Uncle Roy's Cabin

Jeff watched in fascination as the sagging wires between the poles seemed to be moving up and down as he passed by. Early on Monday morning driving along this highway, there was little else to keep his attention. He had been driving for about an hour and in another 20 minutes or so would be crossing the state line into Wyoming. Glancing at the clock on his truck's radio, Jeff saw it was a bit after 7, his start time right at 6 am. He thought of food but decided to wait until he had gone through Cheyenne and would make the turn toward the northwest. Once out of the town, he would stop and fill the truck's tank, then get a bite to eat himself. He knew that beyond this point, there would be far fewer gas stations and more remote areas he would be traveling through. Jeff was heading for his Uncle Roy's place, centrally located in 'Middle of Nowhere', Wyoming.

Roy was Jeff's favorite uncle, though as his only uncle that title was not too difficult to hold. Jeff had not seen his uncle since he was 15, almost 10 years ago. He had, after some perceived injustice done to him at the hands of his parents, run away from home and found his way to Roy's cabin. With a few belongings in his backpack and a few dollars in his pocket, Jeff had relied on his thumb to get him to Roy's place. Three days later, and even now Jeff did not know how he had found the place, he arrived at his uncle's cabin and announced that he would be staying with Roy for a while. Jeff did not offer explanation, and Roy had asked for none, just telling the boy to put his pack in the cabin and come out to help with the roof he was repairing.

Jeff was remembering back to that time, his illusion of adventure quickly banished by the hard life that was typical of what Roy faced every day. Roy was the black sheep of the family and Jeff did not know much about him. The family was small, both sets of his grandparents had died young, so Jeff's parents and Roy, his mother's brother, were all the family he had ever known. Jeff remembered seeing Roy more frequently when he was younger, but as he had gotten older, the visits had become infrequent.

Jeff's parents would rarely speak of Roy, only offering brief comments about problems whenever Jeff would ask for more details. They would offer things like "It was the war", or "the drugs did it", or just "that's the way times were back then". Jeff knew that Roy had been troubled, and had his share of problems growing up, but nothing too serious to Jeff's way of thinking. He had heard about the truancy, several issues with underage alcohol and grass, but the straw that broke the camel's back was the time he got arrested joyriding. Without the other stuff, the car charges might have been overlooked, but the judge decided he needed some more discipline, so gave him the choice of jail or military service. Roy took the service, and soon found himself in Viet Nam.

He survived the ordeal but according to his parents, Roy was never the same. They had tried to help him with life, but he gradually started to drift away and they soon gave up. Roy had moved to the wilderness to get away from the demons he lived with, and had for all intents and purposes, dropped out of society. Jeff found that his idea of adventure was far different from the reality he faced with Roy, and after a month, decided his parents had been punished enough. Roy had walked the 8 miles or so to the nearest phone to call them and let them know where their son was, not finding Jeff's worries sufficient to justify the use of his precious gas. His parents had come up the following day to get him. He knew his mother gave Roy some cash before they left, but they had said little. Thinking back, he realized that was the last time they had seen each other.

Jeff's thoughts were brought back to the present as he started encountering more cars as he neared the city ahead. He had spoken to his mother yesterday, something he did once or twice a week, even though they only lived 20 or so miles apart. Jeff loved his parents, but they had never been a family that found physical closeness necessary. It was always easier for them to call him or him to call one of them rather than find time to get together. He would see them every month or 2, but that was just the normal way of things in his family. He had noticed a distance in his mother's conversation, but when he asked about it, she had said it was nothing. Jeff had pursued his concerns, and his mother had finally made a mention of Roy. Jeff had not heard her mention his name for quite a few years, so was surprised to hear of him. After some more prodding, his mother had told him that Roy had died a few days ago. She had gotten a call from the sheriff telling her that someone had found his body in his cabin. They had said it was natural causes, and Jeff had no doubt it was, if one could call just being tired of living a natural cause for dying. Jeff assumed that Roy had decided that the best way to rid himself of the demons he faced would be to just stop living. Jeff was also annoyed with his mother, he felt that if he had not pursued the subject, she would not have even told him of Roy's passing. Jeff did not know why, but felt an irresistible urge to go to the cabin, the reason a mystery to him. He had called his boss at home yesterday and telling him of the death, had taken a week off. Jeff only knew he had to go to the cabin, and here he was on the road to find it.

Once on the northern edge of Cheyenne, Jeff stopped for gas and picked up a breakfast sandwich that he heated in the shop's microwave before resuming his drive. He continued for another 2 and a half hours before he found the area he was looking for. He remembered the town, if one could call this small collection of buildings a town. There was a general store, a part time ranger station, and a couple of other non-descript buildings. Jeff remembered the place from his visit 10 years ago, though it took him 3 days of hitch hiking to get here last time. Roy's place was another 10 miles into the wilderness from here, but Jeff felt comfortable that he could find his way. He followed a gravel road for some miles, and then turned off onto a fire road that was rutted and narrow from disuse. He saw the faint signs of where Roy had left the road in his own truck and pulled into the clearing that stood beside the old wooden cabin. It seemed smaller than he remembered but he had been much younger and considered it a sacred place back then. Jeff turned off the truck and got out, then walked toward the door.

The cabin did not have a lock on the door, just a simple latch holding it closed. Jeff walked in and instantly was transported back 10 years to the month he had lived here. He did not see anything that looked different from his time back then, but Roy was not one to embrace change either. Jeff thought the place looked oddly sterile, and then realized that there was nothing of Roy's belongings here. Perhaps the cabin had been looted after Roy's death, but since it was not trashed, he assumed that someone had removed anything personal and had sent those few belongings to his mother. Jeff walked around, remembering the time he had been here. The cabin had no electricity and the only running water was from a hand pump next to the sink in the kitchen that drained down a pipe exiting through the floor. No indoor plumbing and the heat came from a wood stove centered in the cabin's single room. The only item remotely modern was the propane stove where Roy could cook the game and fish he subsisted on most of the time. Jeff spent a few minutes reliving some of the experiences from his time here, and then decided to go back to the store to get some supplies for his stay. He wasn't sure how long he would be here, but knew he had to spend some time before going back to his life in Denver.

*****

At the store, Jeff filled his gas tank, he was not sure when he might get another chance. Having a full tank was often a matter of necessity when one lived this far off the beaten track. He went into the general store and picked up 2 cans of chili, a bag of beef jerky, a 12 pack of Twinkies and a 6 of Coors. He remembered a television clip of David Lee Roth telling of the 5 major food groups -- sugar, starch, fat, grease and alcohol. "Yup, got them all in here", he thought. After paying, he remembered ice and added that to his purchase. Outside, he put the beer into the old metal cooler he had strapped down in the bed of his truck, then poured the ice over the bottles and closed the lid.

Jeff drove back to the cabin and parked the truck, carrying his groceries inside with him. He was surprised to see a young woman inside the cabin as he entered, standing close enough that Jeff could have touched the rifle she was pointing at him if he had wanted. He decided that would not be a good idea and as he was pondering his next move, the woman demanded "Who the hell are you and what are you doing here?"

Jeff instinctively knew that if she did not like his answer, or if it was too long in coming, he would be standing here with a 30 caliber hole in his chest. Judging by the way she was holding the rifle, Jeff had no doubt she knew how to use it and the look of defiance on her face told him she had no reservations about shooting him.

"I-I-I'm Jeff. This is my Uncle Roy's cabin."

"I never heard Roy say nothing about no Jeff!" replied the woman, looking more menacing than before.

"I haven't seen him for about 10 years. We were not very close, but he is my mother Rachel's brother."

"Rachel?? I've heard that name before. Roy didn't talk much about her, but he did say the name a few times." the woman stated.

Jeff saw her loosen her grip on the rifle, but she still held it in such a way she could easily use him for target practice if she wanted. Deciding to try another tactic, Jeff offered, "Why would I be here if not for my uncle. I can't imagine anyone coming here for any other reason. There's nothing here to steal and I am not planning to move in."

Jeff thought about the rifle as he had spoken, and remembered that it looked exactly like the spare that Roy had kept hidden in a secret panel between the ceiling rafters. Either she had the same rifle or she knew where to find Roy's. She seemed to know Roy somehow and Jeff decided he had been on the defensive for long enough.

"I've told you who I am, now maybe you can tell me who you are?" Jeff ventured.

The woman's face softened a bit, then Roy saw what he took as sorrow in her eyes as she stated, "Roy is ... er, um, was my father!"

Jeff was taken by surprise. "I didn't even know he was married."

The woman replied, "He wasn't. You don't need to be married to have kids."

Jeff stated, "I'm sorry. I just didn't know that Roy had anyone in his life. I guess that means that you must be my cousin.

The woman's muscles relaxed and she lowered the rifle so that it was pointing at the floor. The look of defiance on her face had become fatigue and Jeff thought she might almost cry at any moment. He thought about giving her a hug, but her earlier actions and the rifle still in her hands made him rethink that possibility. Jeff had also relaxed somewhat since the gun wasn't such an imminent threat, so asked her to tell him about herself and anything she might know about Roy.

"My name is Laurie. My mother and Roy had an on again, off again relationship. Sometimes we lived here, sometimes we moved on. She had as many demons of her own haunting her as Roy did. He wasn't much of a father but I'm not sure he even knew how."

She had moved to the wall and hung up the rifle where Roy normally kept his primary gun. Laurie's shoulders had slumped and she now looked tired and alone. Jeff wondered why she had come by the cabin, but guessed it was for much the same reason he was here. Jeff took a chance and offered, "I have some beer in my truck, want to have one?"

Laurie looked up from her musing, and with a half smile, said "Sure, I think I need one."

Jeff put down the food items he was still holding and then walked out to the truck and brought in the cooler. He handed a bottle to Laurie and took one for himself. Jeff took a seat at the simple table and waited for Laurie to do the same. He wanted to ask about Roy, but was unsure how to approach the subject, she seemed like she might have some demons of her own.

Laurie sat down in the other chair shortly and took a long draw at her beer. Jeff took the opportunity to check her out as she was drinking the beer. She appeared to be about the same age as Jeff. She had short dirty blonde hair and a thin build, the lack of any makeup giving her a very plain appearance. She looked tired and if his time with Roy had been any indication, she must have lived a hard life here also. After a few more sips of beer, Laurie said "I haven't had anything to eat today. Mind if I take one of your Twinkies?"

"Help yourself." Jeff said as he thought about the nutrition contained in a beer and Twinkie diet. Once the thought had disappeared, he also helped himself to a Twinkie and decided the combination wasn't bad. They ate their snack in silence for a few minutes before Jeff started his conversation about Roy.

"What can you tell me about my uncle?" Jeff started.

Laurie kind of looked up in the air for a few seconds before answering. "He was always nice to me and my mother, but distant. He didn't like to talk much and sometimes I thought he really did not want us there, but he never said that."

"I know my parents tried to help him years ago, but they would never really tell me much about him." Jeff stated.

"He never really said anything I can remember about that. I know I heard him mention Rachel a few times, but never said much about her. I kind of figured out who she was when I got older."

Jeff thought about it for a bit, and then asked, "What about your mother. I would like to meet her, I guess she is my aunt after all."

Laurie got quiet for a minute before continuing, "I am not sure where she is. Once I got old enough, she just disappeared one day and never returned. She had done this before, but in the past she would always come back after a few days. The last time it happened, I waited2 weeks, then just took off to take care of myself. I don't think she knew how to be a mother any more than Roy knew how to be a father, but I think she tried to do the best she could. She left when I was 17 and I haven't seen her since. I didn't really look for her, I just did what I had to in order to get by."

Jeff expected to see sadness in her face, but her expression was one that suggested she felt this was just the way of the world. He let her muse in silence and walked over to get another beer for each of them. Sitting back down, he decided that talking about her past life was probably not the best thing for her at this time, so asked about what she did now.

"Where do you live? It must have been hard going out on your own at 17."

Laurie responded, "I have a job waiting tables at a place in Laramie. I guess I just did what I needed to back then. I work a lot of hours, but not much else."

The conversation continued like this for a while, Jeff and Laurie sipping their beers and each having a couple more Twinkies. The talk stayed morose, and then Jeff jumped as Laurie slammed her bottle down on the table and announced, "I gotta get out of here!" She jumped up and made a dash for the door. Jeff was confused, but followed as she went outside.

"Is there anything I can do for you?" he asked.

Laurie had run about 50 feet from the cabin before she stopped and turned to answer his question. "I just couldn't stay in that place right now. I know I lived there when I was younger, but right now there are too many memories for me. I just have to walk a while."

Jeff could understand her feelings and just walked beside as she wandered through the forest away from the cabin. The trees shaded them from the hot sun and the sounds of birds and animals were all that was audible for quite some time. Neither spoke as they continued to walk. Soon they had walked about half a mile from the cabin and emerged from the trees to walk across a large open meadow. The wild grasses and flowers covered the ground, but deer trails allowed them to move easily. The meadow continued for several miles before the trees on the other side started again. In the open, the heat of the sun was apparent, and they were just walking without purpose.

Finally, Laurie started speaking again, "I'm sorry, I just had to get out of there. I am not even sure why I came here, I just felt I needed to when I found out about Roy's death."

Jeff said he was here for the same reason. "I just got in the truck and drove up here. I did not know him that well, but something just drew me."

*****

They continued their directionless meandering, each thinking about what they remembered from earlier times in their lives. Both had lived in this part of the country long enough to know the signs, but right now, their attention was elsewhere. The wind had picked up and the temperature was starting to cool. The pressure was dropping, but that is not something many can recognize. By the time Jeff took notice, the sky had become almost totally black, the only clear patch directly above them. Laurie saw Jeff look at the sky, and knew immediately what he was seeing.

Thunderstorms in this part of the country could come up in an instant and could be really nasty. Standing in an open meadow was not a good idea, and both knew it. Laurie turned to head back to the cabin and Jeff was right behind her. The little sunlight disappeared at that moment, and Jeff could hear the far off rumble of thunder. They were maybe a mile from the tree line, then another half mile to the cabin beyond that. Each picked up their pace when the first few rain drops started to spatter the ground around them. The rain picked up quickly and the drops hitting them stung their skin as the wind whipped rain fell. The temperature had dropped quickly as well, and the heat of the day had now disappeared, the wetness making the temperature feel even colder.

The lightning and thunder were coming much closer together, signaling that the storm was almost on top of them. Jeff and Laurie had started to sprint toward the cabin, not wanting to get caught in the open by the electrical storm. They continued to run, having almost reached the tree line when Jeff felt the first of the small bits of ice hitting his face. Even in mid July, hail was a constant danger in strong thunderstorms. The trees would protect them from direct contact, but would not keep them dry with the amount of rain now falling. Jeff was starting to breathe hard from the exertion, but Laurie did not seem to be having the same difficulty. Once they got under the trees, the force of the rain diminished, but the wetness continued. Shortly, they reached the cabin and went into the structure to get out of the rain.

The thunder and lightning continued unabated, with the rain even picking up. Jeff lighted one of the oil lamps on the table to offer a bit of light, the sunlight outside had completely disappeared. He was standing there dripping water all over when he looked at Laurie as she peeled her shirt off and started wringing it out in the small sink. He looked at her body for a bit, and then decided to make a run to his truck to get some dry clothes.

"I am going to get some clothes from my truck. Want me to bring in your stuff too?" thinking of the beat up Honda he had seen around the other side of the cabin.

Laurie turned from her task and said, "I don't have anything with me. I just got in the car and started driving.

Jeff nodded, then took a breath and ran out the front door to his truck. He opened the door and grabbed the back pack he had thrown into the cab as he left this morning. He made the run back to the cabin, getting even wetter if that was possible.