This week’s installment of Russell and Hannas’ adventures. Read the whole book by going to http://www.amazon.com/author/edwardlehner

After the hike, I continued to the west end of Lake McDonald and found Apgar Visitor Center, Village, and Campground. I checked in, found my camping spot and walked around the Village and down by the Lake. Several times I thought I saw Hanna, but it was never her.

It was getting late, and not having eaten since breakfast, I went into a village restaurant for dinner. The hostess showed me to a table for two and gave me a menu. A young well trimmed waiter asked about drinks. I ordered a Margarita and water and looked at the menu, deciding on a house special ribeye steak with fries and salad. The restaurant started to fill quickly after I had been seated and there was now a line outside. The hostess came by and asked if I would mind if another single customer joined me. I considered for a moment and agreed, not really wanting company. The hostess returned followed by a tall slender, extremely attractive woman who looked to be a little older than me, maybe mid-thirties. She had bobbed blond hair, turquoise blue eyes and a beautiful smile. She had an air of elegance about her, albeit, dressed in typical Glacier Park apparel of hiking boots, shorts and tee shirt with a large turquoises stone amulet at her throat that matched her eyes.

She gave me a killer smile, “Thank you so much for sharing. I’m Cassandra, but everyone calls me Cassy.”

I love to observe people and make up stories about them. When we were at this restaurant in Mexico, this couple was sitting at a table in front of me. I could see this woman, her husband or partner’s back was to me. This poem describes what I observed and conjured up. Since I am off my Haiku kick, this will hve to suffice for a while.

she sat alone 
across from a husband
she didn’t know
lost in his 
aging unflinching
abstract life.

she twiddled her hair 
yawned bored 
stifled another
twiddled her hair
looked out the window
into the dark night
hiding the tide 
rolling in 
on schedule.

her mouth moved 
as she tried to talk
but there were 
no more words
to express
her loneliness.

she caught my eye
with a smile of 
longing for some
interest and 
understanding.

i returned her smile
with mine
and left
into the night
not wanting
to enter
her disquietude.
 

Innocent dreams and
long straight open highways
lead us to forever.

This week’s installment of Russell and Hannas’ adventures. Read the whole book by going to http://www.amazon.com/author/edwardlehner

We continued walking and reminiscing about growing up, me on a farm and her in town, one of two children of a father who was college professor and a mother, a writer. I was so engrossed in talking with Rebecca, I lost track of time.  She taught middle school in Missoula and worked here at the Park during summers. We were the same age and had crossed paths many times in our early years. Finally Rebecca broke our conversation needing to check on the rest of the group. Everyone was doing fine except for Hanna who was glaring at me.

I fell back alongside her. “So how’re you doing?”

“Fine! Just fine!” she replied tersely.

“You’re acting strange. What’s bothering you?” I asked.

“Nothing!”

I walked along beside her, neither one of us talking. I was wondering what was going on with her. Was she irritated that I was talking with Rebecca? But her aloofness had begun yesterday. 

I said, after a while, “I’m sorry for whatever I did because I must have done something to upset you. I’m sorry.”

“Fine! Why don’t you go on and walk with your new friend?”