April 12th, 2013.
We woke up in the morning to a beautiful blue sky day. I was in no hurry as I only had 30 miles to get to Ocotillo. I exited the RV campground at about 9:30 a.m. and arrived in Ocotillo about 1:00 p.m. Actually, I went slower than I felt I should have---it was primarily a slight descent almost the whole way and yet I still had to push relatively hard. Even with the chain cleaning I had just given it last night, it was not enough and there was so much gunk on the chain that it added quite a drag.
Ocotillo was a little spot in the road. Funny thing: I meet the most interesting people in these one horse towns. I got to Ocotillo much earlier than Shannon expected and she was still in El Centro working on communications, writing, etc. So, she picked it all up and went to Wallyworld to grab some more chain lubricant/cleaner, and came and met me in Ocotillo. By the time she had arrived, I had spent a good half hour chatting with a local: Paul Martinez. More on him in a moment.
Lodging? What to do, what to do. There was an RV campground, no tent or car camping allowed and all the RV spots were filled with residents anyway. They had a 2 room motel, $50 for one person, $60 for two. I’m sorry, but this was worse looking from the outside than the NoTell in Gila Bend. I would rather find a dirt spot and hang the tent. So, we crossed the street to the Ocotillo RV and Campground---there was a single RV set up on a kind of foundation on the corner---I don’t know if it was even a part of this “campground”, several empty camping spots, and an abandoned office building. The sign had a cell phone number with some of the digits missing. There were empty envelopes--old and dusty---by the office door. So, we simply chose a campspot in that semi-abandoned lot and parked it. No bathrooms, no running water, but the campsites were clean and someone had tried to develop it at one time. It held promise. Out of the 10-12 sites, we found one that had a working electrical outlet by the road. While we camped more out of the way, we used the outlet to recharge my phone--well, I used it anyway.
I spent a good part of the late afternoon cleaning the chain and cogs. Jeez, what filth. I think a trip to a bike shop in SD with a thorough tune up might be a good idea. The desert sand and wind may necessitate more cleaning than usual. Ya think??
Shannon made a killer salad with butter lettuce, veggies, and a balsamic glaze she picked up in El Centro. We munched tortilla chips and ate salad and watched Bomb Girls--we are totally addicted. True to form, we shared our commentary with each other, even pointing out deviations from character development. One of the things we like about this show is that all the women are just people. There is no heroine, no perfect person. Like real life. We are all perfect in our imperfection (You coined it, Brian!). I think it’s important to remember that we are all “flawed”--jeez, we expect so much out of ourselves, holding up an ideal of some perfect thing that we can not aspire too. I say, WHO WANTS TO ANYWAY??? Perfect people are soooo boring. Following the rules of what is supposed to be the right thing is just formulaic. No fascination. No interesting contours. No wonderment.
So. Paul Martinez. Nice guy, Viet Nam vet who acknowledges the reality of PTSD. He has trouble sleeping at night, but he loves life. After the VN war, he was apprenticed and then unionized at a steam--something pipefitter. Meaning, he could fit and lay pipe meant for high pressure use. He did various jobs--going where the work was found. With this type of job, the work is generally semi-temporary. Once the pipe is laid succesfully, your job is done and you go somewhere else. Well, he helped lay the pipe in Ocotillo---Paul says there are several geothermal spots here, lending the area superb for his type of work. There is a windmill farm here, and he played a part in that. But, after the job was done (took several years), he decided to stick around and semi-retire. He has lived a hermit’s life for a good 8 years and has a fenced compound. He has a generator and solar panels and lives off grid for the most part. His daughter lives in Utah and he is moving there over the next few weeks. It is time to be with his grandchildren he says.
What does he enjoy? Working on mechanical things: engines, motors, trucks--you get the picture. We talked for awhile about his pickup truck. He also enjoys solitude---or “has”, stating he is now getting lonely and looking forward to being with family.
What gives him JOY? His grandchildren--they are young yet and he wants to be there as they grow up. He says that when his grandchildren give him a hug and a kiss, there is no hidden agenda. They love him without strings or any reason, other than the fact that he is “Grandpa”. He loves that kind of simplicity.
What gets him up in the morning? The opportunity to play with his engines. He just enjoys being alive. He now also purchased a mini DVD player and he has discovered the joy of watching movies and documentaries. He can pick up 14 DVDs from the Ocotillo library for free. He can make requests for DVDs on the library interloan program. He may have to wait a few weeks for the requested movies to arrive, but he is very happy and grateful.
I love the fact that happy people are easily satisfied. That they don’t sweat the small stuff. That they enjoy the little chat here and there.
It was nice meeting you, Paul. May you enjoy your time with your grandchildren.
I miss mine. Little Aoife and Ciara. So precious. So funny too---they make me laugh with their antics.
No comments:
Post a Comment