The Oregon Trip

I.

on the road between Tahoe
and Redding we lost our
direction and saw 46 deer
three coyotes, two bears and
one sign.

2.

there’s a rest stop somewhere
on highway 44 that was full
of people when we stopped
for a drink of water. there
was a hand pump and we heard
them singing
as we left.

3.

highway ‘80 above Redding is
an erratic road that is
interesting to drive until
you reach the Oregon border
where it widens out.

4.

we did an errand for
a friend and got to meet
one hundred St. Bernards that
live in a kennel
on the other side of an old bridge.

5.

we stopped for coffee and
ate two doughnuts that were
stale. Myrtle said the
doughnut man only came on
weekdays and this was
saturday.

6.

local fellow asked where we
were from, we told him
San Francisco and he read
the newspaper stirring his
coffee with a fork.

7.

a little bell rang when we
left and the local fellow
and Myrtle shook their
heads and
laughed.

8.

Mary and I visited the
old farm (lost ten years ago )
the orchard was in blossom
and we have to go back
to Oakland Sunday.


***
Stephen Morse 1972