SIGNS - page 25 cont.

I FOLLOWED G.B. AND WAYNE, HIS CARPENTER, SOUTH TO THE SUN VALLEY PINK QUARRY NEAR PHOENIX. G.B. TOWED A PINK TRAVEL TRAILER UP ONTO A BUTTE FOR LONDON AND ME. AFTER A DEBATE WITH HIM, I RELUCTANTLY AGREED TO A PROPANE HOOK-UP TO THE STOVE AND FRIDGE, BUT I REFUSED PROPANE TO THE LIGHTS AND THE HOT WATER HEATER. I TOLD G.B. IF HE FOISTED THEM ONTO ME I WOULD MOVE BACK INTO LUDWIG.

"G.B., I HAVE THE NICETIES OF LIFE AT HOME. I'M HERE SO I CAN GET AWAY FROM THEM." I ASSERTED.

HE LOOKED AT ME WITH FLASHES OF PRIDE, ANGER AND CONFUSION AND THEN TURNED TO WAYNE AND ASKED, "ISN'T SHE STRANGE?"

FILLED WITH CONCERN, G.B. HEAVED A SIGH, THEN HE AND WAINE HEADED NORTH, BACK TO ASH FORK, THE FLAGSTONE CAPITOL OF THE U.S.A., HOPEFULLY HAVING LEFT LONDON AND ME SAFE IN THE LITTLE PINK TRAILER.

WE CAMPED ON THE BUTTE AT THE DORMANT SUN VALLEY PINK QUARRY FOR SIX MONTHS. WHILE WE ROAMED AMID TOWERING SAGUARO AND EVIL JUMPING CHOLLA CACTUS, I KEPT FINDING WEATHERED OLD SIGNS BLEACHED BY THE SUN. THE ROUGHLY PAINTED WORDS WERE BARELY LEGIBLE. I WONDERED WHETHER THEY DATED BACK TO TERRITORIAL DAYS. THE WORDS WERE A STRANGE COMBINATION OF BIBLE-THUMPING, HELL AND DAMNATION QUOTES, WILD WEST PHRASES AND THREATS.

MY CURIOSITY WAS SPARKED. IF THAT WAS WIT, IT WAS THE BLACKEST OF HUMOUR. IF IT WAS ANGER - THE MAN WAS RAGING.

ON ONE OF G.B.'S TRIPS SOUTH TO THE PHOENIX HEAD OFFICE OF WESTERN STATES STONE, HE CHECKED IN WITH ME AND I ASKED HIM WHO MADE THE SIGNS.

"OH, THAT WOULD BE ONE A' THE QUARRY GUARDS. SIGNS CAN SAVE 'EM THE TROUBLE A' SHOOTIN' PEOPLE WHO TRESSPASS, BUT MOST AND ESPECIALLY THE POET WOULD AS SOON SHOOT Y'ALL AS BOTHER TALKIN TO YE. I WORRY ABOUT LEAVIN' Y'ALL ALONE HERE, WITHOUT A GUARD."

"OH G.B., I LIKE THIS PLACE BECAUSE I AM ALONE."

OBVIOUSLY CONFUSED BY THAT IDEA, HE TRIED TO CARRY ON, "THAT OL' CABIN YONDER, THAT'S WHERE THEY USED TO STAY - THE GUARDS. SOME ARE DRIFTERS, SOME OL' ROCK DOODLERS AND SOME ARE JUST HERMITS. SOME LIKE THEIR DAWGS BETTER'N PEOPLE . . . LIKE Y'ALL." HE LOOKED THOUGHTFULLY AT ME AND ADDED, "Y'ALL ARE A STRANGE CANADIAN PAINTER LADY CHARLE."