hearing
big wanderlust 
wheels whine 
on the road
from there
to nowhere.

temptations rise
for empty
barren
desert roads
to a land
far away.

load 
my bag
my cooler 
and weed
for all 
I will need.

sleep 
under stars
in sagebrush
and coyotes
where rain 
never falls.

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.