Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time, nearly forty years ago
A friend invited me to go Dall Sheep Hunting
Alaska, out of Gakona, on a peak aptly called
Devil’s Mountain. 10,000 feet. Such a good time.

For weeks I prepared. An afterthought?
Not even a year would have made me ready!
Long drive? Okay. Rough trail? Bring it on!
Marshy land with a 70lb backpack and rifle?
Whew! What am I doing here?

The miner’s cabin had slowly sunk into the ground
No pristine experiences here! Mudded Floor.
Not one square inch without a bear print!
Just the springs of a mattress. No ticking.

The only water was a little beaver-filled pond.
Boiled and strained, it became our life source.
Once upon a time? No such thing as bottled water!

In the picture included, I’m standing with a mosquito net.
At ground level, which was still hundreds of feet above sea level,
You protected every square inch of skin. Hip waders?
It was wet and marshy. Woe if you slipped off the hummock!

Approaching the opened door, we cocked our guns and were ready
Tossing in a chunk of wood, pause. Is there a bear sleeping?
Alas, no bear. The only reason to sleep here?
You could bar the door and close the window against a returning carnivore.

Let’s say that in days back then, I was barely ready.
But it was the experience of a lifetime.
We hiked up the mountain in half a day. Ron kept giving me
Long-range instructions. “Go Right! No, Left! My Right!”

We trimmed our packs and gear for the quick haul
Nothing legal, though we scoped for hours!
Blueberries were our reward, and I remembered Ron saying,
Had we gotten a sheep, we would have made many trips.
Up and down, packing out the load and gear.
All the while praying no bear was in the scrub below. Right?

The reward of Once Upon A Time? A friendship fully established.
A brother on whom we could depend.
He’d call, “Is Brenda making Lemon Squares?
I have some Cinamon Rolls to swap.”
Of course, Lemon Squares were her specialty,
And Cinamon Rolls were his. “You got it!”

Military, and they had to move. We gathered and said farewell.
We left not long afterward and enjoyed vacationing with them
Rapid City, South Dakota. Hot as blazes. Maybe back in the winter.
Little did I know, this was our last visit. He passed away just six months later.
In the winter. Storms closed highways and airports.
I could not make it to say goodbye. Farewell. Friend.

Every time I see this picture, the memories flood back in.
Once upon a time, I made a friend, and for that, I’m very grateful.
Ron and Lynn were a wonderful couple to enjoy.
I wish the times were longer; I’m happier than sad today.
I got to know them, and they were good people.

Once upon a time… I enjoyed Ron Mougey’s lesson in life.
He loaded his ammo, had the handgun I wished for,
He rebuilt his engine, and I was impressed that nothing slowed him down.
I pause and think. I pray my friendship with him also allowed him to feel the same.
But the truth is often one-sided. Someone has more to give than the other.
We loved his testimony, career experiences, family, and kids.

How about you? Do you have a Once Upon Time experience?
It’s better with the telling. I’ll even give you a platform to share.
A blog post is a positive way of sharing without ever touching
The Social Experience that is often iffy…How about it? [Click Here]

Thank you for reading.
Please share with others.
It helps me get my book written!