The Desert Blooms
It is always hot in this desert town.
Even in the winter it is warm.
Not many want to hang around.
It is a hell of a place to be born.
Those raised here stay around the most.
If not for that, there’d be only ghosts.
Then what was she doing in this town?
Originally she was passing through.
Good looking, yet hanging around?
Got herself a job at the diner too.
She doesn’t talk about her past.
Mostly, she just stays to herself.
I didn’t think her stay would last.
Yet, she’s never asked for help.
One morning we got to talking.
She shared a few interests with me.
Enough that I didn’t feel like walking.
Hiking, fishing, and bikes, you see.
I asked her if she would come,
I could take her to some real action.
Sunday there would be a dirt bike run.
Ride like the wind if you have traction.
She said yes and it was settled.
Sunday I went to pick her up.
She had a dirt bike. Not one you peddle.
I put it in the back of my pickup truck.
We went out to Big Sand Hill.
Lots of bikers already there.
Trying to ride to the top for a thrill.
Most didn’t get anywhere.
I took off and barely made it over.
She came right after and came right up.
The first girl to make it over.
She was too good for it to be luck.
She wouldn’t say where she learned to ride.
She made it up several more times that day.
She made it every time she tried.
I fell more times than I want to say.
I said she could ride. Next we’ll try fishing.
She said she would be happy to go.
I didn’t want work to think she was missing.
Evening is a good time to go.
That next evening I towed my boat.
We went to the river to launch it.
In an hour, I thought I could gloat.
But, I had three more fish to get.
She had caught three more than me.
She wouldn’t say where she learned to fish.
She was good. Said it made her feel free.
The outdoors type and still a real dish.
I offered hiking next. There was no winner.
I really am not the competitive type.
She said she wasn’t either, so would go.
There is nothing but fun to take a hike.
That weekend we were ready to go.
We hiked about ten miles to a deserted mine.
It was a pretty desert spot there.
It was a good place to kill some time.
We started talking. I didn’t care.
She finally told me of her past.
She ran away from fame and glory.
She knew that life wouldn’t last.
That was the end of her story.
I said I didn’t think so. It had just begun.
She said what did I mean?
If you feel like I do hon.
Then you know just what I mean.
She smiled and gave me a big kiss.
I knew I was into something good.
This could lead to real bliss.
In this desert with nothing good.
————————-R. W. Johnson—–(2016)