(no subject)
Ed and Hank
Part 2: He needs wide open spaces...
Note: This is part two. For part one see the link below.
Disclaimer: Hank told their story to Annie Proulx. Jack and Ennis are all hers. Ed and Hank belong only to each other. Rating: G $$: Nope.
Links to all previous posts are here:
http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/10082.html
Part 1 is here: http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/74564.html
Part 3 is here: (Well it will be here eventually anyways.)
Part 2: He needs wide open spaces...
"So's you about ready ta head home, Hank...?"
"No way, Ed. Not fer a few more days anyways... 'N ya know... we ain't been ta see tha' 'Procession Petroglyph Panel' in a real long time... So's I thought maybe we'd head down ta Butler Wash 'n pay it a visit..."
"Ya know there's plenty a petroglyphs right along the road we came in on..."
"I know... But I ain't in the mood fer tha' kinda rock art huntin'... parkin' the truck 'n scramblin' up ta the cliff face 'n then huntin' around ta try 'n find 'em... then goin' back ta the truck 'n drivin' ta the next spot 'n then scramblin' up ta it... over 'n over again... All tha' gettin' in 'n outta the truck is just plain irritatin'... 'N besides... remember all them folks we saw rock climbin' on the drive in...?"
"Tha' was a Sunday... It won't be so busy on a week day..."
"Tha' don't matter... ya know I'll still get mad as hell if'n we come across petroglyphs they've been climbin' over... 'n ya know we will... Remember the damage we seen last time we went lookin' fer rock art around here...? 'N tha' was quite a few years back... Hell... there's miles 'n miles 'n miles a cliff face 'n only a handful a spots with petroglyphs... but some a them climbers still can't manage ta leave 'em the hell alone... 'N the damage they're doin' can't be undone..."
"Ya gotta wonder wha' the hell is wrong with folks like tha'..."
"Somethin' sure as hell is."
"Okay... let's go ta Butler Wash then... But... ya know that whole area is just one canyon after another... dontcha, dumbass...?"
"I know. But I recall the hike up ta tha' panel ain't hardly like walkin' in a canyon at all... Lotsa wide open spaces..."
"'N I seem ta recall tha' bein' a purty good climb up... Is yer knee up fer it, Hank...?"
"It ain't tha' far up... 'N yeah, my knee's been doin' real good. 'N if'n it starts actin' up again I got you ta carry me back down."
"Don't count on it."
"Ya'd leave me up there...? Lost in the desert ta die, huh...?"
"Well... ya wouldn't technic'lly be lost... 'N I'd call fer help... send someone else up ta get ya..."
"Ya know... A lot of counties have started chargin' folks fer rescuin' 'em..."
"Then I guess I'd just hafta leave ya up there."
"Thanks a lot."
"Yer welcome. But... I was thinkin'..."
"Yeah...?"
"We'll be headin' through Blanding... 'N if'n we're gonna stay out longer we gotta stop ta get some stuff anyways... 'n get tha' tire patched... so's how 'bout we pick up some beer...?"
"Yer gonna let me off my leash some, huh...?"
"If'n ya promise not ta run amok 'n drink it all in one sittin'..."
"I'll do my best ta resist."
"I'd appreciate it."
"How 'bout some music, Ed...?"
"Fine with me... So's long as it's country."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJi153avCGA
"It's country alrigh'... 'I used ta spend my nights out in a bar room... Liquor was the only love I'd known... But you rescued me from reachin' fer the bottle... 'n ya brought me back from bein' too far gone'..."
"Dumbass."
"...'Cause 'yer as smooooth as Tennessee whiskey... Yer as sweeeet as strawberry wine... Yer as waaaarm as a glass of brandy'..."
"And yer as crazy as a loon."
"...'And I stay stoned on yer love aaall the time'..."
"Dumbass."
Later...
"You got the directions, Hank...?
I ain't sure if I remember the way..."
"I think I remember...
'N I know fer sure the first thing we gotta do
is get across these gullies chock full a brambles 'n crap...
Tha's the worst part..."
"Damn. I fergot about tha'..."
One gully later...
"Jeez... I don't know if this is worth it, Hank..."
"Yeah it is. 'N if'n we go down here...
'n then follow that other gully there fer a l'il ways...
I think we'll end up where we need ta be
ta get where we wanna go..."
"Ya know I hear tell there's folks
who never managed ta find their way out livin' in there...
they s'posedly got a whole new civilization goin'..."
"I wouldn't be a bit surprised... Hey... Maybe they're not a buncha bigoted dumbasses 'n they let gay folks get married... so's if'n we come acrost 'em we can get hitched today..."
"Today, huh...?"
"Yep."
"I dunno about tha'..."
"Ya don't, huh...?"
"Well... Ya know... Ya ain't ever actually asked me..."
"Yeah I have."
"No ya haven't."
"So's ya wanna real proper-like proposal, huh...? I think I can manage tha'..."
"Get the hell up, Hank... Ya know I was just kiddin'... I didn't really mean fer ya ta do it..."
"Edward Smith... will you do me, Henry Jones, the honor of gettin' o-ficially hitched ta me...? 'Cause ya know I love ya more than I could ever say... 'N I'd give anythin' ta make it legal-like someday..."
"......"
"Well...?"
"That was it...? I was waitin' fer a l'il more... Ya know tha' was purty lame, Hank..."
"I didn't exactly have a lotta time ta prepare... Besides... ya know you coulda asked me too... 'n ya never have..."
"Fine... Ya wanna tie the knot, dumbass...? Whenever we can anyways..."
"Oh yeah... That's a whole lot better than mine..."
"Well... will ya, Hank...?"
"Yeah. I will. How 'bout you...? Will you, Ed...?"
"I dunno... This is all so sudden... I migh' need a l'il while ta think about it."
"Dumbass."
"Ouch...! Ya know... I don't think yer s'posed ta punch the fella ya just proposed to."
"I'm startin' a new tradition... 'Somethin' old... somethin' new... somethin' borrowed... 'n somethin' black 'n blue'..."
"Good luck with tha'."
"Ya know ya still ain't given me an answer..."
"Yeah, Hank... I will too."
"Can I get that in writin'...?"
"Sure... If'n yer willin' ta go back acrost tha' gully ta the truck 'n get me a pen 'n some paper..."
"I guess yer word is plenty good enough fer me."
"I love yer dumb ass, Hank."
"I love you too, Ed."
Another gully or two later...
"Now which way do we go, Hank...?"
"I think we need ta head up there...
stayin' above 'n ta the left a tha' there smaller canyon
'cause we gotta by-pass a big ol' dry waterfall..."
"Shit... I remember now...
I didn't care much fer tha' drop-off...
the way it was real steep-like right by it..."
"I thought you weren't afraid a heights...?"
"I've told ya before... It ain't the heights I'm afraid of...
it's the hittin' the ground."
"I don't think it's as bad as ya remember, Ed...
There's only a few steps that are kinda close ta the edge... 'n kinda steep-like...
'N it ain't all tha' far up... so's if'n we get up there 'n ya don't wanna do it
we'll just turn back around 'n do somethin' else..."
"Can I get that in writin'...?"
"Sure... If'n yer willin' ta
go back acrost them gullies ta the truck
'n get me a pen 'n some paper..."
"You wait here, Hank...
I'll be back in about thirty minutes."
"Dumbass."
A little while later...
"Would ya get the hell away from that edge, Hank..."
"I ain't even close ta the edge, Ed...
Not no more anyways... 'N I'm just tryin' ta get a picture of the lay of the land...
But none of 'em are turnin' out too good... Ya don't get the full effect...
'N the ones I took over the edge ain't
turnin' out at all..."
"Well, you'll get the full affect alright
if'n ya fall off a there, dumbass."
"I ain't gonna fall...
But I think congratulations are in order, Ed...
Ya made it past there no problem..."
"It weren't tha' bad."
"I told ya so."
"But then again...
the way back down is always worse..."
"You'll be fine."
"If I go over that edge I'm comin' back ta haunt ya."
"I'm countin' on it... 'N see...
it ain't hardly canyon-like at all up here...
plenty a wide open spaces..."
And a little later...
"Now I guess we gotta climb up there..."
"Yep."
And a little while after that...
"I dunno, Hank...
I don't remember tha' big ol' rockfall..."
"I ain't sure it was there last time...
But least-wise we could get around it easy enough."
"Ya don't suppose anyone is under it...?"
"Tha'd be some purty bad bad luck
'n some awful bad bad timin' if'n they are..."
"Or ya don't s'pose tha's where the panel was...?"
"I sure as hell hope not.
But I think we woulda heard about it if it was..."
"Well... I woulda thought them petroglyphs woulda been back a l'il further...
D'ya think we missed it by comin' up them ledges
instead a righ' by the wall...?"
"I don't think we missed it."
"I'm gonna be ticked off if'n ya drug me
all the way up here fer nothin'..."
"It wouldn' be fer nothin'...
the view's purty damn nice... 'n if'n it ain't right up here
we'll head back down along the wall... I'd like ta go back tha' way anyways
ta see if'n we missed anythin' else...
Hey... there it is..."
"Yeah... Well... I woulda put it further down...
in tha' nice big smooth spot a desert varnish a l'il ways back..."
"Well too bad you weren't around fer them ta ask."
"So's... How many figures are s'posed ta be on there...?"
"179... comin' from three diff'rent directions
'n all headed ta tha' big ol' circle..."
"Tha' musta been some party."
"Or funeral. Some folks think it mighta been
some important fella's funeral..."
"Or... if'n this was when it was gettin' hotter 'n dryer...
it coulda been a big ol' meetin' about it..."
"Or it coulda been folks who died...
on accounta the climate changin'...'n they're all headin' inta the light...
Or were massacred maybe... ya know there had ta be one helluva compellin' reason
tha' they started livin' so high up in them cliffs... 'n so far from water...
'n grocery stores 'n movie theaters
'n whatnot..."
"They prob'ly weren't near as lazy as you...
But... it is kinda hard ta believe they started livin' up there
just 'cause they liked the view better..."
"'N... whatever it was... it seems like recordin' the number of folks was more important than gettin' the details down... 'cause only a few of 'em are done real good... like a couple a them guys with birds on their heads... 'n they mighta been done earlier than the rest by someone else 'n just fit inta the big picture later..."
"Well... nobody really knows...
So's... how 'bout we just say it was a big ol' party...?"
"Party it is...
'N it looks like... no matter what it was...
there was dancin'..."
"Yep."
"'N ya know wha' them Dixie Chicks say...
'Some days ya gotta dance... Live it up when ya get the chance...
'cause when the world don't make no sense... 'n yer feelin' just a l'il too tense...
ya gotta loosen up them chains 'n dance'..."
"Well if'n yer gonna start dancin'
try not ta trip over anythin', dumbass..."
Later...
"Hey, Ed... Ya wanna climb the rest of the way up ta tha' top edge...?
It ain't all tha' much further... Tha' guy who came up after us is up there already...
I can just barely make him 'n his dog out..."
"Thanks, but no thanks.
I know what's out tha' way 'n I can see plenty of it jus' fine
from down here."
"Just thought I'd ask."
Later... on the way down...
"Hey... Lookit this...
Here's a petroglyph of you, Ed..."
"I ain't that skinny, dumbass..."
"True 'nough... You got a lot more muscle on tha' tall, skinny frame a yers...
'N yer head ain't tha' small... 'n yer neck ain't quite tha' long...
'n yer legs are a helluva lot longer... But the rest of it
sure as hell looks just about right..."
"Ya think so, huh...?"
"You betcha.
Talk about yer 'stoned love'..."
"Stop lookin' at me like that, Hank...
Ya know damn well there's other folks out here...
We seen tha' fella 'n his dog... 'n tha' father 'n his daughter...
'n who knows who else..."
"Okay... okay..."
"But... can ya hold tha' thought
fer later on...?"
"I sure as hell can... Me 'n the Supremes...
'Stoned love... stoned love... oh yeah... I tell ya I ain't got no other...
Stoned love... Oh yeah... Can't ya feel it...? Stoned love... Mmmm Hmmm...
Stoned love... Whoo Ooh Mmmm Hmmm... Stoned love...
Oh yeah'... Or somethin' like tha'..."
"Dumbass."
Later...
"D'ya remember where we parked the truck, Hank...?
I forgot ta look back when we were headin' up..."
"Yep. It's righ' next to a big ol' cottonwood tree..."
"Shit."
"Didn't we do this last time too...?"
"Yep."
"Ya know...
maybe we should get one a them GPS things someday...
How much do they cost...?"
"Way more than you'd wanna pay... Besides...
knowin' exactly where where we are 'n where the truck is all the time
would take all the fun outta it..."
"Says you."
Not that much later...
"Well... the truck weren't half as hard ta find as I thought it'd be...
So's... are ya ready ta get goin', Ed...?"
"Dontcha wanna go up some a them other canyons here...?
'N see some a them ruins 'n whatnot..."
"Nope. Too canyon-y..."
"So's... Lemme guess...
we're headin' ta Monument Valley..."
"Nah... The scenic drive there's real purty...
lotsa wide open spaces 'n all... but I don't wanna be cooped up
in the truck fer tha' long..."
"Then why the hell are we headed this way...?"
"I thought we'd stop 'n see them San Juan River Goosenecks...
We ain't seen 'em in years..."
"I guess it could be a inch or so deeper
than it was last time..."
"'N before ya say it, Ed... yeah... I know it's a big ol' canyon...
but we'll be up above it... where there's plenty a wide open spaces..."
"It is real purty here this time a day..."
"We can even camp here..."
"Wha'...? Where...?"
"Anywhere on the outer edges of this big ol' parkin' lot...
Hell... we can camp right on the rim
if'n ya wanna..."
"Good thing I don't walk in my sleep."
"'N look... they even got deluxe campin' accomodations...
a pit toilet 'n a garbage can 'n a picnic table...
Wha' more could a fella ask fer...?"
"Well... are ya still holdin' tha' thought...?
Ya know... from earlier..."
"I sure am... Ya want me ta let it loose, huh...?"
"Yeah... But we should least-wise wait 'til we get the tent set up..."
"Tent schment... There ain't no one else around... Damn... You musta been thinkin' on this fer a while... Yer as hard as a rock, Ed... 'Stoned love' is righ'... 'I can feel it... Whoo Ooh... Mmmm Hmmm... Stoned love... Oh yeah'..."
"Wait a minute, Hank..."
"Too bad I cain't sing 'n do this at the same time..."
"Yeah tha's a real tragedy... But... c'mon, Hank... hold up a minute..."
"Well... I may not be able ta sing... but I sure as hell can still hum... Hey... where ya goin', Ed..."
"I told ya... I wanna set up the tent first... Other folks could pull up any time... This ain't exactly off the beaten path..."
"Okay... 'N I'll put on some music... ta help spur ya along... Whistle while ya work 'n all..."
"Or you could just help me."
"Sure thing... Right after I put some music on..."
"Just don't put it on too loud... in case somebody else does drive up we don't wanna disturb 'em... 'N don't put on nothin' too... you know... sappy..."
"Wha'...? Ya wanna make sure if'n anyone comes along they'll think we're justa couple a good ol' boys out here drinkin' 'n pinin' fer our womenfolk...? I guess I could put on 'Elvira'... 'El-viii-ra... El-viii-ra... my heart is on fiiire fer El-viii-ra... giddyup boom chicka boom or whatever'... Or I could put on a drinkin' song... 'Chug-a-lug... chug-a-lug... makes ya wanna holler hi dee ho... burns yer tummy dontcha know... Chug-a-lug... chug-a-lug'... I dunno about the use a the word 'tummy' though... tha' don't seem real man-like..."
"Dumbass."
"Hmmm... Lessee what else I got here that ain't too sappy fer ya... Where the hell did this cd come from...? I don't remember buyin' it... Or Iris sendin' it... Maybe Betty left it when she 'n Bill borrowed the truck last week... Well... whosever it is... I'm sure they won't mind if'n we play it... seein' as it's got on it about the least sappy song we got along..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21G2OkHEYo
"Sigh... Ya know it's my own damn fault... I shoulda knowed sayin' tha' would just egg ya on."
"You fill up my senses... like a night in a forest..."
"There ain't a tree in sight, dumbass."
"...like the mountains in springtiiime... like a walk in the raaaaain..."
"Okay... okay... I get the idea..."
"...like a storm in the desert... like a really big canyonnn..."
"You are such a dumbass sometimes."
"...you fill up my senses... come fill me agaaaain...."
"Wouldya cut it out already...?"
"...Come let me looove yooou... let me give my life to yooou..."
"I swear... I'm gonna get in tha' truck 'n drive away..."
"...Let me drown in your laaaughter... let me die in your aaaaaarms... (just not fer a long, long time)... let me lay down beside yooou... let me always be with you... Come let me...".
"C'mere, dumbass..."
.......
.......
"Damn, Ed... you kiss me like that right out here in the open 'n anyone drivin' up is gonna figure out real quick-like that it ain't Elvira yer heart's on fire fer..."
"I had ta do somethin' ta shut ya up... it ain't fair ta let the coyotes suffer like tha'... Not ta mention the chipmunks 'n the rattlesnakes 'n the buzzards 'n the scorpions 'n the..."
"You ain't gonna mention 'em, huh...?"
"Nope. So's... Hank..."
"Yeah...?"
"How 'bout we get tha' tent set up...?"
"Yer the boss."
"Yeah. That'll be the day."
---
---
Part 3 is here:
(Well it will be eventually.
After Ed and Hank get back from camping again.)
"If you ain't down here 'n in the damn truck in two minutes
I'm takin' Bill this time instead a you, Hank..."
"Hold yer horses, Ed...
I'll be righ' there..."
---
Part 2: He needs wide open spaces...
Note: This is part two. For part one see the link below.
Disclaimer: Hank told their story to Annie Proulx. Jack and Ennis are all hers. Ed and Hank belong only to each other. Rating: G $$: Nope.
Links to all previous posts are here:
http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/10082.html
Part 1 is here: http://myeyesaintblue.livejournal.com/74564.html
Part 3 is here: (Well it will be here eventually anyways.)
Part 2: He needs wide open spaces...
"So's you about ready ta head home, Hank...?"
"No way, Ed. Not fer a few more days anyways... 'N ya know... we ain't been ta see tha' 'Procession Petroglyph Panel' in a real long time... So's I thought maybe we'd head down ta Butler Wash 'n pay it a visit..."
"Ya know there's plenty a petroglyphs right along the road we came in on..."
"I know... But I ain't in the mood fer tha' kinda rock art huntin'... parkin' the truck 'n scramblin' up ta the cliff face 'n then huntin' around ta try 'n find 'em... then goin' back ta the truck 'n drivin' ta the next spot 'n then scramblin' up ta it... over 'n over again... All tha' gettin' in 'n outta the truck is just plain irritatin'... 'N besides... remember all them folks we saw rock climbin' on the drive in...?"
"Tha' was a Sunday... It won't be so busy on a week day..."
"Tha' don't matter... ya know I'll still get mad as hell if'n we come across petroglyphs they've been climbin' over... 'n ya know we will... Remember the damage we seen last time we went lookin' fer rock art around here...? 'N tha' was quite a few years back... Hell... there's miles 'n miles 'n miles a cliff face 'n only a handful a spots with petroglyphs... but some a them climbers still can't manage ta leave 'em the hell alone... 'N the damage they're doin' can't be undone..."
"Ya gotta wonder wha' the hell is wrong with folks like tha'..."
"Somethin' sure as hell is."
"Okay... let's go ta Butler Wash then... But... ya know that whole area is just one canyon after another... dontcha, dumbass...?"
"I know. But I recall the hike up ta tha' panel ain't hardly like walkin' in a canyon at all... Lotsa wide open spaces..."
"'N I seem ta recall tha' bein' a purty good climb up... Is yer knee up fer it, Hank...?"
"It ain't tha' far up... 'N yeah, my knee's been doin' real good. 'N if'n it starts actin' up again I got you ta carry me back down."
"Don't count on it."
"Ya'd leave me up there...? Lost in the desert ta die, huh...?"
"Well... ya wouldn't technic'lly be lost... 'N I'd call fer help... send someone else up ta get ya..."
"Ya know... A lot of counties have started chargin' folks fer rescuin' 'em..."
"Then I guess I'd just hafta leave ya up there."
"Thanks a lot."
"Yer welcome. But... I was thinkin'..."
"Yeah...?"
"We'll be headin' through Blanding... 'N if'n we're gonna stay out longer we gotta stop ta get some stuff anyways... 'n get tha' tire patched... so's how 'bout we pick up some beer...?"
"Yer gonna let me off my leash some, huh...?"
"If'n ya promise not ta run amok 'n drink it all in one sittin'..."
"I'll do my best ta resist."
"I'd appreciate it."
"How 'bout some music, Ed...?"
"Fine with me... So's long as it's country."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kJi153avCGA
"It's country alrigh'... 'I used ta spend my nights out in a bar room... Liquor was the only love I'd known... But you rescued me from reachin' fer the bottle... 'n ya brought me back from bein' too far gone'..."
"Dumbass."
"...'Cause 'yer as smooooth as Tennessee whiskey... Yer as sweeeet as strawberry wine... Yer as waaaarm as a glass of brandy'..."
"And yer as crazy as a loon."
"...'And I stay stoned on yer love aaall the time'..."
"Dumbass."
Later...
"You got the directions, Hank...?
I ain't sure if I remember the way..."
"I think I remember...
'N I know fer sure the first thing we gotta do
is get across these gullies chock full a brambles 'n crap...
Tha's the worst part..."
"Damn. I fergot about tha'..."
One gully later...
"Jeez... I don't know if this is worth it, Hank..."
"Yeah it is. 'N if'n we go down here...
'n then follow that other gully there fer a l'il ways...
I think we'll end up where we need ta be
ta get where we wanna go..."
"Ya know I hear tell there's folks
who never managed ta find their way out livin' in there...
they s'posedly got a whole new civilization goin'..."
"I wouldn't be a bit surprised... Hey... Maybe they're not a buncha bigoted dumbasses 'n they let gay folks get married... so's if'n we come acrost 'em we can get hitched today..."
"Today, huh...?"
"Yep."
"I dunno about tha'..."
"Ya don't, huh...?"
"Well... Ya know... Ya ain't ever actually asked me..."
"Yeah I have."
"No ya haven't."
"So's ya wanna real proper-like proposal, huh...? I think I can manage tha'..."
"Get the hell up, Hank... Ya know I was just kiddin'... I didn't really mean fer ya ta do it..."
"Edward Smith... will you do me, Henry Jones, the honor of gettin' o-ficially hitched ta me...? 'Cause ya know I love ya more than I could ever say... 'N I'd give anythin' ta make it legal-like someday..."
"......"
"Well...?"
"That was it...? I was waitin' fer a l'il more... Ya know tha' was purty lame, Hank..."
"I didn't exactly have a lotta time ta prepare... Besides... ya know you coulda asked me too... 'n ya never have..."
"Fine... Ya wanna tie the knot, dumbass...? Whenever we can anyways..."
"Oh yeah... That's a whole lot better than mine..."
"Well... will ya, Hank...?"
"Yeah. I will. How 'bout you...? Will you, Ed...?"
"I dunno... This is all so sudden... I migh' need a l'il while ta think about it."
"Dumbass."
"Ouch...! Ya know... I don't think yer s'posed ta punch the fella ya just proposed to."
"I'm startin' a new tradition... 'Somethin' old... somethin' new... somethin' borrowed... 'n somethin' black 'n blue'..."
"Good luck with tha'."
"Ya know ya still ain't given me an answer..."
"Yeah, Hank... I will too."
"Can I get that in writin'...?"
"Sure... If'n yer willin' ta go back acrost tha' gully ta the truck 'n get me a pen 'n some paper..."
"I guess yer word is plenty good enough fer me."
"I love yer dumb ass, Hank."
"I love you too, Ed."
Another gully or two later...
"Now which way do we go, Hank...?"
"I think we need ta head up there...
stayin' above 'n ta the left a tha' there smaller canyon
'cause we gotta by-pass a big ol' dry waterfall..."
"Shit... I remember now...
I didn't care much fer tha' drop-off...
the way it was real steep-like right by it..."
"I thought you weren't afraid a heights...?"
"I've told ya before... It ain't the heights I'm afraid of...
it's the hittin' the ground."
"I don't think it's as bad as ya remember, Ed...
There's only a few steps that are kinda close ta the edge... 'n kinda steep-like...
'N it ain't all tha' far up... so's if'n we get up there 'n ya don't wanna do it
we'll just turn back around 'n do somethin' else..."
"Can I get that in writin'...?"
"Sure... If'n yer willin' ta
go back acrost them gullies ta the truck
'n get me a pen 'n some paper..."
"You wait here, Hank...
I'll be back in about thirty minutes."
"Dumbass."
A little while later...
"Would ya get the hell away from that edge, Hank..."
"I ain't even close ta the edge, Ed...
Not no more anyways... 'N I'm just tryin' ta get a picture of the lay of the land...
But none of 'em are turnin' out too good... Ya don't get the full effect...
'N the ones I took over the edge ain't
turnin' out at all..."
"Well, you'll get the full affect alright
if'n ya fall off a there, dumbass."
"I ain't gonna fall...
But I think congratulations are in order, Ed...
Ya made it past there no problem..."
"It weren't tha' bad."
"I told ya so."
"But then again...
the way back down is always worse..."
"You'll be fine."
"If I go over that edge I'm comin' back ta haunt ya."
"I'm countin' on it... 'N see...
it ain't hardly canyon-like at all up here...
plenty a wide open spaces..."
And a little later...
"Now I guess we gotta climb up there..."
"Yep."
And a little while after that...
"I dunno, Hank...
I don't remember tha' big ol' rockfall..."
"I ain't sure it was there last time...
But least-wise we could get around it easy enough."
"Ya don't suppose anyone is under it...?"
"Tha'd be some purty bad bad luck
'n some awful bad bad timin' if'n they are..."
"Or ya don't s'pose tha's where the panel was...?"
"I sure as hell hope not.
But I think we woulda heard about it if it was..."
"Well... I woulda thought them petroglyphs woulda been back a l'il further...
D'ya think we missed it by comin' up them ledges
instead a righ' by the wall...?"
"I don't think we missed it."
"I'm gonna be ticked off if'n ya drug me
all the way up here fer nothin'..."
"It wouldn' be fer nothin'...
the view's purty damn nice... 'n if'n it ain't right up here
we'll head back down along the wall... I'd like ta go back tha' way anyways
ta see if'n we missed anythin' else...
Hey... there it is..."
"Yeah... Well... I woulda put it further down...
in tha' nice big smooth spot a desert varnish a l'il ways back..."
"Well too bad you weren't around fer them ta ask."
"So's... How many figures are s'posed ta be on there...?"
"179... comin' from three diff'rent directions
'n all headed ta tha' big ol' circle..."
"Tha' musta been some party."
"Or funeral. Some folks think it mighta been
some important fella's funeral..."
"Or... if'n this was when it was gettin' hotter 'n dryer...
it coulda been a big ol' meetin' about it..."
"Or it coulda been folks who died...
on accounta the climate changin'...'n they're all headin' inta the light...
Or were massacred maybe... ya know there had ta be one helluva compellin' reason
tha' they started livin' so high up in them cliffs... 'n so far from water...
'n grocery stores 'n movie theaters
'n whatnot..."
"They prob'ly weren't near as lazy as you...
But... it is kinda hard ta believe they started livin' up there
just 'cause they liked the view better..."
"'N... whatever it was... it seems like recordin' the number of folks was more important than gettin' the details down... 'cause only a few of 'em are done real good... like a couple a them guys with birds on their heads... 'n they mighta been done earlier than the rest by someone else 'n just fit inta the big picture later..."
"Well... nobody really knows...
So's... how 'bout we just say it was a big ol' party...?"
"Party it is...
'N it looks like... no matter what it was...
there was dancin'..."
"Yep."
"'N ya know wha' them Dixie Chicks say...
'Some days ya gotta dance... Live it up when ya get the chance...
'cause when the world don't make no sense... 'n yer feelin' just a l'il too tense...
ya gotta loosen up them chains 'n dance'..."
"Well if'n yer gonna start dancin'
try not ta trip over anythin', dumbass..."
Later...
"Hey, Ed... Ya wanna climb the rest of the way up ta tha' top edge...?
It ain't all tha' much further... Tha' guy who came up after us is up there already...
I can just barely make him 'n his dog out..."
"Thanks, but no thanks.
I know what's out tha' way 'n I can see plenty of it jus' fine
from down here."
"Just thought I'd ask."
Later... on the way down...
"Hey... Lookit this...
Here's a petroglyph of you, Ed..."
"I ain't that skinny, dumbass..."
"True 'nough... You got a lot more muscle on tha' tall, skinny frame a yers...
'N yer head ain't tha' small... 'n yer neck ain't quite tha' long...
'n yer legs are a helluva lot longer... But the rest of it
sure as hell looks just about right..."
"Ya think so, huh...?"
"You betcha.
Talk about yer 'stoned love'..."
"Stop lookin' at me like that, Hank...
Ya know damn well there's other folks out here...
We seen tha' fella 'n his dog... 'n tha' father 'n his daughter...
'n who knows who else..."
"Okay... okay..."
"But... can ya hold tha' thought
fer later on...?"
"I sure as hell can... Me 'n the Supremes...
'Stoned love... stoned love... oh yeah... I tell ya I ain't got no other...
Stoned love... Oh yeah... Can't ya feel it...? Stoned love... Mmmm Hmmm...
Stoned love... Whoo Ooh Mmmm Hmmm... Stoned love...
Oh yeah'... Or somethin' like tha'..."
"Dumbass."
Later...
"D'ya remember where we parked the truck, Hank...?
I forgot ta look back when we were headin' up..."
"Yep. It's righ' next to a big ol' cottonwood tree..."
"Shit."
"Didn't we do this last time too...?"
"Yep."
"Ya know...
maybe we should get one a them GPS things someday...
How much do they cost...?"
"Way more than you'd wanna pay... Besides...
knowin' exactly where where we are 'n where the truck is all the time
would take all the fun outta it..."
"Says you."
Not that much later...
"Well... the truck weren't half as hard ta find as I thought it'd be...
So's... are ya ready ta get goin', Ed...?"
"Dontcha wanna go up some a them other canyons here...?
'N see some a them ruins 'n whatnot..."
"Nope. Too canyon-y..."
"So's... Lemme guess...
we're headin' ta Monument Valley..."
"Nah... The scenic drive there's real purty...
lotsa wide open spaces 'n all... but I don't wanna be cooped up
in the truck fer tha' long..."
"Then why the hell are we headed this way...?"
"I thought we'd stop 'n see them San Juan River Goosenecks...
We ain't seen 'em in years..."
"I guess it could be a inch or so deeper
than it was last time..."
"'N before ya say it, Ed... yeah... I know it's a big ol' canyon...
but we'll be up above it... where there's plenty a wide open spaces..."
"It is real purty here this time a day..."
"We can even camp here..."
"Wha'...? Where...?"
"Anywhere on the outer edges of this big ol' parkin' lot...
Hell... we can camp right on the rim
if'n ya wanna..."
"Good thing I don't walk in my sleep."
"'N look... they even got deluxe campin' accomodations...
a pit toilet 'n a garbage can 'n a picnic table...
Wha' more could a fella ask fer...?"
"Well... are ya still holdin' tha' thought...?
Ya know... from earlier..."
"I sure am... Ya want me ta let it loose, huh...?"
"Yeah... But we should least-wise wait 'til we get the tent set up..."
"Tent schment... There ain't no one else around... Damn... You musta been thinkin' on this fer a while... Yer as hard as a rock, Ed... 'Stoned love' is righ'... 'I can feel it... Whoo Ooh... Mmmm Hmmm... Stoned love... Oh yeah'..."
"Wait a minute, Hank..."
"Too bad I cain't sing 'n do this at the same time..."
"Yeah tha's a real tragedy... But... c'mon, Hank... hold up a minute..."
"Well... I may not be able ta sing... but I sure as hell can still hum... Hey... where ya goin', Ed..."
"I told ya... I wanna set up the tent first... Other folks could pull up any time... This ain't exactly off the beaten path..."
"Okay... 'N I'll put on some music... ta help spur ya along... Whistle while ya work 'n all..."
"Or you could just help me."
"Sure thing... Right after I put some music on..."
"Just don't put it on too loud... in case somebody else does drive up we don't wanna disturb 'em... 'N don't put on nothin' too... you know... sappy..."
"Wha'...? Ya wanna make sure if'n anyone comes along they'll think we're justa couple a good ol' boys out here drinkin' 'n pinin' fer our womenfolk...? I guess I could put on 'Elvira'... 'El-viii-ra... El-viii-ra... my heart is on fiiire fer El-viii-ra... giddyup boom chicka boom or whatever'... Or I could put on a drinkin' song... 'Chug-a-lug... chug-a-lug... makes ya wanna holler hi dee ho... burns yer tummy dontcha know... Chug-a-lug... chug-a-lug'... I dunno about the use a the word 'tummy' though... tha' don't seem real man-like..."
"Dumbass."
"Hmmm... Lessee what else I got here that ain't too sappy fer ya... Where the hell did this cd come from...? I don't remember buyin' it... Or Iris sendin' it... Maybe Betty left it when she 'n Bill borrowed the truck last week... Well... whosever it is... I'm sure they won't mind if'n we play it... seein' as it's got on it about the least sappy song we got along..."
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21G2OkHEYo
"Sigh... Ya know it's my own damn fault... I shoulda knowed sayin' tha' would just egg ya on."
"You fill up my senses... like a night in a forest..."
"There ain't a tree in sight, dumbass."
"...like the mountains in springtiiime... like a walk in the raaaaain..."
"Okay... okay... I get the idea..."
"...like a storm in the desert... like a really big canyonnn..."
"You are such a dumbass sometimes."
"...you fill up my senses... come fill me agaaaain...."
"Wouldya cut it out already...?"
"...Come let me looove yooou... let me give my life to yooou..."
"I swear... I'm gonna get in tha' truck 'n drive away..."
"...Let me drown in your laaaughter... let me die in your aaaaaarms... (just not fer a long, long time)... let me lay down beside yooou... let me always be with you... Come let me...".
"C'mere, dumbass..."
.......
.......
"Damn, Ed... you kiss me like that right out here in the open 'n anyone drivin' up is gonna figure out real quick-like that it ain't Elvira yer heart's on fire fer..."
"I had ta do somethin' ta shut ya up... it ain't fair ta let the coyotes suffer like tha'... Not ta mention the chipmunks 'n the rattlesnakes 'n the buzzards 'n the scorpions 'n the..."
"You ain't gonna mention 'em, huh...?"
"Nope. So's... Hank..."
"Yeah...?"
"How 'bout we get tha' tent set up...?"
"Yer the boss."
"Yeah. That'll be the day."
---
---
Part 3 is here:
(Well it will be eventually.
After Ed and Hank get back from camping again.)
"If you ain't down here 'n in the damn truck in two minutes
I'm takin' Bill this time instead a you, Hank..."
"Hold yer horses, Ed...
I'll be righ' there..."
---