Cheryl

Today I started talking to a woman who was watching the ground squirrels. I told her they were mostly babies or young ones. She wanted to feed them but had no food. I told her it was the against the law. The local authorities think it is welfare and don't want them to become dependent on handouts. I told her studies have shown that birds that are fed do better, their eggs have thicker shells, their chicks do better and they are just better off all around. But the authorities are having none of it. It is welfare to them and dependence. She was twenty-two from Taiwan originally, going to school in Hawaii where she was studying tourism, and just visiting for a week. She had just broken up with her boyfriend about a week before. "Why was that? I asked. Because he lives in Utah and I live in Hawaii. "What is he Mormon?" "Yes we both are". Was a time I said, when I was afraid to go to Utah. I once lived with a Mormon woman whose ex-boyfriend, she said, had connections to the Mormon cia, as mentioned in a few Sherlock Holmes stories. I was away for a couple of weeks and when I came back, he had visited her and punched holes in her bedroom door and one of the walls with his fist. He didn't hurt her though. But I have found the Mormons I have met to be really good people. Now I am afraid to go to Texas. Got a smile.

She said breaking up was really hard. I said I know, it took me at least a year last time, to get over it. "Should I change my memories?", she more said than asked. That was a most interesting and original comment. I told her you will get over it. Just takes some time. If your dog dies getting a new one really helps. The thing is you don't want to marry the wrong guy. Just watch Judge Judy - you want to see all the people that did that. You want to marry the right guy, especially when you got kids. She went on, something about kids in her broken English, so I assumed it was a plan, that was to be a big part of her life. The idea is to find the right guy I said. "Yes that is the hard part", she answered. I said, don't feel bad; try to find the right one when you are near seventy like me. She told me I should go to an old people's hang-out. I said they are too old. I am looking for a young mind. I am very complex. I need someone who is open to radical ideas. I gave her some examples of my philosophy but she didn't seem to catch on. I was telling her that if I want to exploit someone I cannot have that someone as my equal. I have to make it unequal to justify my exploitation. I am either better deserving more, or worse getting even. I forgot she was religious. She had to go. I said, "Just remember, the breaking-up part is hard, but is nothing like making a really bad mistake that you have to live with forever.

Half way round the lake was talking to the East Indian fisherman, and the break-up woman came by. She flashed the peace sign. I told him I had been flirting with her, a bit of an exaggeration, but he enjoyed it. He flashed me the big smile. He fishes every morning, loves the lake and is always in a great mood. I love his accent and cadence. He fishes for catfish and had his poles set out. Said, "I caught a three pounder yesterday. I was very lucky. Three pounds very good". He said he had just seen a carp jump. "Big one", he said. I said, "Did you know that you can catch carp on a fly rod. When they jump it us for flies. If you use the same kind of fly on your fly rod, they say you could catch one. Never done it myself or seen it, or so they say. He fishes every morning. Then he and his wife baby sit the grand kids in the afternoon. One time he netted a spawning carp when it was depositing or 'sperming' eggs next to the shore. He didn't know it was against the law. The carp tore the net out of his hand and took off with it. I came by just after. He was so excited and laughed and laughed. "It took the net right from my hand", he said. He loves to tell that story. He is such a treat in the morning.

He has gotten to be pretty good friends with the Romanian fisherman, who I have known for years and who is a really sweet man in his seventies. One time he told me Ceausescu (The Butcher of Bucharest) threw him in jail. "Why?", I asked. "Because I held a service." "What kind of service?" "Oh I was the Deacon of the church." " So you held a church service?" "Yea, yea. They threw me in jail for two weeks." "Did they tell you that you couldn't love God?" "No, no. I had to promise I would not have any more services." "So did you?" "Oh yes. I did not want to stay in jail." "Lucky you got out of Romania alive." "Yea, yea - I am blest", and he gestured to the all around, and the beautiful place we were at.

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