…..Having just barely escaped the clutches of two employees of the Shady Way Home, our hero pauses for a look around and to make a plan….
[thinking out loud]…Yeah, let’s get re-oriented here. Gotta be careful. I want to see them first, before they see me,
Whoever “they” is…or are.
“Ha, Ha. Lil’ feller, You’re plumb out of luck on that strategy. Ah’m ALWAYS gonna see you first on account of y’all NEVER gonna see me first, or EVER!!”
“Oh, my goodness…It’s Mr. Rhodes! I’m sorry, I completely forgot about you. It’s good to see you, I mean, NOT SEE YOU, again.”
“Hell, just call me Dusty. And don’t bother apologizing about fergettin’. That’s just how we roll down here. SHEE-IT, I fergot what I even used to look like, and a long time ago it was too…..I think.”
After a drawled pause, he notes, “Looks like you took my advice about letting go, back there at the Sani-Flush. I mean y’all appear to have most of yer original pieces.”
“Well, I guess the outfit doesn’t leave much to the imagination does it?” I allow, with a vague glance toward my nether regions.
“Yeah, you right there, pardner,” he answers with a wry, invisible grin. “Y’all good now? Traveling kinda light, ah see…
”Well, as far as supplies, what you see is what you get,” showing him my meager handful of crackers and juice boxes.
After a longer pause, the invisible cowboy offers sheepishly, “Y’know. I used to get around quite a bit back in the day, and I don’t know but if I kin remember a tinth of what-all I seen, I reckon we could make a time of it, see a few things. You won’t be seeing me, o’ course.”
He might be smiling again, but who knows. What is on my mind is that once again it’s decision time for me in Alzheimer’s Canyon. My record so far is far, far from good. Can I trust this, this spirit-thing, farther than I can throw him?….which is zero! I already know that too many of the characters in this bizarre world don’t have my best interests at heart.
And I don’t want to forget that Dusty saved my life back there at the wall. He didn’t have to do that.
And the oily maitre’d….what role did he take in shooting me through to this Canyon?
And, way, way back at the beginning, that sure looked like Dr. P, calmly waving me in here.
And, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and, and…..
My brain, straining at the seams to accommodate every possible argument, is beginning to shut down. What a horrible place to make a decision like this.
In the end, I go with my gut.
“Dusty, is there anyplace nearby where an invisible cowpoke and a newcomer can see the sunset?”
“Buddy, if y’all know how to appreciate a sunset, y’all in the right canyon. But first we rustle up some vittles and a bedroll.
Follow me.”
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