THIEVES IN THE QUARRY - page 27

ONE CLEAR STARLIT NIGHT I WAS INSIDE THE TRAILER AND LONDON WAS SITTING AT THE EDGE OF THE BUTTE LISTENING TO COYOTE CALLS. I OFTEN LOOKED DOWN ALONG THE PASS AND SAW ONE OR TWO SINGLE HEADLIGHTS, ALWAYS IT WAS ONLY MOTORCYCLE RIDERS ENJOYING THE DUSTY BUMPY ROADS.



ONE NIGHT IN PARTICULAR, WHEN I LOOKED OUT I SAW A PAIR OF HEADLIGHTS. THEY TURNED INTO THE QUARRY AND IN THE MOON'S LIGHT I SAW TWO MEN CLIMB OUT OF A CAR BY THE STONE COMPANY'S EQUIPMENT. EACH MAN TURNED ON A FLASHLIGHT AND BEGAN MOVING ABOUT.



LONDON STOOD PREPARING TO BARK, BUT I DID NOT WANT THAT TO HAPPEN. IT WOULD DRAW ATTENTION UP TO THE TRAILER AND THEY MIGHT CONSIDER IT RIPE FOR PLUCKING, DOG OR NO DOG. I WENT OUT QUIETLY TO GRAB LONDON'S COLLAR BUT HE DARTED AWAY AND STARTED TOWARD THE ROAD WINDING DOWN FROM THE BUTTE. IF I CALLED OUT TO HIM, I COULD NOT MAKE MY VOICE SOUND LIKE A MAN'S VOICE AND THE SOUND OF A WOMAN'S VOICE MIGHT BRING THEM TO ME.



IF I MOVED AGAIN, LONDON WOULD TAKE IT AS A SIGNAL FOR A WALK AND BOLT, AND THEN I REALIZED, IF I WHISTLED NO ONE WOULD KNOW WHETHER I WAS A WOMAN OR AN ARMED QUARRY GUARD SIGNALING AN ATTACK DOG. I HAD ONE CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT. I LICKED MY DRY LIPS, TOOK A DEEP BREATH AND WITH LUCK, GAVE ONE SHRILL WHISTLE. LONDON CAME RUNNING TO ME.

FLASHLIGHTS WENT OUT, CAR DOORS FLEW OPEN AND SLAMMED SHUT, THE CAR ENGINE ROARED AND WITH SPINNING TIRES AND A CLOUD OF DUST GLOWING IN THE MOONLIGHT, THEY PEALED OUT OF THE QUARRY STRAIGHT THROUGH THE CHOLLA, MISSING THE DRIVEWAY ENTIRELY. IT WASN'T UNTIL THEY WERE WELL ON THEIR WAY DOWN THE PASS THAT I SAW RED TAIL LIGHTS COME ON AND THE FLOOD OF ILLUMINATION FROM THEIR HEADLIGHTS.

I FELT SO PROUD OF MYSELF. I SCARED THEM OFF, SAVED EQUIPMENT AND THE THIEVES WERE MORE AFRAID THAN I.

ON G.B.'S NEXT VISIT, AFTER I HAD TOLD HIM MY STORY OF THE THIEVES IN THE NIGHT, G.B. SAID TO ME, "CHARLE, IF Y'ALL WON'T USE A GUN, Y'ALL TAKE MY PICK-HANDLE."

"OH G.B. THERE ISN'T ROOM TO SWING IT IN THE TRAILER AND I HAVE TOO MANY OTHER THINGS TO CARRY ON WALKS."

G.B. GAVE A LOUD SNORT, MOUNTED HIS FAITHFUL PICK-UP, CIRCLED DOWN THE BUTTE AND BOUNCED ALONG THE PASS, BARELY MISSING STARTLED CATTLE WHO SCATTERED AS MY WILD OL' OKIE BOY PASSED BY.


BY CHARLOTTE MADISON AND NANA COOK COPYRITE 1994