.   She absolutley freaked out and drove him back to her office and made him sit in the back seat where he sang to her.  Blythe simply said that she was glad I survived him.  The next day we drove to the Church and made arrangements for the Rose Room one week from today at 2:00 P.M.  I asked her to drive me to the airport to check on my plane.   I had the tank topped off, checked the oil level, did a walk around and fired it up.  Sounded good.  I told Blythe I would fly to Frisco the next morning and would fly back to Sacremento the afternoon before the day we were to be married.  This would give me time to make reservations at Reno and do a few other things.  It was a good day as we made good use of it.  (to be continued)

BLYTHE'S CURIOSITY ABOUT BOB KEY

We returned from our walk, pleasantly tired.  As neither of us were hungry, we settled in a porch swing in the veranda.  This was my favorite spot in her whole house...you could hear the splash of the fountain and the many birds of beautiful colors that knew about the bird feeders.  Humming birds knew about the nectar filled feeders hanging from the beams above us.  I mentioned how visiting had become a lost art... She agreed and mentioned how Nora and Lemuel had many neighbors come and just sit on the porch and talk.  "When I visted there, I heard many interesting stories.  One farmer told about lightning hitting his house.  "It came in through some tin nailed over a mouse hole in the wall and ran up the wall..circled around the old clock hanging on the wall...where he kept several sticks of dynamite..and then went out through the opened window. It blinded me for awhile.  I could trace its path by the burned path it made.....makes a good conversation piece......You mentioned, Bob, a man who became very close to you and then passed away....tell me about him."  I wished to maintain a degree of sanity in Blythe's eyes, at least until the knot was tied, so there would be no mention of his space craft as no one would believe it anyway.  "He seemed to come out of nowhere...there was a house for sale just up the block and one day...blam..there he was.  I delivered his paper and we got acquainted.  He was interesting because he reminded me of me....almost like I will be when I am seventy years old.  My folks also said he looked like I would look as an old man.  He seemed to have no end of money, yet he became a crossing guard down at a school I went to as a boy.  I told him about my obsession with a girl I liked when I went to that school....Jeanette....He seemed more interested in her than he should have been and actually led me to write to her after two years of living in another part of town.  He coached me in wooing.  At that, Blythe burst into laughter...."Wooing?"   Yes, he made me get my hair cut and dress in better clothes....he actually set me up on a date with her...we all went on a street car ride...and she kissed me for the first time.  It was a great day.  I never saw her again....she died suddenly from unknown troubles and Mr. Key died the same day.  I hesitate to tell you this because it sounds so fabricated, but you wanted to know."  :"How very  strange...it gives me the chills"  she said.  "Think of this, their deaths all at once caused me to excell in my studies and I received a full scholarship to college because of him.  We never would have met had it not been for Mr. Key."   "And Jeanette"  she added.  I then said:  "looking back, I think Mr. Key steered me away from a developing mental illness....I crawled into myself ..my own imaginery world where I imagined Spirits had favorite haunts such as trees and rocks, I burned incense and candles in my room and played sad music.  My grades were barely above failing.  Jeanette was just another member of that strange, mystical world,  Because I survived my self, those dual tragedies shocked me into reality. Because of my hands on experience with all of that, I have been able to help a number of young to escape from their own tangle."  "How absolutely amazing" Blythe said.  I said that I hoped that my story did not paint a cloud on her perception of me and she assured me that my openess and willing to share actually boosted her belief  that I would hide no secrets from her.  We both agreed that today had been the most unusually magic day of our lives.  Then we hugged, kissed, and said good night.  Tomorrow...getting ready to turn another page of our book....What a day...today cannot be surpassed..(to be continued)

A NICE WALK AND CRAZY IDEAS

Blythe came out of her momentery sadness.  Both of us were surprised how easily it is to get wrapped up in memories.  "Blythe...I have told you my story and you told me several stories..let's just talk when we feel like it and not face a talk as an assignment.  Let's just be happy and think happy thoughts."   She thought that a good idea and asked if I would like some more dirt in my wine,  Blythe was ok!!  I said:  "It's been quite a day; finding your rings, my proposal, getting engaged, our trips into the passed....what a day I will never forget....I wonder if we will sleep tonight."   Blythe responded:  "Bob, I went through a time of insomnia....going to sleep became a worry...I kept waiting for sleep to come to me.....it didn't until I developed a reckless attitude about sleeping....if I sleep ok, if I don't, that's ok too..I will just enjoy resting...it worked."   I suggested we go for a walk.  We walked at a leisurely pace through the old but top shelf in Victorian style homes...all beautifully landscaped. We got to talking about dreams.  I told her that dreams really fascinated me. " My dreams come in themes", I said. " I have my swimming dreams where I can swim like an Olympic person, I can't swim at all, I have my flying dreams....many of them, and they are very frightening...one time the pilot flew a big passenger jet through a tunnel and clipped off both wings. And then I have dreams where I can fly like Superman...I take people for rides by just holding them next to me.  Sometimes, I lose control and I go up very high.  Heights scare me to death...it even bothers me to stand on the ground and look up at a tall building right next to me...I am afraid gravity will release and I will fly up to the top."   Blythe said:  "Now Bob, you are a psychologist and you must know what all those mean."  "I haven't a clue....the dreams are very detailed and they demand a designer of sorts.  I think there is a search engine of the mind and it goes about gathering real life impressions which are still stored in the brain and fits them all together somehow....I do not believe dreams are random.  They are a design for some unknown reason."  Blythe said that she seldom dreams, but when she does, they are funny and she wakes up laughing....all except her horrible dream which she told me about..."That one set me back a piece."  There was a long stretch of sidewalk ahead of us and I told her I could run faster backwards than she could front wards.  She then apprised me that she was on the High School Track Team and set the record for girls in 100 yd dash.  I told her I was just kidding about racing her ! Then, she started talking about the wedding.  "Bob, it is your wedding too.  Usually, the Bride does all the planning and usually they want to get the most of every thing far beyond her budget....my affection for small and precious extends to the wedding too.  I want your feed back on this....As for me, I would like a very small and precious wedding..not trumped up...The place where we get married is of the highest importance to me....I am intrigued with a place very unique..I am thinking of our camp site."   I told her that I was typically a male and it didn't matter to me....initially, I liked the camp site idea and took it a step further and said we could haul a very nice bed with all the trimmings up there and a big tent and have our.....second night there.  She burst into laughing and said...."I love it".......(to be continued)

GETTING ENGAGED

Blythe and I enjoyed her delicious Avocado and Tuna sandwiches with iced tea.  I waited on her by carrying the plates and glasses inside. Instead of putting the dirty dishes in sink, I rinsed them off and put them in the dish washer. She was very impressed.  I glanced at my watch and said  "Hey Chick, we can go down and pick up your ring.  I forgot to tell you we also bought her wedding band to go with the engagement ring.  The rings were ready and the man who waited on us was all smiles as we were also.  He offered his congratulations and said we would have very good looking kids.  Oh, yeah?  Blythe wanted to put her ring on right away and I told her I wanted to propose first and I would put it on.  She seemed to like that.  She had one stipulation, I would propose as soon as we were at her place.  I then had to decide where I wanted to propose.  She said in the back yard by the fountain would be nice.  So, out we went to the fountain..facing each other.  I got down on one knee and said:   Blythe, life has been good and also hard on me, but God in His great mercy has brought you into my life.    A ray of sunshine, a heavenly choir of angels.  In the short time I have known you, I realize you are someone special....I love you with all my heart and always will.  Blythe, will you marry me."   She replied: "Bob, I have been blessed with wonderful parents and a good home and lots of friends.  Still and all, there was a vacuum, a hole in my life.  Bob, you have filled that hole and given me life anew...Yes, Bob, I will marry you." I stood and said I love you as I placed her ring on her finger.  It was special..so rushed..yet..it seemed to be in slow motion.  We embraced and swayed abit. "Now lets go up and sit on the veranda and I will tell you about my life.  I am nervous because your life is so much more interesting than mine, and you are a great orator, but, I will try." She asked if we could enjoy some really great wine first.  "Of course, thank   you"     She   described the wine as having a "Dirt strewn dark fruit flavor"  It was Chateu Pegros Medium...1964.  With that and her story..I just couldn't wait.....(to be continued)

BLYTHE WANTS TO KNOW.....

(Welcome, Ireland, I love the group Keltic Thunder ! )  Anyway, we seated ourselves on her most lovely veranda and she asked me to tell about my child hood and growing up in Glendale. I told her I was too wordy to go into all that as we would be there forever.  She said that she loved detail and, perhaps, we could do it in sessions.  I began by telling her I was not a natural born American..I was a C-Section !   "I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and like you, I am an only child for the same reasons as your Mom's.  The first five years of my life were spent in our country home a few miles out of Tulsa.  There were a few houses scattered about, but mostly farm land.  I became fascinated with most every thing that moved..like the hay balers.  My mom's sheets blowing in the wind scared me.  When I was five, my Father was transferred to the Los Angeles office of Amerada Petroleum where he eventually became their chief accountant.  They bought a middle class house in a middle class neighborhood and our street, Norton St., was well stocked with all kinds and ages of kids, including a bully who made my life miserable; I was deathly afraid of him.  He was about five years older than I and he picked on me because he knew he could scare me.  My first few years in elementery school were very traumatic.  I simply was afraid of my teachers and I wanted my Mother,  I grew out of that.  My parents gave me pretty much free reign as it was not a dangerous time back then.  One time I turned up missing and the neighbors searched for me and found me sitting on my tricycle on busy San Fernando Road,  I was watching the signal lights change colors.  We moved to upper Glendale and I entered puberty with all of its upsets.  I became a little punk in looks, trying to re-invent myself.  This alienated me from my Dad and there were about three years when I absolutely felt un-wanted.  A very nice man named Bob Key moved in up the street and we became good friends.  He taught me alot.  When he passed away un-expectedly, I  became very angry.  I needed to beat something to death and so I chose what I resented most: school teachers and their "try to fool you"  tests.  I waged war on them and spent a number of years studying night and day in order get back at those who wanted to show how stupid I was.  That was the way I thought back then.  I had a 4.0 G.P.A in high school and dropped an A-Bomb on the equivelant of the S.A.T. today.  I received  scholarship to the University of Illinois and took my Ph.D in Psychology there.  Eventually, I opened my own practice in San Francisco and was very fortunate there.  Years of seeing people in all sorts of trouble took its toll on me, so I closed my business and retired. Then, I met you and here we are.....how was that?"  She replied:  "That was the most intersting life's story I ever heard;  you should write a book...I would help you"  I expressed my appreciation, but did not feel like that right now....I just want to be with you..if that is OK......"'That is ok..I will even let you drive my Pontiac"   She gave me a pat on the head and told me she was hungry and would make some sandwiches for us.  I said "Blythe, I want to hear your story too..when ever you feel  like it"    "We'll see"  she said and headed for the kitchen. I went out to walk around in her back yard...(to be continued)

BLYTHE FOUND HER RING !!!

We entered Moody's Jewelry and were fortunate to have a very astute gem specialist wait on us.  I told him I wanted to buy my intended the best diamond engagement ring in the store, but she could select the cut and size.  He explained how diamonds are graded.  I jumped in.."something smaller and precious."  Blythe kindly told me to shut up as this was her party.  After about an hour and looking at almost every ring in the store, her eyes fell on one particular ring.  She asked about "that one...that one right there"  The jeweler unlocked the case and brought it out.  In the process, I saw immediately it threw alot of fire for its size.  She tried it on and it was too big, but we could have it sized.  She put it on and moved her hand around...staring at it all the time.  The jeweller complimented her on her interest as it was a perfect blue white with a "hearts and arrows cut".  It was only a 0.5 carat and I liked the sound of a larger carat.  The jeweler reminded me of the small and precious comment.  " One half carat isn't small as small goes" he said.  Blythe was mesmorized by it.  "Honey, I just love it....I don't want to break your bank, but if it isn't too much, this is my choice"  I told the jeweller to ring it up and I would write a check.  I also asked him to size it for her.  I also asked when she could pick it up.  He could tell the excitement we all had and told me she could pick it up later in the day...about 5 P.M .  Oh boy...I wrote the check and I could see it must be  the perfect diamond.  There would be no way I would tell her what it cost.  We left riding on cloud nine.  On the way home, I told Blythe how ignorant I was in proposing, seeings I had never done it before.  'I think I am supposed to give you the ring when I propose, but I have already proposed to you." I whined.  Typical Blythe practicality came into play:..."Well, propose again."   I looked at my watch and in about three hours we could pick it up.  She parked her beloved Pontiac and we sat down on her back "porch" and just talked.   (to be continued)

FINDING HER RING

We had barely backed out of her driveway when I began a talk with her.  "Blythe,  I am financially comfortable too, and as you are very special to me, I want to go to a fine jewelry store.....you know Sacramento and I don't...so...please..."  "Bob, I understand, you want to get me something really nice in rings....Though I am well off too, I have a peculiar dis-like for people who like to flaunt their wealth.  I prefer small and very precious..that is what I would like....that is why I drive Dad's old car...it was precious to him and he swore he would never sell it...he kept it and bought a Lincoln Continental. He swore the Pontiac was a better car.  I think Moody's jewelry would be the place for us to look.  I said "Blythe, all I want is what you want...you will wear them...get something that is the personification of you...small and precious"...she took her eyes off of the road and kissed me....yep..small and precious...(to be continued)

THE CENTER OF MY UNIVERSE

I awakened to find it was late in the morning, and I assumed Blythe had done likewise.  Not so.  I showered, shaved, (my face!), and put on my Bermuda shorts, racey tee shirt, and my tennis shoes.  I found her buzzing around her kitchen; she turned and said "Good Morning sleepy head, how did you rest?"  I told her I felt like a million dollars and asked "How do you feel and why are you up working so early?"   " I feel like a wonder woman who can throw you out of bed anyday."  We hugged and kissed abit.  "Here, lets have coffee out on my back porch"  She poured the coffee and we went out onto the porch as she called it.  It was actually a grand veranda with large, rough cut beams going from house to the outer support beam about ten feet from the house.  The beams were covered in fig vines and the view out the back was a panorama of beauty.  Flowering shrubs, a few trees, and a magnificent pond with a fountain.  I was speechless.  "Blythe, this is so beautiful..it must be a full time job keeping it up."   "Yes, I can't do it..I have a gardner and this is almost his full time job"   She must have felt I was dying for some information, which I was....not nosey curiosity..but just the story behind it.  She is so sensitive...at the right moments, she saves me from asking.  "As I told you, I am an only child.  My Father was a gourmet chef and worked for several fine restaurants.  He did so well, he opened his own Restaurant, The Embers, and that is where he did very well.  His success allowed Mom and Dad to live very well...me too.  I had an ideal, story-book childhood.  My parents had an ideal marriage...they loved each other so much...never did I see them argue.  They were able to send me to Stanford where I earned a Masters in Journalism.  I don't have to work, but I choose to as I love my profession. It keeps me busy and out of trouble."  I had to smile at that one !  She continued: " I have never yearned for anything except for one....someone to love....now I am frustrated because I no longer want a thing!"  I replied: "Blythe, I must tell you, I am worried I might not be good enough for you, I am afraid I might dis-appoint you."   She said: "You would dis-appoint me if you became anything other than you are...I am faulty as I demonstrated when I showed you how far I could pee....that was crude...but I enjoyed it."   I said :  But Blythe...it  was so honest and child like..it was onery..."  We went back into the house and sat at her kitchen table;  she had prepared Eggs Benedict.  I said "Now I know where you got your cullinery skills, your Father"   "Yes, he had something to do with it"  After breakfast and another cup of coffee, I asked her if she was ready to go shopping.  "Yes I am"  I loved her 1948 Pontiac...and away we went......(to be continued) 

BLYTHE'S LITTLE TALK WITH ME

After we got home, we both decided to go to bed as it was in the wee hours of the morning.  Blythe put her hands on my shoulders and told me how happy she was and thanked me for a lovely evening.....then she said  "Bob, I want to talk to you about something, and I hope you understand.  We both had sex up at the camp and it was so wonderful to feel you in me.  I have strong feelings that sex is for married people, and we should wait until we are married, I want us to sleep in separate beds."   I respected her even more and told her how much I agreed and respected her moral values. I told her I was very excited about getting her engagement ring and I would like to go shopping with her ..maybe tomorrow.  She said she could not wait and agreed we would look tomorrow....today she meant.  We kissed good night and both of us went to bed.....oh so happy....(to be continued)

DINNER WITH BLYTHE...

Blythe had exquisite tastes for restaurants.  She was quick to tell me that this would be on her and I was quick to say no it won't...behave!!  It was a little late for the Dinner crowd and we selected a nice table.   There was a big candle lit in the middle of the table.  Snowy white and starched table cloth and folded napkins. We told the very gracious waitress that we would spend a little more time there than usual and she said it would be quite ok.  We ordered two glasses of Cabernet Sauvignon  and just enjoyed the soft and low music playing.  I mentioned how music was used to enhance the business, and usually it was too loud and vocals worthy of a dive.  She said that the restaurants wanted you to order, eat, pay, and get out quick. I then suggested the reason they played music on cruises was to assure the passengers that they really were having a good time and it wasn't their imagination.  We had a delicious dinner of Crab and Steak plus the sides. I felt too full for dessert so we ordered a couple of Creme De Menths.  We gazed into each others eyes and I became a certain kind of dizzy...the World was spinning and it was not the wine.  A marvelous thing happened...JUST SAY IT.....It boomed in my ears.  So, I just said it:  "Blythe......"   'Yes, Bob."...."Blythe...."      "I am still here, Bob"      "Blythe, I love you, will you Marry me?"     "Yes, Bob, I will marry you"....The candle light drew us into the most wonderful assurance that we would get along just fine.  I do not remember anything else....Somehow, we floated to her home on a fleecy  cloud and both of us were babbling like idiots....(to be continued)

SNOOZE AND GAMES

I awakened from our afternoon nap.  Something was tickling my right foot and it happened to be Blythe's toe.  I decided to pretend to not wake up.  Having no succes with her toe, she leaned over and started whispering in my ear:  "Bob, can you hear me?...I know you can...you are being difficult, aren't you?....Bob, I am staring at your face now....do you imagine a little tickle in your cheek like you want to smile...Bob...you know you do, you don't fool me.... Bob, your lips look like they are twitching...you are being stubbern again...tickle tickle tickle"  I could no longer stand it and broke into laughter.  She then threw her self on me and raised her arms in triumph.  I said:  "I bet I can throw you out of bed"  She said:  "Hah, just try it"  I wanted to simulate a real try at staying in bed but losing...she grabbed me around the shoulders and rolled to the left and I was crying for help..."Oh my word, she is stronger than I thought...oh no, I am near the edge:  Blythe was roaring with delight  she loved this...Over I went, right on the floor, lying face up, staring at the ceiling.  Her head popped into view  and she was lying cross ways on the bed and laughing at me.  I remained on the floor and said"  "Blythe, our day is all out of sync.....here we are waking up when we should be getting ready to go out.  May I take you out for dinner?"  She put her finger to her mouth and said   ....Maaay beee.  She jumped out of bed and headed for the shower right off the bedroom.  I crawled back into bed and just thought.  Pretty soon, she emerged from the shower stark naked.  She stopped and asked "Do see anything different?"  As we always do in situations like that, my eyes went immediately to her,,,,,,,and she had shaved it...bald...."Yes, I really like it"    She countered  "What's it?"    "Why your hair...it looks....it looks nice after you washed it and it streams down your body..I mean shoulders.."  "Little boy, you are beating around the bush".....I wasn't sure if she was being clever or just using a cliche.   I said; "No I most certainly am not,,,,,there is no bush to beat around"   I can play her game too.  We could no longer contain our laughter; after we stopped laughing I said:  "I love it that way and I feel like a weirdo saying that.....why did you do it?"  She said alot  of women do it and I think it makes them feel sexier.  Actually, it is a plus in personal hygene, I only have to pat it dry after I go."   I said, as Dr. Bob might say " I think there is another reason....it harks back to childhood...which means men see it as an inexperienced, immature, un-spoiled area which makes them feel that they are in charge of the situation. "  I showered, shaved, but did not alter my pubic hair!!  we dressed nice casual and we found a restaurant she really liked.  It was a good time of night..a little on the late side, but just right for us.  I decided I was going to propose to her that night.  I felt so very insecure, all my training was doing me no good......(to be continued)

SEEING BLYTHE AGAIN-SACRAMENTO

Per our plans via phone, I flew into Sacramento International and parked my plane in the private plane area.  I got on my cell phone and directed her on how to drive to where I was. I could not wait to see what she was driving, and was I surprised at what I saw.  She was driving a restored 48 Pontiac Silver Streak 8.  We hugged and kissed....and then...I said...."What a beautiful old car; where did you get this?"  "It was my Parent's car, they never sold it...it just stayed in the garage.  I am an only child...I also live in their old home....I want you to see it,  I have had it fixed up abit."   "I would love to".    I put my suitcase in the trunk and she drove us to her home. I told her that I had often dreamed about being old and still living in my parent's home and it was not a good dream; I was there because I went nowhere in life and I was stuck there out of charity.  She replied:  :"Bob, I can see how that would be awful; but you have done well and accomplished much, so, what does that say about dreams?"  I asked her: "Did you ever want a sister or brother...I sure did."  Yes, I remember asking Mother to have another...she couldn't due to female problems."   We reached her home \and she turned in.  A very attractive old house with lots of gingerbread....a Victorian style house.  It was landscaped beautifully...Palms along the street and lots of flowering bushes  big front porch with old timy swings.  "Oh,Blythe...what a beautiful house...I bet alot of that is your work."  "Yes, it all is...and thank you......Bob, I hope this does not upset you, but I am not feeling too well and can we just stay here instead of flying to Tahoe?"   "Of course,  This is more conducive to talking anyway....I wished you had called me and told me you didn't feel well, I would not have come down."  She said:  "I feel well enough to be in your company, you do me good....Mr. Deutritice"   I said "You will never forget that word, will you?"  "No, it's mine now...you gave it to me."   We got out of the car and went inside.  It was totally beautiful....lots of antique furniture and lovely Persian rugs.  She said "I will show you to your room.  It was upstairs and was so very nice.  Large Oak Chest of Drawera,  a pull down desk, an old fashioned double bed with tall posts at each corner....old decorated kerosene lamps....absolutely beautiful.  She asked if she could fix me something to eat and I thanked her, but said no.  "Let's just sit or lie down somewhere and sleep or talk..I am so tired"  I said.  "Me too"   We pulled back the covers on "my" old bed...a lovely old quilt folded and across the bottom...Without any need to confer, we took off our clothes down to under ware.  planted our heads into the deep and squoozy feather pillows and soon went to sleep.   (to be continued)  

MY AIRPLANE

Up until now, I rented a plane when I felt like flying.  I had taken training and receiced my pilot's license and flew quite abit until my business became so demanding.  Now that I have decided to retire and met Blythe, the thought of driving to Sacramento seemed like more than I was up to in terms of driving.  I rented a plane for a day and flew to Lake Tahoe and back to Frisco.  I practiced a few touch and goes and performed a Chandelle or two.  I decided I needed my own plane for trips to Sacramento and also to take Blythe for trips.  I decided on a good used Beech 35.  Great airplane and it had one of those V tails like the old Avions.  I practiced alot before taking Blythe somewhere.  I practiced my stalls and purposely got myself into demanding situations like flying over the Sierras.  I was not afraid of dying itself, it was how I died.  I made it a point to double check my flight path and look at the topography I would fly over.  Clear Air Turbulance was a great concern..lenticular clouds was a good indicator.  Carole Lombard, the beautiful actress in the 40's was a good reason to double check your flight plan.  The pilot of that ill fated DC-3 had to land at Vegas instead of a field further South.  He failed to revise his plight plan and flew into a mountain that was not in the way on the original plan.  Searchers did find her body..decapitated..and could only ID her because of a small shred of hair that had not beem burned off.  Her left hand with a huge Diamond Wedding Ring from her Husband Clark Gable was also missing and has never been found. To this day, much wreckage remains on Mt. Potosi, and searchers also found the cracks in the sheer rock face they hit  are filled with rivets that popped off from the collision.  I shy away from that and that is why I practiced every thing including checking the gas and oil levels.  When I was confident I could still fly an airplane, I called Blythe and asked her...up...She knew I had bought an airplane and knew what I meant....."Bob, you give me a high every time...sure".  I would fly into Sacramento and meet her at the specified field at 9 A,M,   Then, we would fly to Tahoe and try our hand at skiing....To which, I heard her contagious giggle...OK....(to be continued)

BLYTHE'S FIRST LETTER TO ME

Five days went by and no response from Blythe.  I considered that she was working on her Newspapar article on "Finding Serenity"  In a few days more, there was an envelope in my mail box.  It was from Blythe....  I opened it while sitting down.  It was a clipping cut out of the Sacramento Bee and it was Blythe's article with a one word header :  SERENITY.   It said:  " I recently went on an outing to find Serenity, and then write about what I found.  Serenity cannot be found when one searches for it.  Serenity has to find you.  I went to a beautiful Forest Campground where the Pines whispered by day and the Stars twinkled by night.  A full Moon behind a tree...the cooing of a Dove.  Every thing lovely but Serenity itself.  Serenity knocks on your door when the magic pre-determined moment comes.  It's first voice might be something like the crunching of gravel under tires.  It might be a foreign voice and a wave,  It might come from building a fire with help from  another's hand....a word spoken in due season...a certain gesture...a laugh..a dinner...a tent...a bath...just listening...When we are alone, we are only half a person, because God's Design was for a whole person...Man and Woman.  After my trip to a distant Forest with no plans at all....God's Plan came with crunching gravel under tires, a friendly voice,  a marriage of kindred Spirits just meant to be.  If this is not plain enough.....I found the Love of My Life  and I hope he asks me to marry him.  I want my better half......Blythe

MY FIRST LETTER TO BLYTHE

Dear Blythe:  I am sitting here alone in my very nice flat....and I should be so content.  I have been very fortunate considering my beginnings.  San Francisco has been very good to me in terms of material things because it has been very hard on others in terms of all that pertains to a happy, healthful life.  I am able to retire now, but what would I do?  I have become well off finan cially and very poor in basic happiness by being soaked daily in other people's mysery.  For many years, I have longed for someont to love and share life with, and I have not found that person.  I have found many who have everything except what I want.  I actually came to believe that no such person exhisted.  It's  not that I wanted a perfect person, just a perfect person for me.  As I told you, I am against role playing....I want to do every thing with her....shop, clean the house, prepare the food...I marvel when I think about the odds against our meeting.  If I had arrived at any other time, I would not have seen you struggling with trying to get your campfire going.  You might have been out of site for a moment.  There was a ten second window and we appeared together in the window.  You were so....magical...to me.  You seemed to flit about in a kind of dance.  Every thing you said had content, cleverness, knowledge.....kindness.  Up until now, I put little stock in love at first sight.  I thought of it as a pseudo love which was just a temporary itch wanting someone to scratch it.  With you, I exhibited every dis-order my PhD is supposed to make me able to diagnose and treat.  I am sick of it all.  I am being paid well to finance my dying in fashion.  I do not wish to put any burdens upon you.  Whatever come of us, I am going to close my business and retire.  I cannot accept a life of only seeing you on weekends.  Do not let this make you feel you are now responsible for me retiring and making me happy.  Not that. ...You owe as much to yourself as I do to myself.   I hope your writing about serenity goes well.  I can't wait to hold you next to me again.  I will give you a surprise if you can correctly spell my word that I taught you.  It starts with a D.........I love you, Blythe......Bob

MY PHONE CALL TO BLYTHE

After I had finished putting every thing away and washing all the untensils, I went into my living room and noticed my message light was blinking on my phone.  It was Blythe   "Hi, Bob...just got home ok.  I know you had a longer way to drive...please call me as soon as you get home....love you."..I called her back and she sounded releaved..."Bob, I want to thank you for the most memorable time in my life...I already regret relieving myself in your presence..Don't know what came over me.."  I replied "Blythe, as far as I am concerned, you can do nothing wrong...It was so natural and child like.  We \need to quit being so sophisticated in our adult hood."   We said a few more things and said night-night to each other.  I went over to  my desk as I just had to write to her before I turned in  (to be continued)

OUR DINING TOGETHER ..NIGHT TIME

I felt nervous about fixing our steak dinner...so many things could go wrong.  A rustic camp site is not the place to impress a lady as far as cooking is concerned.  I had brought six bottles of good wine over a small range of flavors and I would let her choose which one she liked best.  I rolled my sleeping bag out on the log which we could sit on.  This would make a softer seat for her.  I set every thing I needed on the hood of the car and started the fire.  I wanted the steaks to cook over a bed of coals...no flame.  I glanced at  my watch and she would be here in about twenty minutes.  The twenty minutes came and went; no Blythe.  I was surprised that she was late as she seemed to be Miss Proper.  After being half an hour late, I started to walk up to her camp.  I took two steps and I heard:  "Hi Dr. Bob"  I whirled around and she was sitting on a stump fifty feet away!  BLYTHE....How long have you been there ?  "Oh, I was right on time.....I enjoyed watching you work....I also enjoyed watching you pee...you were turned right towards me"   "YOU SAW THAT ?   "Bob, I am sorry and don't be angry with me...How do you expect me to close me eyes on something like that?"  She was wearing white shorts and a Black Tank Top....white tennis shoes,  She looked like a Nymph sitting there.  She got up and walked to me and put her hands on my shoulders.  "Bob, I can't help it, I love to tease you."   "You do?...I love your teasing, but it will take time for me to learn your tricks."  She laughed and then  the aroma of her...perfume came, teased my senses, and faded away.  "You look absolutely.....stunning." I said.  "Well thank you, you look nice too;    in your case, I think a suit would take away from the mischievous little boy ambience.....what can I do to help?"  We walked over and sat down on the log.  I rehearsed what I had done and needed to do.  I told her about the six wines and she would choose which one she liked best. In case she did not know, I told her about wine tasting ....in fact, I went over and got the wine glasses and we would have a demonstration.  I gave her one of the glasses and I had the other.  I set the six bottles in a row at our feet.  I told her about the wide range of tastes and preferences based upon what you are eating.  I also asked her how she like her steak and she said......"Some pink in the middle"  I told her the vegetables were cooked and were steaming slowly on the side, but the steaks made me nervous...."They are small in size but about two inches thick and it will be hard to manage the degree of pink in the middle."  She modestly revealed she liked to cook and she would do all the managing if I would like.  She reeled off some of her favorite dishes that she liked to prepare and it sounded like she was speaking in  French and Italian.  In short, Blythe was a gourmet  chef.  I then opened all six bottles and realized she was probably astute in wine tasting, but I thought I might amuse her in trying and maybe make it so clumsy, she might laugh.  I loved her giggles...so little girlish.  I poured a swallow of the first on the list and expained to her that it was proper to pour my glass first before hers and it seemed so anti polite to me, but that was the way it was supposed to be done.  She told me why it was proper:  "If there are any little pieces of cork in the bottle, the man would get it so the lady wouldn't."  I replied as sophisticatedly as I could:  "Oh"..    I poured her swallow and she swished it around in the glass and sniffed it.  Then she  took a small mouthful and swished it around in her mouth and spit it out.  "This looks rude and crude, but you must cleanse the palate before tasting another wine."  Then she took my water pitcher and poured a little in her glass and swished it around again and spit it out.  Now, her verdict:  "This tastes like Gnarly Head OVZ Merlot."  I looked at the label and she was right, but I did not see OVZ.  "What does OVZ mean?" I asked.  "Old Vine Zinfandel"....I said:   "Blythe....."    "Yes, Bob"    No need to taste all these,  You just look them over and taste all you wish, and pick one or two or three, I am going to put the steaks on."  "Gotcha"    I got the steaks out of the ice chest and unwrapped them.  I put them on a platter and the platter on the car hood.  All of the seasonings were on the hood too.  I shot a glance over at Blythe and she waved and smiled.  I beckoned her over and asked her to take over and I would just watch and learn.  She oblidged.  I will not detail the many procedure she did, but she did take over and every time I got up to help, she said  "Sit down, little boy"  I liked that...except that I worried if I would be a "little boy" in bed.  With all of my horniness and bold talk, I had never....".done it."  I wondered if she had....that question was bordering on invasion of privacy.  I imagined she had worn her shorts for me.  She wanted me to see her legs..and I surely did see them..in fact, I stared constantly at them.  They were so...lithe...and the way she moved them.  I shuddered at the thought that she might be very loose with her talents and to learn that would kill me.    I will not bore you with details of the dinner itself.  Needless to say, It was the best steak I had ever eaten.  We had some small talk during dinner.  Now, every thing had been put away and it was dark and a full Moon was out, and the stars were shining bright.  I asked her if she wanted me to put some logs on the bed of coals.  She said it might be nice as the flames were interesting to look at and they made "dancing shadows"  The several glasses of wine we had drunk with our dinner relaxed us.....,  I mean a glass from each of the  six bottles.  I put some nice logs on the fire and the dancing shadows lured us into a time of sharing of secrets......(to be continued)

BREAKFAST AT MY PLACE

I had several things working against me.  I did not know when she would be ready to eat and I did not know what she liked.  I had just arisen and the Sun was just peeking over the Mountain.  I combed my hair and put the stick to my arm pits.  I had not shaved.  I stepped out side and heard  "Good Morning, Bob"   She was sitting on a log a short distance up the hill. I yelled "Good morning Blythe", and waved her down.  As she got close, she started to skip and it looked so cute.  This lady was powerful.  Both of us remembered the explosion of passion the night before and both wondered if it was something lasting or just a slip between two hungry people.  Both of us knew the other one was wondering that too, so to set the tempo, I just gave her a little hug.  I expained my dilemma and she said she liked most every thing any way.  I knew she had her preferences, but would not say right now.  As I looked at her sitting in the now risen Sun light, her long red hair flowing down her back just shown like strands of gold... red gold. Fair skin, but not white.  I suspected she played Tennis, but did not ask.  My cooking tasted really good..to me..and I wondered what I had done wrong.  She bragged on my cooking and said  "You will make someone a good wife."  As we had eaten and were enjoying a second cup of coffee, her last comment opened a door to something I felt very strongly about.  "I must tell you how I feel about marriage....I do not believe in roll playing.  The   woman cooks, does the laundry, cleans the house, does the shopping...and all that because the man is the bread winner and need do no more......If I ever find the right person, I want to get married...I want us to do everything together..share the work...John Lennon sang a song named "Woman is the Nigger of the World"...I don't know how he got away with that title.  I think a good woman is the seventh wonder of the World.  Think about Farmers Wives in the old days...they raised the kids, washed all clothing, cooked three meals a day for all the Farm hands, did the dishes, put the kids to bed, and the farmer wanted sex and complained because she wasn't in the mood....self centered, unsympathetic sons of a bitches....."   I was shocked at myself for profanity and an un-asked for tirade.  She uttered something  that she didn't mean to say either..it just spilled out when she was not on guard.."Bob, I love you."  Then, she put her fingers over her mouth and apologized.  There was only one response that I knew in a moment like that.  I went over to her and gently took her hand and raised her up on her feet.  I drew her close to me and my face was brushed with her hair....."Blythe...both of us are grown ups...mature, and educated.  We know proper behaviour...and yet, there is something inside that must be expressed because it is pure truth..honesty..being true to your self...Blythe, this not the mood of the moment, cheap, careless expression used by the light weights.....Blythe....Blythe.....I love you too. "  Sometimes, when words have been spoken, there is no need for more words to explain words spoken.  So, she raised her hand up and softly stroked my hair.  For some unknown reason, I said "Meow"  Then we both stepped back and just looked at each other...not saying a word....I said:  "Blythe, this very spot is where my mentor...almost a second Father and I camped thirty two years ago.  He passed away shortly after we made this trip."   I pointed to the secret tree as I called it, and told her we had hiked up to that tree.  "Would you like to hike up there with me, or is hiking not your thing?"  "Hiking is one of my things and why do you think I wore these hiking boots?"  We put the food away and started down the steep downward trail to the bottom of the gorge.  Mr Key had some binoculars and he figured out the best way to get up there.  We found a human skeleton on the way."   She said "Wow, that is creepy..no bones about it."   I had to stop and laugh.  I told her she should be a stand up comedian and she told me she was standing up.  I loved that girl.  I decided that if we ever got married, I would never argue with her.  We made it up to the top and I showed her where we found the skeleton.  When we came to the tree, we stopped and sat down...the altitude made us out of breath a little.  I told her about the terrible wind storm that came in and how the wind had blown Mr. Key's canteen off the top when he took it off and set it on the ground.  She peered over the side and down.  "I bet that canteen is still down there someplace.  They are made of non rust metal..I think" she said.  "Blythe...I am thinking..let's have a nice meal around my fire tonight and then just talk about anything and then go to bed.  Then, let's pack up and go down to the city.  I will show you around and then we can have dinner at a nice place.  I think we should take both cars down and not leave one here.  We can  park yours in a tended parking lot.  I will rent us both rooms at a nice Hotel  or what ever, and then we can..do....what? "   She said that it was a very nice offer, but she really needed to make some notes  on what had happened so far and thought it best that she stay in the quiet solitude of the Mountains and work on her lap top.  I agreed and after a little more visiting, we walked back down to our camp.  I pointed to a crack in the side of a bluff and told her that I told Mr Key that I found a cave that we could build a fire in.  She laughed and told me that I stretched things a little when I was a boy. When we got back to my camp, she said how much she had enjoyed the breakfast and the walk, but she needed to go back to her site and do some work on the computer.  I understood and walked her back to her spot.  She stopped at the big rock that was where we scared the daylights out of each other the night before.  She said nothing....just looked at it and then we went on up to her site. We hugged a little hug and said good bye.  "I am looking foreward to the steak dinner you promised me for tonight"  she said.    I said...I have two Filet Mignons and a bottle of vintage red."  "What time?" she asked. "You set it" I said.  'It gets dark about eight..why don't I come down about seven and I can help you with the meal"  We agreed and she turned and went to her car; I turned and walked down..feeling a great absence already....(to be continued)

SETTING UP THE SACRED CAMP SITE

To me, it was a sacred place.  As the Sun was getting low, I decided to build the spit and build a fire first.  I could, then, set up camp by fire light.  I gathered my rocks and built a little circle of them three layers high.  The wood was in abundance...lots of broken and dried out branches and twigs.  I got that going while I went out to gather bigger stuff.  I, then, started unpacking.  I set the tent up first.  I had bought a a two man tent and this one was camaflauged.  Then,  out came all the utensils..I left the food in the ice chest until cooking time. I meant to tell you that the only promise I had broken to Mr. Key...(I now thought of him as Bob) ..was that I did enjoy a drink or two.  I brought a good red wine with me and some wine glasses....Two of them !  I must admit that I wanted to go up and cook on Blythe's fire, but I knew it would cast me in a better light to not seem like an opportunist.  I really liked her,  she was very smart in a feminine way.  I imagined I could still smell her essence...a subtle perfume it was...not cheap....in fact, it didn't hit you...first, you began to imagine that you detected a most seductive waft that came and went like fingers on a harp..it played with your senses.  I could not remember coming into physical contact with her.  I wondered what she was doing, and as it was dark, I shot a glance up her way to see if I could see the glow of the fire.  I was sure she had brought a lantern and flashlights.  Total darkness and stillness.  I began to worry about her; maybe she had fallen or something was wrong.  I took my flashlight so I could see the trees and began to silently walk to her camp site.  I needed the light to see, but I didn't want her to know I was there..she might think I like her.  I could now see the hot bed of coals glowing and the shadow of her car...but no sign of Blythe.  I tip toed up to her tent and heard no sound..all dark..all quiet.  The tent flaps were still open...she was gone.  I felt an incredible....panic..which was a mixture of obsessive-possesive disorder and possible insecurity.  These are the dis-orders I spent ten years learning how to treat.  I decided to get out of there as fast and as silently as I could.  I was about mid-way back and I decided to stop as I thought I heard something behind a big rock.  I walked up close to the rock which really was a boulder about eight feet tall and ten feet wide.  I did hear a noise of some kind and it was probably an animal scurry, but I had to be sure.  It became a waiting game.  I quietly tip toed around the corner of the rock and met Blythe face to face as she was tip toing towards me.  I dropped my flash light and screamed.  She dropped her flash light and screamed.  We simply had startled each other.  Then, it was like something pre-determined took over...we were in a play and it was choreographed,,it seemed.  We moved together in unison..  We flew into each other's arms..we held each other tight..we kissed and kissed..she must work out doing crunches because her firm flat tummy was pressing hard and hot on my not so flat tummy.  We parted to catch our breath. Face to face. hot breath being exchanged...We kissed again and parted for a few feet.  No words spoken between us..we knew...Finally, she broke the ice and said:  "I really like your word Deutritice"  It was the perfect thing for her to say as we both fell down laughing.  We gathered our senses and I walked her home.  I said to her:  Blythe, you are hereby invited to my house for breakfast in the morning"   She said  "Dr Bob I herebye accept.  Wanting to impress her, I tried to quote some poetry to her, I was in such a wonderland all I could say was: " A violet amongst the mossy stones, besides the Springs of Dove......"  That is all I could remember.  She said "that is a line from one of the Lucy Poems by Wordsworth"   I thanked her and we kissed good night.  On the way home I thought..."Mr. Key....Your blessings still fall on me....Love ya Man"   (to be continued).  

ON THE ROAD TO.........

I am on the road to my special place where Mr. Key and I once camped.  ...and I would like to tell you about it....There's a camp called Don't- You-Worry, On the banks of the River Smile....Where the Cheer-Up and Be-Happy Blossoms sweetly all the while......Where the Never-Crumble flower blooms beside the fragrant Try;  and the Never- Give -Up and Patience point their faces to the sky.     In the valley of Contentment, in the province of I-Will.....You will this lovely site, At the foot of  No-Fret Hill.  There are paths so delightful, in this very charming camp, and on every hand there are  Pine Trees, named the Very-Seldom-Frown.  Rocks and logs quite enticing..You'll find scattered here and there, and to each a vine is clinging called the Frequent-Earnest-Prayer.  I was so happy here, and singing all the while....In that place of Don't- You -Worry, on the banks of River Smile.   It had seemed like a long day, but as the Sun was setting, I drove up the Angeles Crest Highway all the way to Buck Horn Camp Grounds.  I was going to do what Mr Key and I did.  go on through Buck and weave the car between the Pines to our secret camp.  On the way through Buck Horn..there was a lone woman and she was building a fire.  She had set up her tent but seemed to be having trouble getting her fire going.  I stopped the car and yelled to her and asked if she needed help.  She looked me over a little and told me she could not get it lit.  I asked if she would like me to help get it going (!)   and she said she sure would appreciate it.  There was not enough small material and I would go get some deutritice.  I purposely used that word meaning dried material..the kind you rake up.  She laughed at the word and said  "What a way to clean your teeth."  Then I laughed..."Yes, I guess you would not want to use that word with your mouth full."   I heaped pine needles  and a few pine cones under the larger branches she had found and soon there was a good start to her fire.  I mentioned one of my favorite smells was the smoke from burning pine cones on a cold and cloudy day.  She looked into my eyes and said "I like that, are you a poet or a writer?"  I told her I did write but was a Psychologist practicing in San Francisco.  She, in turn told me she was a columnist with the Sacramento Bee Paper. " Oh, so you are a writer, too."  I replied.  "   "Yes, and I love my job because I am sent on assignments to find things to write about......I was asked to do a piece on How to Find Serinity."  I said; "Well, you have come to the right place....I am here to relive a precious memory of the best friend I ever had...we came here when I was a boy, and I learned alot of things here...he passed away years ago and I have come here to relive that life changing experience."  She was quiet for a moment and said  "We don't know each other, but I think I have just found something to write about...I hate to seem intrusive, but do you think you could tell me about that time?  Of course I would need your permission to write about your story...I won't use your name."   She was a woman about in her late thirties, slender and quite.....striking...obviously very intelligent and proper.  "First, my name is Robert Fishback.  "Its a  pleasure to meet you Mr. Fishback....."    "Just call me Bob" I interrupted.  ...'Well, Bob, just call me Blythe....Blythe Arnette."  I kidded her about Blythe being one of the hottest towns I had ever driven through and she said "Yes,  but Needles is hotter."  Her fire was going pretty good and I excused myself because I wanted to go to our camp.  "Don't think me strange, but that camp I told you about is through those trees and I am going to try to drive in like we did a long time ago...sure nice to meet you, Blythe."  "Nice meeting you, Bob....I hope to see you soon so we can visit.  If you want to cook something, come on up and use my fire...seeings you built it..."  Thanks, Ann....we will talk soon"  I drove into the thick of things and reached my destination.  It looked just the same to me.  I felt like I wanted to cry like a baby......(to be continued)

Robert E. Fishback PhD....Psychology

After I hung up the phone, I leaned foreward and put my head in my hands and thought.  I thought of Mr. Key; the best friend I ever had bar none. I thought of the year I spent in counselling due to extreme depression due to the loss of two very special people in my life.  My grief turned into an anger that drove me to study and defeat the giants of tests that were always a part of High School and College.  I not only answered questions, I added footnotes from the extra knowledge I had from reading.  That is why I wear glasses.   I left High School with a straight 4.0 G.P.A   After obtaining my B.A and M.A, i received my Ph.D in Psychology at  the University of Illinois - Urbana - Champaign.    I had begun to realize  God  shapes our lives to His own good pleasure and we are not even aware of it.  Instead of moving a fish to another part of the aquarium, He picks up the whole aquarium and moves it so we have no idea we are traveling in another direction even when we are.  I thought of Mr. Key's uncanny wisdom in the timing of what he said and what he did.  In retrospect, I now understand. back then it seemed like hodge-podge.  I do not know the Mother who just called, nor do I know her son.  I wondered what God had planned for his life.  I wondered what God had planned for me as He might use me to to move this young man's aquarium.  If this young man turns out like I think he might; all I will do is what Mr. Key did.  I sure miss that man even after all these years.  I am still single.  I have looked in the best of places and to be honest, I just could not find her.  I am happy enough as things are.  Even at only 42, I feel tired inside.  I even see some grey in my hair. I have to keep a balance because I deal with alot of heavy stuff.  My business is successful; I chose the right town for business...alot of..disturbed people here and the endless grey and chilly days in Summer does not help.  I found a strange cure for myself.  Once a year I take a short vacation and go to Death Valley in June.  I am like the man who sits with  one foot in boiling water and the other in ice water....on the average, he is comfortible.  I enjoy my flat in the tenth floor of a rather trendy and very nice condo.   Lovely view when the fog isn't in.   I tend to be melancholy and really have to keep my mind on the present and not that wonderful day followed by horrible news.  I do have my ways of coping; the loved ones who died have not moved out, they are just in the next room.  I am really looking foreward to Saturday and the boy who has all the earmarks of me when I was a kid.  (to be continued)

SAN FRANCISCO-1982

Dr. Robert Fishback, 42 years of age,  was in his office,when the phone rang.  As his receptionist had not come in yet, he took the call.  It was a Mother wanting to make an appoint for her twelve year old son.  I looked at my schedule and told her the first opening I had was three weeks from today.  I told her I would like an assessment so I would know which way to proceed and that the first appointment would be that and no treatment until I had a complete profile of the patient.  I asked her to call back and talk to the receptionist and give her the needed information.  She seemed on the verge  of tears and not wanting to pass over a possibly needed 911 call, I asked her to tell me what the problem was.  She said that her son was failing in school, and spent all his time listening to depressing music and drawing pictures of the desert and storms in the desert. He burned candles and incense and spent time walking by himself in the darkness of night.  She wondered if he was on drugs and was he in danger of killing himself.  I asked her if he had ever talked about killing himself and she said no.  I asked her to describe the atmosphere in the family home and she told me that it was stable and that she loved her husband and that they had tried so hard with Vern by giving him practically every thing he wanted.  "He would rather sleep in the shed behind the garage than in his own room which we just re-decorated for him and bought all new furniture. "He would rather sleep in that shed and burn his candles and day dream than to enjoy our very nice home. He prefers road maps to text books.  He is hopeless....he will never amount to anything."   And I said: "NOT NECESSARILY.....I think I need to adjust my schedule...tell you what, can you bring him in Saturday morning at 10 A.M?".     "Oh yes...thank you....I am afraid for him...with all these hippies and drugs...Thank you so much."  I told her good bye and for some reason....It all seemed so familiar.  (to be continued)

SUNDOWN...TOTAL DARKNESS

Mr. Robert E. Key passed away in his sleep last night.  He died peacefully, dreaming, as he did for most of his life.  His last dream was of a kiss long ago...a lasting kiss....Jeanette passed away unexpectedly from unknown causes at age 13.  The Glendale News Press somehow became aware of  this story through the kids at Toll Jr Hi.  "They passed away within an hour of each other."  Carl went to be with His Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ and his Dear Edith followed him home in 1998.  Little Bob went on to graduate with honors and is now a very successful Child Psychologist living in San Francisco. .......and so...... A slumber did my spirit seal, I had no human fears.  She seemed a thing that could  feel, the touch of old man years. No motion has she now,  she neither hears nor sees.  Just rolls around Earth's diurnal course, with rocks and lakes and trees.   THE END.                                    

WHAMO !!!!

From all that Bob had told me and from my personal observations, Jeanette was, indeed, very cute and was smart beyond her years.  But, she was a girl!  Bob's loaded "slingshot" was filled with a silent ignoring of every thing that Jeanette said.  A number of statements and questions from her had gone ignored.  I found that by turning my head far right and pretending to be looking out of the window, gave me enough peripheral vision so I could make out their forms pretty well.  Finally after a long period of silence, Jeanette said  "Bob, I was only kidding about Johnny".....and with that, she leaned over and kissed Bob on the lips....I so envied him, in a way....(to be continued).

TASTE OF HONEY PART ONE

Every thing went as planned.  We got on the street car at Highland and Glenoaks.  The car was almost empty and Bob asked Jeanette where she would like to sit.  She ran her eyes around and chose a seat in the very back.  Bob asked her to sit next to the window so she could see better (I was proud of him..how long would it last?)  I sat in front of them so I could hear what they said, and they did not seem to care,  I pretended to fall asleep...let my head roll foreward.  The following conversation took place.....Jeanette:  "So how is Bonny?"    B: " Oh, I don't like her any more".....J  "Oh sure you do".....B  : "what makes you think so?".....J: "Because I still like Johnny Rohan and boys are two timers".......:  B  " I think you are cuter than Bonny".....J:  "And I think Johnny is cuter than you"     I thought that Jeanette was a good card player..choosing her cards wisely..after all, she really did not know Bob nor what he was really like on the inside...no wonder he fell in love with this "knowing and smart girl"     Bob was a good "card player" too and I knew his non response to her last statement was a time of re-loading his mental sling shot.....(to be continued) 

BOB MEETS JEANETTE..THE STREETCAR RIDE

Things progressing well in all areas.  Bob had received a reply from Jeanette and it said that her folks would let her go, but they wanted to meet me first and wanted an adult to go with us.  Bob had called her on phone for first time and he was very nervous at first, but her female wisdom sensed that and she kind of "baby talked" him into full blown confidence.  He told me that I "had to go with them" and I had agreed.  I took him down last evening to meet Jeanette's parents and evidently he put on a great show as they all came out to meet me as I was sitting in the car.  Jeanette's Mother told me that Bob had told Jeanette that he could "smell her Mother cooking in the kitchen" and every one had laughed except Bob.  I gave a brief account of what I was to Bob and had his parent's complete approval.  The next day was Saturday and we were scheduled to meet J. at nine A.M. and from there I would park on Glenoaks and  we would catch the street car and ride to its terminus at the Subway Terminal Bldg.  Then, we would get out and walk around in downtown Los Angeles.  Bob was absolutely foaming at the mouth on how cute Jeanette looked in her Jeans and a sweat shirt.  "I love her Pony Tail"  he said.  She is taller than I am but I don't care, I can still beat her up!   Then he turned and gave me a big feigned smile.  "I just can't wait until tomorrow", he said.  Guess what?  I can !    (to be continued)

BOB'S RESPONSE LETTER...JEANETTE

About 5:00 P.M. Bob knocked on my door.  He had finished his paper route and decided he didn't need to spend any more time on his home work as his only work was on the three ships, the Nina, Pinta, and Santa Maria.  He told me he was surprised that they landed at Santa Maria, California.  He believed the Pinta was carrying a load of beans to give to the Cubans who had invaded from the South.  I thought that he was the one who needed to re-write history. I brought up that he should write Jeanette and that I hoped he wrote well and jumped at the chance to take her on a street car ride.  The little squirt had already written the letter and he had brought it with him to get my approval.  I read it and was blown away by his creative and proper side.  Here is what he wrote:   " Dearest (!)  Jeanette:  I was so happy to get your letter and that you remembered me.  I am so happy that you would like to ride the street car with me and I wonder if your folks will let you go with me.  Maybe if I meet them first and put on my best behaviour, they will let you go.  I make alot of money throwing papers and I would like to take you to dinner on this trip.  I am glad that you have found a boy who likes you, after all, we are all human and I also like Bonnie Williams very much...but you more.  Do you remember when you threw up on me in first grade?  I had fun running around the playground and sticking my wet sleeve at the other kids who were running like crazy.  Let's take the ride this next Saturday as we are both out of school.  I will have my Mother drive me down to your house in the morning.  Please write again and tell me if ok and what time.  Love and Kisses....Bobby "   I complimented him on his writing and told him that I was glad he didn't ask "If he could screw her)   He laughed and told me he was just kidding and wanted to get my goat...which he did.

A FEW DAYS LATER......

You will notice I did not put the date or day of the week. I know what day it is and if I told you, you might find a discrepancy and not believe any of this !  As I said before, this is a true story, only the names and certain aspects have been changed to protect the innocent. I remembered the skeleton we found and I went up to the Montrose Sherrif's Station to tell my story and give them the map I had sketched.  As to be expected, I was kept for about an hour for interragation.  They were finally satisfied and thanked me for the information.  One of them mentioned a hiker went missing years ago and no evidence found and it was now a cold case file.  That being done,  I walked around Montrose.  I ran into a very strange man who had been walking around that area for years.  He was known by the kids as "Lockwasher"  and they liked to talk to him.  He was about fifty and of slight build. He wore glasses with lenses as thick as Coke bottle glass.  All he said over and over was "Yes, that is right."  He patronized one end of the valley to the other.  I did not speak to him as I knew what he would say.  I decided to go down and visit Grayson's Tune Town.  Val Grayson and his lovely wife like me alot as I spent a ton of my paper route money in there...buying records.  As he would not recognize me now, I decided to ask about the boy who came in alot named Bob. They broke into a smile and told me he was a good customer and so polite.  Good to know.  I then went into Dorsey's where I had stolen a glass vase to give to my Mother for Christmas.  I found the very same type of vase and bought it.  It was eight dollars and I paid for it.  Then, I wandered back into the store and placed the vase on the shelf where I found it.  I went up to the little hobby shop across from the Sheriff's Station and went in to visit with Mr. Gambastiani, from whom I had bought a few model planes.  Within one year, he would fall out of a fishing boat and drown...it was in the papers.  I was told by the Power that brought me back ...here...to 1952..to "Not try to change history"   That was odd, to me, as the very reason I was here was to change history regarding one little boy named Bob.   How do you tell a man he was going to die in one year, so stay out of fishing boats?  I decided to make up a story and I told him I had just returned from a fishing trip and I fell out of the boat and that I would have drowned had I not been wearing a life jacket.  I really emphasized it with expressions of terror as I recalled the event.  Maybe it would stick with him.  I strolled into Ebmeyer's Bakery as the Ebmeyers lived one door to our North on Rosemary Ave.   I remember the day when I nailed a board to their garage so I could run me radio aerial wire to it.  My Dad found out and boxed my ears and made me take it down and apologize to our neighbors.  I figured they owed it to me as they woke me up every morning about four A.M. when they started their car and backed out in order to start baking pastries.  The Ebmeyers were Mormons and my mother a Bible teacher in  a Baptist Church, and Mrs. Ebmeyer and my Mother got into an argument over what the Urim and the Thummum were in the Old Testament.  Back then, I thought they were something about sex.  Sort of a "You Urim and I'll Thummum."   I needed to get Bob back on the Jeanette follow up regarding her hint at wanting him to take her on a street car ride.  (to be continued)

SOME VERY JOLTING THOUGHTS...

I let Bob off at his home and he thanked me profusely for the camping trip.   I drove on  up to my house and brought in the left over food and the cooking gear.  It was good to be home, it was beginning to feel natural.  I showered and changed into my pajamas...then snacked on left overs.  I looked at a little TV....The Dinah Shore Chevy Show and then the News.  I was just sitting there thinking about our trip.  It was a spiritual experience for me.  Then, out of the blue I realized I could make myself and the Fishbacks millionaires.  All of the songs to be written some day, I already knew. I could introduce Rock and Roll, Pop, Country and Western Tunes that were million sellers. I could introduce Hula Hoops, the Barbie Doll....there was no end to it. Then I thought that all of that was a candy coated road to where I came from and  I just went to bed, thanking God for such a wonderful time I was allowed  to return to.    (to be continued)

BOB AND I CONTINUE TO VISIT

As I have mentioned before, time travel has some interesting features in that I can remember what is going to happen.  I was with myself as a thirteen year old boy and myself as a 73 year old man with memories.  We were coming up on a certain place.....where five people were killed in 1955 on Christmas Day.  That would happen in three years and yet it happened forty seven years ago!  It was Christmas day in 1955 and the Santa Anas had been strong the night before.  My Dad and I took a ride up the Crest to spend some time together. All of the presents had been opened and Mom's wonderful Christmas dinner had been eaten.  Dad and I were restless.  When we got pretty far up the Crest, we came to some rocks on the road that had fallen due to the winds.  He wanted to stop and toss them over the side and I didn't and talked him out of it.  On the way back down, we saw cars pulled off to the side and people looking down into the canyon below.  A car had gone off the side killing five elderly people on there way to see family in L.A, on Christmas Day.  Presents were scattered all the way down and one man had been ejected and was lying face up and spread eagled on a large rock.  Lots of red around the back of his head.  One person had seen it happen and said the car hit a rock, blew a tire, and went over the side; it was the same place and the same rocks my Dad wanted to pitch over the side.  I was indirectly responsible for the deaths of five people.  Bob and I stopped there; I wanted to look down.  He asked why we were stopping and I said I remembered something that happened ....once...and I wanted to stop and rest awhile.  So we stopped and looked down.  At that time, there was no railing and Bob noticed that and as he looked down he said  : "They need a railing here....the road is too close to the edge...a car could go over the side here..nothing to stop it"..he noticed one rock on the road and went over, picked it up, and threw it over the side.  I felt cold chills and wondered if this trip had many meanings....I asked Bob to walk with me down to the big rock at the bottom. This would be the site where five people would die in three years.   When we came to it I wanted to stop for a moment and he wondered why..."I cant tell you.  You will think it strange, but I wish to pray here.  He said that would be ok and bowed his head.  I knelt down and prayed:  "Oh God..one day is as a thousand years and a thousand years is as a day with thee...You know the end from the beginning and known unto You are all Your works from the beginning of the World.  You are the disposer of events and I pray for all who.....come here.....to...this..... rock.....that they might feel Thy presence here and Pause to meet with Thee here.  Be with them and their families.  In Thy Holy and Prescious Name..Amen"   We returned to the car and finished the trip home.  Neither of us said much, but felt a strange peace in our midst.  Bob said it was so strange, he felt like he had been there before....(to  be continued)

BOB TELLS HIS MEMORIES

After I had reeled off my thoughts, Bob said that for some reason, he wanted to tell his memories too.  He began.....As you know, I was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma.  You took me there in your space ship....I really enjoyed that ride...I showed you Grandma Bertha's and Aunt Mimi" house on Frisco st.  We ate Popsickles, remember?"  "Yes, I remember, and you sucked all the fruit flavor out of yours and were left with frozen water!"  Bob continued:  "My first home was on 58th street just off Peoria....it was way out in the country then...lots of farm fields and groves of Persimmon trees...I remember watching the hay balers....there was a tractor and it drove the hay baler..there was a large belt that came off the tractor to the baler. ....a big arm on the baler went up and down and pushed the hay into a bin of some kind...a bell would ring and the bale came out the end and it was box shaped.  my Mom and Dad had lots of friends and relitives that would come over....I remember seeing their cars pull into the gravel drive and the grills looked like mouths on the cars and they scared me....there was a certain grill that was sort of  V shaped...and as I had heard the name Judy, it reminded me of that sound and I called them Judy grills.....a litte boy came over and started playing with a toy of mine and it was my first feeling of jealousy....every thing was new, magical, and scary. ....my Mom hung the sheets out to dry and the wind was blowing them and they looked like ghosts and they scared me....I was afraid of alot of things...alot of things concerned me...I personified lots of things like a car that wouldn't start became a sick person that was moaning.....thunder storms at night scared me to death and every night when Mommy would tuck me in, I asked her if it was going to lightning and boom-boom and she always said no....sometimes she lied.....I loved Grandma and Mimi..Mimi was crippled and walked with braces and crutches....she loved me and we used to look at Post magazines together...my folks had a big cabinet radio and record player that pulled out from the front..I learned to play records and I loved Scheherazade because it was so stormy sounding...it gave me funny feelings of something very wrong....I loved the smells of the flowers, weeds, hay fields, witch hazel in a bottle..every thing was magic...the sounds of the big bands that played in a dance hall several miles away drifted across the fields....there was a certain insect that liked to go  click click click at night from the big tree out side my window...I wished I could go back in time to that part of my life !!"    I thought,  "If he only knew".....(to be continued)

LEAVING CAMP AND GOING HOME

We woke up un-molested!  Both of us decided we wanted to pack up and go home.  There is a premonition that can come that seems to say:  It's time to go."   We got back on the Crest Highway and started down. Neither of us said anything for quite awhile and I felt the need to talk.  I would have to talk from the perspective of the year 2012 because that was where I was in time when I was brought back to 1952.  I felt a long rambling talk coming on and I began:  "Bob, I have a number of memories from when I was your age and they are like a few picture frames lifted out of a movie....I forget the movie, but those frames are very vivid....I remember one time my Dad and I went for a ride up Big Tujunga Canyon and the Sun was setting.  Both of us were quiet and the setting Sun came through a side window and shown on my Dad's face.  He started singing the most beautiful song and he had a pretty good voice.  I would give anything to remember what it was that he sang....He died fourteen years ago at age ninety three.  I had to put him in a nursing home.  He loved people and needed to be around them.  He was very senile and it was a blessing because he could not remember that his wife had died the year before.  When I went to see him, he was usually sitting in his wheel chair at the entrance and looking out at the activities in the parking lot.  He frequently said "You are such a good Son"    I did not consider myself a good Son as I could remembert all the times I dis-honored him, disappointed him, did not appreciate him like I should have.  Bob, you are young and have your whole life in front of you.  You need to know this:  Every thing you do and say will be stuck forever in your brain.  Every word and deed will be etched into your memory bank and some day, something will trigger that information and it will come out of hiding and be right there in your face. I wished I had known that back then.  Bob took in my every word and said "Mr. Key, you sound sad, and there are tears running down your cheeks.  I am sorry that you are sad and I wished there was something I could do to make you happy."   "Bob, there is something you can do to make me very happy....never forget what I just told you...treat your Daddy and Mother just like you are building a memory book that you will read when you are old...do the things now that will be lovely memories later."   "Mr. Key....I promise...."    (to be continued)

A SPOOKY NIGHT

I doused the fire and we put all the stuff in the car.  As it was dark, we could see the red glow in the distance..the fire was still going.  The fingernail Moon was rising and as we were both tired, we immediatly crawled into our sleeping bags.  I was almost asleep when I noticed a beam of light sweep across the trees down the hill.  I crawled out of my sleeping bag and went outside.  A spot light was coming through the trees...pausing in places and swept around. I suspected Forest Rangers.  We were camping illegally and I worried about what might happen.  I heard a car or truck engine start and the crunching of material under tires.  It seemed to be approaching us..using the same tactic we used to drive in.  If they found my car, they would find us.  They might have it hauled out and then where would we be.  I decided to not tell Bob and just keep my eye on things. We had some dense brush and trees all around our site, so we had a chance.  I heard the engine go off and two doors slammed shut...they were on foot.  Then, the beams of flashlights stabbed through the darkness as well as the sound of footsteps crunching the material underfoot.  I could hear the footsteps growing closer and the sound of low voices.  Then the walking sound would stop and the lights went off.  The growing Moon gave a little light once the eyes became accustomed.  The soft sound of footsteps began again and it sounded like  the pair had splitten up..one going one way, and the other separating from his partner in a widening gap.  More stabs of the flashlights.  One of them was getting closer and the other was getting further away.  That closer one was so close, I could see him from his sillhouette when he shined his light behind him.  Now, he was stooping down and shining his light straight down.....tire tracks....oh God.  He shined his light straight at the tent and held it there.  Evidently he could not tell what he was looking at as it was a green tent.  I heard the squalk of the truck radio and the close one turned and started back for the truck.  Then, I heard him call his partner back...and in a minute or two, the truck engine started and I saw red tail lights...They  were leaving.  I did not know how long they would be gone.  All I knew was that I was dog tired and crawled back in my bag.  Bob was fast asleep and I intended to join him.  (to be continued)

FIRESIDE CHAT AKA X-RAY OF BOB'S BRAIN !

I had hit upon an idea that Bob loved.  Why not drive the two miles back to Buck Horn Campground and use their covered shelters with stone fire places.  We packed the car with food, Ice, utensils and started to leave and Bob said "Don't forget your Scotch".....I loved that kid.  I had come to some conclusions about Little Bob.  He was a genious but had some strange anomoly in his brain which  prevented association in relating two similiar strains of thought and coming to a logical conclusion.  He seemed immune to embarassment.  He thought of private parts like we think of ears or a nose.  What is there to hide; why be ashamed.?   He definately had Compulsive-Possessive Disorder which was not recognized in 1952.    It was his innocense and sincerity that was his saving grace.  Buck Horn was deserted, probably because they closed the Crest Highway because of the fire.  We built our fire and unloaded all of our gear, and we decided to roast some weenies that I also had brought along.  We also had Barbeque Baked Beans.  After we ate, we just sat on a concrete bench at a concrete table and enjoyed the fire which was going into the ember stage,  I looked at my watch and it was nearing ten P.M.  Bob was quiet which made me aware he was preparing his questions.  I asked him to feel open and talk about anything he wanted to talk about.  He asked "anything?"   "Yes, anything."  He said: "Mr. Key, I want to talk about sex.....I don't understand what happens.......all I think about is my weenie.....it gets longer and hard and I feel like I want to play with it.....my friends were talking about "beating off" and how to do it.  I tried it for so long and nothing happened except for the skin around it got all swollen and puffy.  I thought it was cancer.....I felt so excited in side, I wanted it to be satisfied. One day when my parents were away, I stuffed some wax paper in the crack between the cushions on my parent's couch and put my weenie down into the crack and moved it up and down.  I felt so good and then I thought I was going through the roof and ....after it was all over...I felt so releaved.  I pulled the paper out and there was all this white stuff on the paper.  It looked like a sauce my Mother makes to put on Green Peas.  I am glad my folks didn't catch me screwing their couch."   I felt like laughing, yet, this was a sensitive moment..so important...so I went through the make up of a man and woman, why a penis gets hard, and what semen is.  He soaked it all up like a sponge.  Then he asked if "beating off" would make him go blind.  I told him that was an old wives tale and it was perfectly normal.  I also told him the length of the Penis is not important to most women...that her feelings were in the first three inches of her....vagina.  He then wanted to know what a Vagina was and I explained the whole thing to him.   "Mr. Key, you have answered allot of questions that my Dad would never talk about.  That explains why the little girl I saw naked did not have a dick.  I then taught him not to use that word, but call it Penus.  He agreed and then said "There is a kid at school who has a weird dick...somebody cut the tip off....that little round ball at the end was gone...the skin around the dick went all the way to the end and just stopped.  He peed weird too, it looked like my folks lawn sprinklers...spraying all over the place.  I then explained circumcision and then he was concerned that somebody had "cut the end of my dick off without even asking me"  It was like looking for the end of the string in a tangled ball of yarn. We went over and over some things he was confused about and I felt we made some head way until he said he wanted to ask Jeanette if he could screw her and I threw my hands up in the air.  Enough for tonight.  (to be continued)

REPAIRING THE DAMAGE TO CAMP

Our eyes were stinging and the tears were flowing down our cheeks, but at least we could see. As we neered our camp, Bob pointed out that our tent was draped over a bush to the right!  The wind was fickle in that it took spells of blowing down the canyon and then ceased.  We waided through waist high brush to retreive it.  We stretched it out and re-set it. Pots and pans were every where.  We finally go it all put together. I put piles of rocks over the tent pegs to help.  I went to the car and got a bottle of Visene out of the glove compartment and we doctored our eyes.  Much better.  Bob looked up at our tree and it was still waving at us and dust was streaming off of the ridge. We were hungry, but I did not want to build a fire, so we ate cold Brown Beans and Potato chips. Both of us were tired from our hike and so we laid down on our sleeping bags and fell asleep.  We were awakened from the sound of a helicopter flying over head.  Our tent and the car were under some thick trees, so I hoped they could not see us.  I stepped out of the tent and....Oh My God, there was a forets fire in the distance..hard to tell how far.  Santa Anas most always started a fire, usually from blown down power lines.  They did not have aerial tankers back then, I didn't think,  hoped I was wrong. With the dry conditions and the wind, I thought it quite important to calculate whether the fire was coming our way.  The winds were from the North-North East and the fire was South West, so, for the time, it seemed safe.  I shared all of this with Bob as he was afraid.  I turned on the car radio searching for news, but could not find it.  We had slept so long that it was near Sun down.  I mentioned to Bob that the smoke was blowing away from us and we could see the stars again tonight.  I did not relish the thought of cold food again tonight. The air support would see our fire light any way.  What a disappointment.  I could hear a soft roar coming towards us.  The wind through the pines,  I loved that sound.  The roar usually got louder and then died as the near pines just waved a little and it was a spoof of Mother Nature.  I just could not stand the thought of no fire      I beat my brains out trying to figure out how to build an invisible and safe fire.  I hit upon the idea of getting a bunch of long branches and building a wigwam    Bob has disappeared and had been gone for quite awhile and I became very angry at him for running off.  When he finally came back, I gave him a bawling out.  He just stood there, and when I was through, he said "I found a cave where we can build a fire"     He took me to it and Bob's cave turned out to be a crack in the side of a stone bluff.  I patted him on the head and we walked back to camp      (to be continued

THE HIKE AND SEX 101

After a study of the way to the tree via binoculars, we would descend into the canyon which began right next to our camp.  Then we would take a jaunt down the bottom to a spot where there seemed to be less dangerous climbing up the the ridge.  I had trouble keeping my mind on our path as the thoughts of Bob's obsession with showing himself to me bothered me considerably.  I was certain he was not through with it.  I felt un-comfortible about the whole thing.  I considered his Father who was unable to talk about it.  I knew that he would get false information from his friends.  I wondered if it was important for him to know anyway.  We made it to the bottom of the canyon where there was a good sized creek splashing over rocks.  We stopped to survey the climb to the top of the ridge.  There were lots of boulder sticking out of the steep hill, but pathways between them.  It took us about an hour to reach the top of the ridge.  Of course little Bob had to show me how old I was and how young he was.  He would run way ahead of me, then stop, sit on a rock and laugh at me struggling to get up. We were both together as we climbed through the last boulders...a big formation going up about ten feet on both sides, and I pointed out how the formation had split in two many years ago.  There was also a fairly wide crack going off to our right side...a mini canyon of sorts and we decided we would explore as far into the canyon as we could go. It was then we saw something that made us stop in our tracks.  There was a human skeleton propped up against one wall.  It was sitting down, legs out stretched and back against the wall. Shreds of clothing still visible.  We could find no identification nor jewelry of any kind. We then noticed his left femur was broken.  Bob was most fascinated with it as he had never seen one before,  I told him not to touch it as we needed to report this to the authorities and they would be doing forensics.  I had a pencil and paper and sketched a rough map where it was located.  Bob wondered how he died and I said probably from starvation or exposure.  Obviously he had fallen and broken his leg.  I noted the time and the date.  Bob wanted to pull his skull off and put it in his room.  I forbade him from doing it.  We went on up until we reached the top of the ridge.  We then walked across the crest until we came to the tree.  "That's not the one"  Bob said.  I believed that it was and I asked Bob why he thought it wasn't.  "Look across to your left, there is an even taller tree and the sillhouette showed no other tree near it.  He was right, so I let him lead the way.  "That's it"  he said.  One lone tree with a slim spiked top.  We sat down under the tree and it was so quiet except for scurrying sounds of lizards and squirrels running from one place to another.  "Look" Bob shouted.  "There is our camp site"  There it was.  I let him use my binoculars and he was amazed at the detail he could see.  He just loved them and I decided to give them to him.  He panned 360 degrees amazed at every thing he saw.  "Hey, look at the ridge over there, there is alot of dust blowing off of it"  He handed me the glasses and yes..dust...the Santa Ana wind that was supposed to come in last night was coming in.  I told him things were about to change and it would be a real education for both of us.  The wind hit the North side of our ridge and a wall of dust was forced up the side and into the air.  We were above 7,000 feet and I told Bob Santa Anas could blow up 100 mph on hight peaks and canyons.  The wind hit us with  terrific first gust.  We had to sit down and turn our backs to the wind.  Grains of sand stung any bare skin showing.  Our tree was bending over and waving its limbs like  "stop, stop"    I had set our canteen down and it blew over the side.  "Bob, we have to get out of here"  We crawled on our bellies to the crevace we had come up in.  Our eyes were hurting from all the dust in  them.  When we reached the crevace, we found shelter and we just stopped to rest and try to get our vision back....(to be continued)