Darin

The 2005 River Run happened a week before, but there were still a few stragglers in town. I was standing at the shop door, enjoying a short smoke, when he first rode by. I watched as he made his way East - from 4th street to 6th. A few seconds later, he passed again. This time heading West. All of a sudden, there he was again. Going East. He passed towards the West again, and on his last lap East, he parked in front of the shop.

I welcomed him as he entered, and went back to my beadwork. After being in retail for so many, many years, and from personal experience, I know that people prefer not to have someone hovering over them as they shop. It took him just over an hour to 'walk the shop', and he came to the front counter with his purchases. I hesitated to ring up his sale, and we started talking. He lives in California, and had taken two months off to travel. We talked about the 'sights' in Kingman (such as they are), and he mentioned that he was just coming out of a bad relationship, and that the bike ride would be his way of letting off steam. I reassured him that his life was still young (he was in his mid- to late twenties), and that everything happens for a reason. I mentioned that I 'saw' good things in his life, but that he would have to be patient. He told me that he was heading East, and asked if I knew of any places along the way that might be of interest to him. Silly question!!!! I told him he would enjoy taking a short detour at Williams, turning onto 180 to visit the White Buffalo ranch. He thanked me, and off he went.

The 2006 River Run approached, and I wondered if I would see him again. I had moved the shop by then, so it would be a matter of his finding me again. It was early Saturday afternoon of the Run weekend, and I stood outside the shop chatting with some friends. Two helmeted figures emerged from the parking lot just East of the shop, one male and one female. And there he was. He smiled as he introduced me to the new lady in his life, his wife Carolyn. He told me that he had followed my advice, and headed to the ranch. Unfortunately, he said, he had forgotten to fill up his gas tank in Williams, and he ran out of gas soon after turning onto 180. A short time later, a truck came along, and offered help. He told the man that he was headed for the ranch, and the man just took the motorbike and loaded it up on his truck. Then he introduced himself as Jim, the owner of the ranch. Jim drove them both back to the ranch, and offered Darin the opportunity to stay over. Darin told me that the next morning, Jim drove him and his bike to Flagstaff, where he filled up, said his 'thank you' and bid farewell.

He continued on to Albuquerque, where he met Carolyn. She was the receptionist at a hotel in which he stayed for a few days, and they just seemed to hit it off. He stayed in Albuquerque for a month, asked Carolyn to marry him, and they started their life journey together.

He told me that he had spent the entire year trying to find something to give me to thank me for my help and wisdom. I told him that he had already given me my gift. He didn't understand. I explained that the smile he gave me, when he was coming out of the parking lot, was all I needed. Seven or eight hugs later, they left to return to Laughlin. I don't know if I will ever see them again, since the shop in long closed and I have retired. But I think of them often. You see, it's not only Native people that I can help. Darin and Carolyn, both very much Anglo, are living proof of that.