Personal Relationships

I was sitting on the couch early the other morning scanning the newspaper for items of interest when my young daughter McKale ran up to me and gave me a swift kick on the shin. "Dad! Did you see that great sunrise?" she asked. As I hobbled toward the window in an effort to see the phenomenon and get a headlock on the imp at the same time, I witnessed a truly impressive sight. At that moment I felt a strange combination of pleasure and pain. That particular joining of visual and physical stimulation was quite an experience. There, spread before us was a fall spectacular; a Halloween sunrise to be sure.

Wisps of orange, dark purple, and blood red, along with brief shooters of other muted rainbow hues were caught there on the horizon for a brief moment. The sun was hidden behind a cloud bank between the darkness of the earth and an overcast sky. It was doing its darndest to let its presence be known before being obscured behind the heavy black morning clouds hanging overhead. The dispersion of light appeared both ominous and exhilarating. I would not have been surprised to see the silhouette of an airborne witch scurrying for cover at the approaching dawn. It was a memorable moment that I am happy to have shared with my child.

As the sun continued its journey into the heavens and became blanketed by the dampening clouds, my daughter and I turned away from the scene. I thanked her for bringing the sunrise to my attention and gave her a loving embrace. As I nudged her in the ribs and provided her with a parting love tap I said, "Now, my dearie, we need to have a talk about your aggressive tendencies. You do not need to give someone a major bruise just to get their attention! At this rate I am going to have a tough time getting much of a dowry for a roughneck, tomboy girl child like yourself."

As I drove South that morning, fondly remembering my encounter with McKale, I noticed that the truck's fuel gauge was nearing empty. Luckily I was near the White Mesa travel center; a Texaco station located in the center of our local Ute indian community between Bluff and Blanding. I gassed up the beast and went inside the convenience store to pay my bill. As I stood at the counter I heard someone call out "Hello Barry!" Recognizing the friendly voice of Annie Cantsee I turned around to greet her but could not catch sight of her. "Hello Annie. Where are you?" From over by the mail boxes around a display counter appeared my dear friend with a broad, beautiful smile spread across her face.

Annie is not very tall physically, but she has a towering personality. Her positive attitude and appealing nature make meetings with her a pleasurable and warm experience. We spoke of the sunrise, our families' well being and her desire to go to the Blue Mountain Trading Post to sit on the porch and visit with "Duke and Rose," my parents. I continued my journey with an even more pleasant feeling about life in general and the world I am a part of. As I was two finger typing this story a couple more Ute friends came to visit us at the store. Bonnie Mike Lehi and Stella Eyetoo came in to discuss basketry, pick up some corn pollen, and speak of the past. These women are fun to be around and always add to my day in a positive way.

Life at the trading post has provided me and my family a multitude of friendships that we cherish more than any other aspect of the business. The warmth, radiance, and unique nature of that sunrise, and the way it was presented, reminds me of the people we have been introduced to through the years. Some of those relationships started on a sour note, then turned sweet. Others snuck up on me and took hold before I even realized what had happened. Each and every one of them is a treasure I hold near and dear to my heart. I can truthfully say that each new day here in Bluff presents itself in incomparable ways; there are always new friends to meet and experiences to be had.

Copyright©2002 Twin Rocks Trading Post