Journey Day 217 | AT Day 40

Although divorced for decades, Jan Long’s parents both frequented the diner and played dominoes.

4/30/86

Lazy out of bed, I answer letters, walk down to the store, then the café. Eat after talking with Jan’s father whose been divorced from Kate for 25 years. They still hang out at the same local diner, but never talk.

Hike up for clothes, meet Arvin Shrader, a man with terminal ileitis, also known as Krohn’s disease, who’s building an energy-efficient partially underground, round home. Already he’s been working for four years.

Amazing woodworking, well designed. He did it “for the children,” hoping it will help them with the world in its current sad state. After my tour, he drops me  at the café and Jan takes me into Bland for money, cards, laundry. Back at the house, I update, sweep up.

I talk more with Arvin. He pledges to carve my stick, takes me to the gas station for food, shows me his carving of Jesus at the clinic. We head back, talk and eat. He’s feeling sick. I hike back down to the store.

It’s closed, no one at home for phone calls so I walk back, read Buddhism, listen to tunes.