A couple years ago now a Carpenter living out of his car arrived from the West Coast. I saw his Union Card, so I know he's a carpenter. But there's really one prime reason people live out of their cars and he and I both knew it. I figured he'd left ashes behind and was trying to get straight. It's funny about the rural West; people think it would be a great place to hide, but it is not. It is best to hide in the city. Out here everyone knows where every house is, and what everyone's trucks look like. Fugitives get caught pretty quick. In fact, our Deputy Sheriff was shot by one in his first week of employment.
It was Crazy Ann who brought 'Bob' in. She'd met him in Butte on the sidewalk. He'd been considering killing himself. AFter talking to Ann for a afternoon, he decided not to do it and come home with her. Ann's a old woman, and Bob is maybe 39, so it was none of that. Just the typical open hearted charity of the West. Being extremely religious, it was Ann's duty anyway to help. That's how people think out here- the real Redneck philosophy; Do it yourself, but if you can't, you'll find open hands willing to pull you out of the ditch and teach you how to do.
Bob attended the little Baptist church. He did fence work for the Deputy Sheriff, who is also a Rancher. We figured that meant Bob passed whatever back ground check was available to the Sheriff.
Then lots of the rancher's started hiring Bob. They paid the guy under the table cheap- I dont' know, maybe 7 bucks an hour. Worked him like a dog and exploited him in every way. That's the deprivation attitude of the Ranching world.
Things looked good for Bob for awhile. He came over to my house once and we talked about him doing the building I needed done. Like the Ranchers, I knew I could save thousands over the Contractor who'd looked it over. That's the deprivation attitude of the former bum from the City showing through, or maybe just the knowledge we didn't have the money for the build we needed. I even told him we'd pay 10, though he expected 7
But the Missus would have none of it. "It's his eyes," she said, 'there's something wrong here, something dark, and God told me to pass on this."
So much for a PHD; when God talks, people listen.
"I know there's darkness there," I argued, 'look where he's been. But he's trying to make a new start and we could save thousands."
"No, it's the safety of my family. Do you remember I felt this way about SG in Idaho? Look what happened then. We didnt' listen to my instincts and that was a mess."
That was true. SG was the State supervisor who lied about her and forced us out of Idaho.
"OK," I told her. So we took out a loan and hired Joe from Malta instead, one of the best people I've met in some time.
I had to tell Bob it was no-go. I told him it was insurance and my wife's desire to go with a bonded contractor should anything go wrong. He probably knew that was BS.
I didn't see much of Bob. I didn't go to church, and the truth was despite my desire to take him hiking with the kids and I, there was the same sense of forboding my wife had about him that stopped me.
Maybe I should have. All evil needs in this world is for good men to do nothing. But many in this good town were doing something; Ann and Bob parted ways, and Bob came to live in an abandoned trailer in the lot near Johnnies house. Johnny and his wife run the church, and are always taking in orphans. They took the gal with 10 kids, husband now in jail for meth, ot of a shack in the DY junction and brought them home. They helped feed and clothe and teach those children for about a year, until it was obvious the woman would never pay rent. She drank in the Bar and even bought a horse. It was very strange. Who says you shouldn't own a horse while on Wefare? Kids ran around like wildcats and one of the oldest boys allegedly got too close to a nine year old girl. Just touching....Those kids had seen every manner of 'man' come into their mother's bed and there's no guessing what has happened to them growing up. Well, yes there is.
They left to go to Malta. More cheap housing and other landlords to burn. Owed Johnny over 4000 dollars. So you'd think they would be hardened to this, but no; they won't give up on people. It would be like giving up on God.
I just wanted you to know some background before I got back to Bob. Bob came and went, but it was my impression the Rancher's had stopped using him. Maybe it was the fact the Minister needed the work, or maybe something a little worse. Some day I'll dig up the whole truth about all of this.
When I talked to Bob it was always he had a lot of stuff back in New York. He had the first Spiderman comic, he had this, and that, and could get money if he really needed to. He would leave town for weeks at a time. Then you'd see him walking on the road with his dog beside him.
Two nights ago Bob lost the trailer. The original deal was he paid no rent but would fix the place. When he failed to do that the new deal was to pay a little rent. That never happened, and the other night there was crashing and the sound of breaking wood in the place. Johnny came by to see what was up. When the door opened, there wasn't much left of Bob anymore. There was a guy in his place who looked a lot like him, holding a club, with the reek of old meth, that stink coming out of his skin. He focused his eyes on Johnny and a rage from way deep came out. Johnny's wife said it was evil, pure evil. She'd seen a lot in her fifty years, but nothing like this. Men would get mad at Johnny and there would be a fight, but nothing like this. This man railed and flung his hands and threatened and cursed. He broke the walls, tore holes in the door, and as Cindy noticed, was at one point standing over a very large machette. (Here I am wondering what kind it was, maybe a Shefeild....thankfully I'm not a knife guy and don't obsess over such things...)
I knew exactly what it was- I've seen it before, in the Ward, in the State hospital, on the streets, and from myself a few unmemorable times in a drunken drug induced stupor as a young man of 22. What Lennon once called the Green eyed GD straight from the soul. What some call the Black Ghost. And it is the Devil. The authenic, direct pipeline. This man focused all this...hate, on a man who'd never done him any harm, but only good.
Johnny's wife drug Johnny away. He liked to fight, still somewhere deep in him, but for the first time in his life listened to his wife and stood back. They called the Sheriff but he would not come without backup. By the time backup arrived Bob had left the trailer.
I found out about all of this 48 hours late. I live in the house on the hill and rarely come down. That's being changed today; my number is now by both the hotel and home phone of Johnny's family should they ever need my help.
There's really not much left to tell. You don't go into a Rat's cave when he's insane unless you have to to protect your loved ones. Bob is now living in the campground near town. The weather will not permit him to do that the coming Winter. There's speculation Bob will have to make a move.
We are all of us wondering if Bob will attempt to pick up some items of value from the homes around here to help fuel his habbit. He'd been spending a lot of his time on the Res, with the meth crowd, and this story is not over.
The funny thing about Johnny is that whenever something major happens in their lives, I seem to be involved. I don't go to church, but out of the Blue will see his wife or he and give what needs to be given. The God connection again. We're on this wierd wave length. So here Cindy is praying and revolving around "protection and perfect love." And I call her, learn the story, and offer her my help.
I figure sometimes God has to borrow a few 20 round .308 magazines and an M1A. Or maybe just someone to stand with Johnny and talk down the raving tenants.
Cindy's concerned, but no longer in fear. She believes something is going to happen soon. Maybe not with Bob, but something. The truth is the connection between myself, no- between our families- is so great I trust her instincts. I'd been double checking all my own doors.
Cindy won't set foot in the trailer now. She wants it torn down because all she sees is evil.
munk
It was Crazy Ann who brought 'Bob' in. She'd met him in Butte on the sidewalk. He'd been considering killing himself. AFter talking to Ann for a afternoon, he decided not to do it and come home with her. Ann's a old woman, and Bob is maybe 39, so it was none of that. Just the typical open hearted charity of the West. Being extremely religious, it was Ann's duty anyway to help. That's how people think out here- the real Redneck philosophy; Do it yourself, but if you can't, you'll find open hands willing to pull you out of the ditch and teach you how to do.
Bob attended the little Baptist church. He did fence work for the Deputy Sheriff, who is also a Rancher. We figured that meant Bob passed whatever back ground check was available to the Sheriff.
Then lots of the rancher's started hiring Bob. They paid the guy under the table cheap- I dont' know, maybe 7 bucks an hour. Worked him like a dog and exploited him in every way. That's the deprivation attitude of the Ranching world.
Things looked good for Bob for awhile. He came over to my house once and we talked about him doing the building I needed done. Like the Ranchers, I knew I could save thousands over the Contractor who'd looked it over. That's the deprivation attitude of the former bum from the City showing through, or maybe just the knowledge we didn't have the money for the build we needed. I even told him we'd pay 10, though he expected 7
But the Missus would have none of it. "It's his eyes," she said, 'there's something wrong here, something dark, and God told me to pass on this."
So much for a PHD; when God talks, people listen.
"I know there's darkness there," I argued, 'look where he's been. But he's trying to make a new start and we could save thousands."
"No, it's the safety of my family. Do you remember I felt this way about SG in Idaho? Look what happened then. We didnt' listen to my instincts and that was a mess."
That was true. SG was the State supervisor who lied about her and forced us out of Idaho.
"OK," I told her. So we took out a loan and hired Joe from Malta instead, one of the best people I've met in some time.
I had to tell Bob it was no-go. I told him it was insurance and my wife's desire to go with a bonded contractor should anything go wrong. He probably knew that was BS.
I didn't see much of Bob. I didn't go to church, and the truth was despite my desire to take him hiking with the kids and I, there was the same sense of forboding my wife had about him that stopped me.
Maybe I should have. All evil needs in this world is for good men to do nothing. But many in this good town were doing something; Ann and Bob parted ways, and Bob came to live in an abandoned trailer in the lot near Johnnies house. Johnny and his wife run the church, and are always taking in orphans. They took the gal with 10 kids, husband now in jail for meth, ot of a shack in the DY junction and brought them home. They helped feed and clothe and teach those children for about a year, until it was obvious the woman would never pay rent. She drank in the Bar and even bought a horse. It was very strange. Who says you shouldn't own a horse while on Wefare? Kids ran around like wildcats and one of the oldest boys allegedly got too close to a nine year old girl. Just touching....Those kids had seen every manner of 'man' come into their mother's bed and there's no guessing what has happened to them growing up. Well, yes there is.
They left to go to Malta. More cheap housing and other landlords to burn. Owed Johnny over 4000 dollars. So you'd think they would be hardened to this, but no; they won't give up on people. It would be like giving up on God.
I just wanted you to know some background before I got back to Bob. Bob came and went, but it was my impression the Rancher's had stopped using him. Maybe it was the fact the Minister needed the work, or maybe something a little worse. Some day I'll dig up the whole truth about all of this.
When I talked to Bob it was always he had a lot of stuff back in New York. He had the first Spiderman comic, he had this, and that, and could get money if he really needed to. He would leave town for weeks at a time. Then you'd see him walking on the road with his dog beside him.
Two nights ago Bob lost the trailer. The original deal was he paid no rent but would fix the place. When he failed to do that the new deal was to pay a little rent. That never happened, and the other night there was crashing and the sound of breaking wood in the place. Johnny came by to see what was up. When the door opened, there wasn't much left of Bob anymore. There was a guy in his place who looked a lot like him, holding a club, with the reek of old meth, that stink coming out of his skin. He focused his eyes on Johnny and a rage from way deep came out. Johnny's wife said it was evil, pure evil. She'd seen a lot in her fifty years, but nothing like this. Men would get mad at Johnny and there would be a fight, but nothing like this. This man railed and flung his hands and threatened and cursed. He broke the walls, tore holes in the door, and as Cindy noticed, was at one point standing over a very large machette. (Here I am wondering what kind it was, maybe a Shefeild....thankfully I'm not a knife guy and don't obsess over such things...)
I knew exactly what it was- I've seen it before, in the Ward, in the State hospital, on the streets, and from myself a few unmemorable times in a drunken drug induced stupor as a young man of 22. What Lennon once called the Green eyed GD straight from the soul. What some call the Black Ghost. And it is the Devil. The authenic, direct pipeline. This man focused all this...hate, on a man who'd never done him any harm, but only good.
Johnny's wife drug Johnny away. He liked to fight, still somewhere deep in him, but for the first time in his life listened to his wife and stood back. They called the Sheriff but he would not come without backup. By the time backup arrived Bob had left the trailer.
I found out about all of this 48 hours late. I live in the house on the hill and rarely come down. That's being changed today; my number is now by both the hotel and home phone of Johnny's family should they ever need my help.
There's really not much left to tell. You don't go into a Rat's cave when he's insane unless you have to to protect your loved ones. Bob is now living in the campground near town. The weather will not permit him to do that the coming Winter. There's speculation Bob will have to make a move.
We are all of us wondering if Bob will attempt to pick up some items of value from the homes around here to help fuel his habbit. He'd been spending a lot of his time on the Res, with the meth crowd, and this story is not over.
The funny thing about Johnny is that whenever something major happens in their lives, I seem to be involved. I don't go to church, but out of the Blue will see his wife or he and give what needs to be given. The God connection again. We're on this wierd wave length. So here Cindy is praying and revolving around "protection and perfect love." And I call her, learn the story, and offer her my help.
I figure sometimes God has to borrow a few 20 round .308 magazines and an M1A. Or maybe just someone to stand with Johnny and talk down the raving tenants.
Cindy's concerned, but no longer in fear. She believes something is going to happen soon. Maybe not with Bob, but something. The truth is the connection between myself, no- between our families- is so great I trust her instincts. I'd been double checking all my own doors.
Cindy won't set foot in the trailer now. She wants it torn down because all she sees is evil.
munk
:barf: 
:thumbup: