CrowMac Creek

       This is a story, very much fiction, but a happy tale about Gary coming to CrowMac Creek. All family and friends of Gary are invited to visit and to leave their thoughts. I will, as long as I can, share news and events of Gary and others at CrowMac Creek. In CrowMac Creek, anything is possible. Magic At CrowMac Creek It was in mid July of 2018 that Jim Haynes sent a messenger text to me informing me that Gary Heil had passed away. The immediate feeling of sorrow washed over me like a wave, and I knew that a large part of my life had been lost in its sweep. I couldn’t have been more shocked, as after countless unsuccessful attempts of finding him, he finally showed up on Facebook. I had shared some posts with him, and he had responded with hearts and thumbs up icons, but that was all that I had seen. Then, two days ago, Gary Heil showed up at the cabin, and I’m sure I saw him, saw something, I’m not sure which. My thoughts were reluctant a...

       It was just two days ago that Gary Heil showed up at the cabin, and I’m sure I saw him, saw something, I’m not sure which. It was Gary, but a much younger Gary, and when I pushed him a little, he just said, “Rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated," and he laughed. At that, I stared at him for a moment, and not finding the words for any further interrogation, I flatly stated, “Thank you, Mark Twain,” and gave up. Gary told me that he had found a place to live, and showed me on an old yellowed map. I knew the cabin and I shook my head. “That’s a nice place! But of all of the places you could have found to live, why here?,”I asked. “Well, I liked it here when we used to ride up to the Mogollon Rim together, and CrowMac Creek is magic.” He seemed to ponder what he had just said. My thoughts ceased at what he had just told me. “How did he know?” Before I could mouth the words he answered my question.  “I have a friend who watches over...

        It had been a long time in coming, but my old friend Gary Heil appeared on Facebook. Soon, we became virtual friends as well as the old friends we were since 1971. Then, in what seemed only a moment, I found he had passed. The intensity of the loss was more than I could bear. I was in profound need for a trip to CrowMac Creek. So I packed what I needed and took off.  I barely remember the trip up to the cabin and when I arrived, I stepped from the car. Instantly, the thin dry air washed over me and I immediately began to heal.       I pulled the keys from my pocket, unlocked the back door, and I was home. I walked slowly, taking everything in, then sat in the orange chair I ran my hands over the fabric and smiled, thinking that Gary had once sat there eating chocolate cookies and drinking a beer. I wondered if any of Gary's cells were still in the chair and mused with the thought of reconstructing him by using the DNA from what cells were...

       We first began our family road trips along Route 66 in the summer of 1958. We’d pile into our car at about 4:00 in the afternoon surrounded by blankets and pillows. First we’d drive through the Angeles Forest, past Lancaster and on to Victorville. By the time we reached Barstow, it was getting dark. That’s when the peace broke and the family vacation began to be tested.. When do we eat? Steve’s teasing us! Are we there yet? I gotta go to the bathroom. These first complaints were answered with polite, yet increasingly frustrated responses. As the trip continued, all of us kids were rotated throughout the car to avoid more serious complaints and bad behavior, but hair pulling, name calling, teasing, biting, kicking, and crying were increasingly answered with a backhand, and my mother could effectively reach each of us, no matter where we were seated. By the time we reached, Needles, California, bad behavior was replaced by sleep, and our mother was able to rest ...