Winslow, WA, City Hall.
You know how it is. When a girl is a
writer for the only real paper in the whole county, she’s gotta write.
Millicent had a modest following of faithful readers to consider always.
In fact, she was often in contact with her readers, picking their brains for interesting subject matter. They never got enough. And the star of all her columns, even if they didn’t believe he was actual, is Himself, yes, Ralph, the expert on all things Squatch and/or philosophical.
It was, like, a Tuesday. Yes, a Tuesday, at about 8AM. Milly’s window at the newspaper offices on the fourth floor was open because she likes real air, not the canned stuff. Plus it’s good to keep it open because Maeve might stop in, as she often does, to shoot the breeze and see what’s happening on the internet..
This particular Tuesday, that happened. There was a nice soft thump on the window frame and some claw scratchings.
“Hey, Maeve! How’s it going out there? Seen anything good lately?” said Millicent.
“Oh, you know. The sun comes up and the sun goes down. Nothing new,” said Maeve. “Got any messages for my Boss, Milly?”
“Well, maybe, Hon! Yes. I’d like to talk to him and get his slant on a couple of things. I have a reader who keep asking me things, as if I could speak for him!”
“Do you want to visit the Clearing or just pick him up and go for a ride?” asked Maeve, getting ready to blast off.
“Would you ask him if he would give me some time day after tomorrow? I think I’ll just pick him up and do one of our moving interviews, if it’s OK with him,” said Millicent.
And naturally, it was just fine with Ralph. He really enjoys these interviews. It gives him a chance to stretch his thoughts and to visit with his buddy, Millicent.
On Thursday at about 7AM, Millicent hopped into her Escalade, made a quick stop at Trader Joe’s for some treats for Twigg and Cherry, then she headed up SR530 and made the right turn onto Highway 20. When she got to the wide shoulder where there is room to park, Maeve was waiting for her.
Maeve took off to get Ralph and came back with him. He opened the passenger side door and ducked down to say, “Hi, Milly. Can Maeve come along?”
“Maeve can always come along, anytime,” said Millicent, and they both got in. Ralph did that little thing he does where he subsides in size about 18% so his knees clear the dashboard. Maeve got up on his shoulder and hung on. Millicent pulled out into the road, and they drove northeast for a while.
“What’s on your mind, Milly,” he said, craning his neck to look past Maeve.
“A reader. A twelve year old kid keeps asking me about sounds he’s heard that your people make. And then he wants me to ask you what you think of the flood of Sasquatch videos, and reports and all that incredible pile of media. He wonders if it actually affects you at all.
“By the way, got any idea where you want to go?” asked Millicent.
“No. I’m pretty happy just riding along the way we’re going,” said Ralph.
“Those are pretty interesting questions. Let me think a little,” he added.
“OK, if we make it to Winthrop, over the mountains, I bet we can find some lunch,” said Millicent.
“Evermore,” said Maeve, happily.
Highway 20 is steep for a major road. It’s a pleasant drive and very alpine. There was no one parked at the rest stop, so Millicent drove in and parked so that they could look at the Ross Lake for a few minutes.
“There’s a big raven who lives here and sometimes visits with the travelers. He’s banded,” said Millicent. But that raven must have been busy elsewhere.
She pulled back out and onto the highway. Soon they would be going over the top, but it always takes longer than it seems like it should.
“Noises,” said Ralph. “Well, mostly, we don’t beat on trees with sticks. Sometimes we do clack rocks together. It carries well.
“Kind of a nosey kid, Milly,” he laughed. “Most of the time what people think is a wood knock is a particular kind of vocalization. It carries well too. We need to talk to each other, tell him. And sometimes we need or want to spook some people who are going where they ought not to go! It happens.
“In some places, they tell kids not to whistle after dark. That’s probably a good idea, if you don’t want to see one of us. See the problem is, we’re just like you guys in some ways. Some of us are friendly, some of us can be belligerent! Sometimes there is a good reason for that. But sometimes, it’s totally random. I’m not happy about it. I try to spread peace and goodwill, you know that, Milly,” he said at last.
“I’m not going to try to explain what the sounds mean in detail right now. I don’t think that boy really needs a lot of detail.”
“That’s right, Ralph. And I know that you are a calming influence too,” said Millicent.
“I think the boy should be careful when meeting anyone for the first time. Most of us wouldn’t harm him ever, but some might. Our kids do like to tease,” he said.
The scenery rolled by, the rocky, glamorous Cascade Range in bright sunlight. Soon Millicent drove over the pass, and they were heading downhill toward first Mazama, which isn’t much of a place, and then Winthrop. She figured on turning back at Winthrop.
“Look, Ralph, I don’t know if this big child thinks you are real or not. I’m not sure that there is a real clear difference to a twelve year old. I know that by the time they’re twelve they’re all very different from each other, so who knows what this one thinks is real?” said Millicent. “I don’t have any children, so I’m no expert,” she added.
“I’d tell him some version of this, Milly. Mostly, all that media doesn’t affect us much at all. It seems to me to be entertainment for people sitting in their houses. It’s no more real to them than Bonanza reruns,” he laughed. “Yeah, I’ve seen some in Rick’s office. On his laptop. Truth!
“But there is a true-believer type once in a while, who will get the bug, and the media gave it to him! I mean, it’s not like he was out in the field and met me or Twigg or somebody. No, it was some podcast or TV program that turned him on.
“Oh, to be fair, sometimes the meeting happens with no media involvement at all,” he said, gazing out of the window. “Tell the boy to not trust media. Tell him that all of that stuff is product. I know how that works, and I hope he will learn it. It’s a way to make a living.”
The Winthrop and Twisp area are infamous for deer dashing onto the roadway, so Millicent was keeping her eyes open for that. She wasn’t sure if the big Cadillac SUV would win, or the deer would.
There’s a small supermarket in Winthrop. So, since Millicent could hardly bring Ralph and Maeve into a café, she shopped for picnic food in the grocery store. She bought sliced ham, baguette, butter, milk, water, shortbread cookies, and a cheap knife because she didn’t have one in her vehicle.
They found a scenic place to park and had lunch there. Maeve wanted to get out and fly around for a few minutes, for some fresh air and honestly, a little snooping in a new place.
In fact, she was often in contact with her readers, picking their brains for interesting subject matter. They never got enough. And the star of all her columns, even if they didn’t believe he was actual, is Himself, yes, Ralph, the expert on all things Squatch and/or philosophical.
It was, like, a Tuesday. Yes, a Tuesday, at about 8AM. Milly’s window at the newspaper offices on the fourth floor was open because she likes real air, not the canned stuff. Plus it’s good to keep it open because Maeve might stop in, as she often does, to shoot the breeze and see what’s happening on the internet..
This particular Tuesday, that happened. There was a nice soft thump on the window frame and some claw scratchings.
“Hey, Maeve! How’s it going out there? Seen anything good lately?” said Millicent.
“Oh, you know. The sun comes up and the sun goes down. Nothing new,” said Maeve. “Got any messages for my Boss, Milly?”
“Well, maybe, Hon! Yes. I’d like to talk to him and get his slant on a couple of things. I have a reader who keep asking me things, as if I could speak for him!”
“Do you want to visit the Clearing or just pick him up and go for a ride?” asked Maeve, getting ready to blast off.
“Would you ask him if he would give me some time day after tomorrow? I think I’ll just pick him up and do one of our moving interviews, if it’s OK with him,” said Millicent.
And naturally, it was just fine with Ralph. He really enjoys these interviews. It gives him a chance to stretch his thoughts and to visit with his buddy, Millicent.
On Thursday at about 7AM, Millicent hopped into her Escalade, made a quick stop at Trader Joe’s for some treats for Twigg and Cherry, then she headed up SR530 and made the right turn onto Highway 20. When she got to the wide shoulder where there is room to park, Maeve was waiting for her.
Maeve took off to get Ralph and came back with him. He opened the passenger side door and ducked down to say, “Hi, Milly. Can Maeve come along?”
“Maeve can always come along, anytime,” said Millicent, and they both got in. Ralph did that little thing he does where he subsides in size about 18% so his knees clear the dashboard. Maeve got up on his shoulder and hung on. Millicent pulled out into the road, and they drove northeast for a while.
“What’s on your mind, Milly,” he said, craning his neck to look past Maeve.
“A reader. A twelve year old kid keeps asking me about sounds he’s heard that your people make. And then he wants me to ask you what you think of the flood of Sasquatch videos, and reports and all that incredible pile of media. He wonders if it actually affects you at all.
“By the way, got any idea where you want to go?” asked Millicent.
“No. I’m pretty happy just riding along the way we’re going,” said Ralph.
“Those are pretty interesting questions. Let me think a little,” he added.
“OK, if we make it to Winthrop, over the mountains, I bet we can find some lunch,” said Millicent.
“Evermore,” said Maeve, happily.
Highway 20 is steep for a major road. It’s a pleasant drive and very alpine. There was no one parked at the rest stop, so Millicent drove in and parked so that they could look at the Ross Lake for a few minutes.
“There’s a big raven who lives here and sometimes visits with the travelers. He’s banded,” said Millicent. But that raven must have been busy elsewhere.
She pulled back out and onto the highway. Soon they would be going over the top, but it always takes longer than it seems like it should.
“Noises,” said Ralph. “Well, mostly, we don’t beat on trees with sticks. Sometimes we do clack rocks together. It carries well.
“Kind of a nosey kid, Milly,” he laughed. “Most of the time what people think is a wood knock is a particular kind of vocalization. It carries well too. We need to talk to each other, tell him. And sometimes we need or want to spook some people who are going where they ought not to go! It happens.
“In some places, they tell kids not to whistle after dark. That’s probably a good idea, if you don’t want to see one of us. See the problem is, we’re just like you guys in some ways. Some of us are friendly, some of us can be belligerent! Sometimes there is a good reason for that. But sometimes, it’s totally random. I’m not happy about it. I try to spread peace and goodwill, you know that, Milly,” he said at last.
“I’m not going to try to explain what the sounds mean in detail right now. I don’t think that boy really needs a lot of detail.”
“That’s right, Ralph. And I know that you are a calming influence too,” said Millicent.
“I think the boy should be careful when meeting anyone for the first time. Most of us wouldn’t harm him ever, but some might. Our kids do like to tease,” he said.
The scenery rolled by, the rocky, glamorous Cascade Range in bright sunlight. Soon Millicent drove over the pass, and they were heading downhill toward first Mazama, which isn’t much of a place, and then Winthrop. She figured on turning back at Winthrop.
“Look, Ralph, I don’t know if this big child thinks you are real or not. I’m not sure that there is a real clear difference to a twelve year old. I know that by the time they’re twelve they’re all very different from each other, so who knows what this one thinks is real?” said Millicent. “I don’t have any children, so I’m no expert,” she added.
“I’d tell him some version of this, Milly. Mostly, all that media doesn’t affect us much at all. It seems to me to be entertainment for people sitting in their houses. It’s no more real to them than Bonanza reruns,” he laughed. “Yeah, I’ve seen some in Rick’s office. On his laptop. Truth!
“But there is a true-believer type once in a while, who will get the bug, and the media gave it to him! I mean, it’s not like he was out in the field and met me or Twigg or somebody. No, it was some podcast or TV program that turned him on.
“Oh, to be fair, sometimes the meeting happens with no media involvement at all,” he said, gazing out of the window. “Tell the boy to not trust media. Tell him that all of that stuff is product. I know how that works, and I hope he will learn it. It’s a way to make a living.”
The Winthrop and Twisp area are infamous for deer dashing onto the roadway, so Millicent was keeping her eyes open for that. She wasn’t sure if the big Cadillac SUV would win, or the deer would.
There’s a small supermarket in Winthrop. So, since Millicent could hardly bring Ralph and Maeve into a café, she shopped for picnic food in the grocery store. She bought sliced ham, baguette, butter, milk, water, shortbread cookies, and a cheap knife because she didn’t have one in her vehicle.
They found a scenic place to park and had lunch there. Maeve wanted to get out and fly around for a few minutes, for some fresh air and honestly, a little snooping in a new place.
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Winslow, WA.
When she got back and Ralph let her in, she said, “There are a lot of deer here. Too bad you can’t go hunting, Boss.”
“I wouldn’t do that to Milly’s car,” agreed Ralph.
It was a nice long drive back up over the pass and down to the wide parking spot. It took a while. As usual, longer than expected.
It was evening by the time Millicent pulled across the oncoming lane and parked.
“Goodnight, guys. It was a great drive and I’ll be busy writing up a story for the boy, thanks to you, Ralph. I’m glad you came along, Maeve. That made it perfect!
“Oh, I tried not to forget, I have some goodies for you all. Just some chocolate and cookies and chips, you know, junk food!” said Millicent.
“Oh, goodnight, Milly. Yes, it was a good day,” said Ralph, who was a little sleepy.
Maeve murmured, “Evermore,” sleepily and they got out and headed down the path toward Ramona and the kids and the cats and the wolf.
Millicent put the knife in her glove box and headed for home.
She was already composing as she drove.
PS, the raven at the rest stop is a real person.
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