Mornings in Two Pan
Page 18
In cities, neon bulbs buzz and hum without human company. In Two Pan, a lone point of light means a citizen is making a community improvement, working on her dream, or trying to keep the pieces of his life from crumbling apart.
These are forthright folks. You want an honest opinion, you’ll get one. They’ll tell you if a casserole needs more seasoning, if you shouldn’t have tipped for your last haircut, or if your nephew is truly dumb and ugly. If you’re gullible, they may embellish their advice a bit, but that comes from living in this unyielding land for so long. Sandwiched between granite mountains and tall sky, they’ve had to create their own diversions.
To find this hidden place, follow Highway 82, a skinny black line on an Eastern Oregon map. Two Pan nestles where it changes into gray patchy asphalt. From there a gut-jostling track takes you into the Eagle Cap Mountains. This little-known path of locals and savvy outdoorsmen winds through the gold camps of yesteryear. Once-exciting places such as Shiny Creek, Lilyville, and French Camp are now trailheads for the semi-daring. Little remains of the gold, in case you were thinking of quitting your job and taking up prospecting.
Local stories are not about the miners, but the folks who stayed to work and prod the land. There must be something in that beggarly soil, because fifth generation settlers still own many of the ranches. And therein lies the great mystery of Two Pan: Why are these folks so creative at resisting the shift and shuffle of change?
It’s what makes them stubborn, eccentric, and sometimes—a little sleepless.
***
Visit the folks of Two Pan.
Thanks for reading!
Table of Contents
“Use Time As A Tool, Not A Couch”
Common Sense Isn’t Common
Good Judgment Comes From Experience
Forgive Your Enemies
It’s Hard To Put A Foot In A Closed Mouth
“Wealth Is Like Dung, Useful Only When Spread”
“Promises And Pie Crusts Are Made To Be Broken”
Logic Has Left The Barn
“Nobody Ever Drowned In His Own Sweat”
Don’t Let The Bull …
Don’t Ask A Man His History
“We Boil At Different Degrees”
If You Can’t Fix It With Duct Tape, You Haven’t Used Enough
In Dog Years, I’m Dead
It’s Not What You Say, But How You Say It
A Clean House Is The Sign Of A Boring Person
“As The Old Crow Caws The Young Crow Learns”
“Always Obey Your Parents—When They Are Present”
If A Horse Doesn’t Want To Go There …
Beginning Is Easy, Continuing Is Hard
Your Safety Gears …
“Three May Keep A Secret If Two Of Them Are Dead”
“For Every Time There Is A Season …”
“The Past Is A Regret, The Future An Experiment”
Jottings
More humorous stories about change …
A Sneak Peek: Book Two