(This is the fourth part in a series. All related posts can be read here.)
Farmer is scared to merge onto the freeway in Phoenix. AZ. Guess that happens when you live in a place where your mailbox is 2 miles from your house.
I’m losing pages in the beginning of this book, so I’ll have to rig something up for tomorrow. I’m leaning on the door in the blue Chevy, laid out on the long seat of the cab. The wind is blowing (all I hear). I’m in the shade and I doze off sometimes. It occurs to me that when I’m back in the city with friends and family and eventually school and sport, this place will seem as distant and dream-like as the other seems now.
Although another comment on the weather is boring, I’ll say it anyway because when you’re used to humidity, rain, and sunsets obscured by trees or sky-scrapers, the cooling, quiet, breathtaking transition from day to night is spectacular. It’s perfect outside right now. I think it’s good and important to be able to see and know changes in light, weather, and nature in general.
Coke is better than Pepsi. But since only Pepsi is here, Pepsi I will drink.
Believe it or not, I hear a plane over head- 1st sign of outside civilization in three days. It’s gone now. Maybe it was something else. These are my first words for today and it is late afternoon. I’ve finally caught up driving and hauling the wheat and have some spare time. I have to haul each truckload eight miles to the farm and then back. Takes a while but I fly returning to the fields with an empty truck.
Been drinking like crazy and I’m still dehydrated. Think it has something to do with all those salty hot dogs. Looking forward to a cool night- been warm today. The sun is setting- another dose of beautiful sadness. Lightning on the horizon. Every night so far right after sunset. Yet another day has come and gone already.
Moved on to fields near the house. Finished winter wheat last night around 11. We’re now on spring wheat. If you haven’t sat on top of a grain bin at midnight with cool air and breeze and shooting stars and dark, get to it. The wind rustling between the metal grain bins makes a whisper roar rush that is a little spooky and very cool.
Finally off the hot dogs- went to McDonald’s for breakfast and now having tuna fish sandwich. It has onion in the mix Farmer prepared but who cares- it’s not hot dogs.
Just did some riding on the quad- little four-speed four-wheeler; can probably get up to 30-40mph- not bad. Tried to make a few donuts and did some exploring. Chased a hungarian or some type of waddling bird until it finally flew off.
Just read over my previous writings- don’t really know that keeping these words matters but I enjoy doing it.
Have I mentioned the weather here is amazing? But I like the weather everywhere and its many forms. Maybe it’s the isolation that stands out.
Just spelled – or tried to spell – my initials in the just cut wheat stalks with the quad. I’m not high enough to read it but it is probably a barely legible JAM cursive- rather jam.
(To be continued…)
The full series of Dry Paper Notes can be read here.
