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Montrose, Colorado

Decided to just hang out here. Laundry Day

First went to a local Coffee shop that I met Taylor four years ago.  You can see that story here.
Met the owner, Marty.  I remember Taylor telling me there was a connection with San Antonio.

I asked Marty,,, Sure enough,, His brother is a Chef at an upscale restaurant in San Antonio. CURED at the Pearl.  Really cool renovated Pearl Brewery and new condo’s it that area of San Antonio.

This world is getting smaller by the day.

But this is the highlight of the day.  I love meeting people from all walks of life.  I met over 100 people my first year of being in the wind – 2017.

Probably goes without saying, the most interesting people I have met are at Laundromats.  Today was no exception but an exceptional meet.

A laundromat, with a coffee shop next to it. Free Wi-Fi.  I mean, Can it get any better!

As I was gathering my laundry,  a woman pulled up.  She saw the stickers on the Element saying,
“You’ve  been to many places.  I remember those days.”  I said, “Really? You can tell me all about it while we do our laundry.”  I asked if I could help bring her laundry in.  She said, “No, I’ve been able to tend to myself for years, I don’t need help.” 

An elderly woman,  Five and a half feet I would say, all hunched over with her left  shoulder twisting  forward/inward.  A bulbus nose and a wrinkled weathered face, with a full thick head of white hair. Just like my Mom’s.

Once inside, I asked if she would like to sit and visit.  She agreed.
“What’s your name”,  I asked,  with a stern face and voice,  “I don’t tell people my name”  I said, “My name is Dan,  I don’t want your last name, just your first.”
With hesitation,,, “I’m Suzy”
As guarded and stern as she portrayed, she just began telling me about herself.
85. Lives on a ranch by herself.  75 acres.  Her and her husband, who left her, had 4 horses,  28 head of  cattle and a bull called Jose’. A 3700 pound tame bull.  She said no one could believe how tame he was. They would brush him like a horse. Simmental cattle from Switzerland.
She told me her husband left, “.. for a younger model.”  She lost her daughter to breast cancer at the age of 63. She winced and voice cracked from the pain of losing her.   She said you lost adopted boys.  Steve at age 22 and Danny at age 50.   “They weren’t officially adopted but I took them in.  They weren’t being taken care by their parents.  They didn’t feed them and didn’t seem to care. So I did”.   She said she is battling lung cancer now.  She looked frail but her voice strong and self-assured.

I went to get my laundry out of the wash machine.  Suzy followed to do the same. After putting mine in the dryer, I came back to the booth we were sitting at.  She had all her laundry back in plastic garbage bags.   I ask if the clothes were dry already. 
“No,  I have a solar dryer I use at home”
“Solar dryer?” I asked
“Yes, I like to hang my clothes out on the line; let the sun dry them”

I told her Mom was the same.  She, like Mom, loves the fresh smell on the clothes.

I told her I travel all over the country,  meeting people like her and write stories I asked if I could take her photo.  “NO! I don’t like my picture taken.  I hate myself and the way I look.”
I told her she looked beautiful and I would like to have a photo. “Even if I say please, with sugar on top?”
“NO, no pictures.” With a scowl on her face.  I told her I respect that and it is the reason I always ask first.

She told me stories of the ranch and the animals she had. Now Ferrell Cats. One named “Domino.” She particularly spoke more about.   She asked me to help her with her cell phone to show m pictures,
“There was a day when a phone was used to make phone calls.” She said.  Barbara, her lovely daughter who died.  A  little back and white cat. “That’s why I named her Domino”  That Bull, Jose’. So tame for a 3700 pound bull.  She said you can make friends with any animal if you exchange your breath with them..  I didn’t understand.
“You walk up to a horse and breath in it’s face.  It takes in your breath and you take in the breath of the horse, you are friends. It’s like you become one.”  Such a wise woman. Amazing.

There was a few times she couldn’t remember somethings and got frustrated.  She said she can always remember a joke though.  “That’s great.” I said,  “Tell me a joke.”
“Okay!” she said. “I told this one the other day, don’t think it’s that funny but… “

A cat met St Peter at the Pearly gates. St Peter said, “You were such a good Cat all your life, I want to reward you with something special for being go good”
The Cat asked for a nice bed.  St Peter said, “A Bed?”  Cat said,  “Yes, all my life I slept on cold, wet hard places.  I nice soft bed would be nice”  St Peter agreed and gave the Cat a nice soft bed.

Later, four mice came together to the Pearly gates.  St Peter said, “the four of you were such good mice.  You never went into homes or ate things or chewed things up.  I want to reward you.  What would you like.”  The mice got together and agreed,  “we would like roller skates.”  “Roller skates? Why roller skates.”  The mice said they always wanted to have roller skates.  St Peter said ok and they received roller skates.

I few days later. St Peter ran into the Cat and asked how the soft bed was.
Cat said, “The bed is soooo nice and comfortable thank you and thank you for the meals on wheels”

Now that’s funny.

We sat for three hours and talked.  After I folded up my clothes and put them in my duffle bag, she said she better get going so she could hang her clothes before it got dark.

I asked if I could have a favor.  I said it was so nice spending the afternoon with her and I want to always remember the visit we had.  Could I take a picture, “Please!”.  Suzy agreed.  I took one, and showed it to her,,,  “I need an iron” she said,  referring to her winkled face.   I asked to take another of us together and I got a smile out of her.

She thanked me for spending time with her saying,  “I really don’t like getting close to people. I don’t know how long I will be alive”

I told her I will always remember this day and our visit  Thanked her for letting me get a picture. We hugged, then she reached out her right hand to  grab mine;  she squeezed,  hard, “That’s a ranchers hand shake, I’m still strong.”