Hot July

4 Rides on a Friday Summer afternoon

Ride1– Llama Racer— I picked her up in the midst of a very busy downtown afternoon. She hopped in the car and began a pleasant interchange. “I have got to get home because we are going to the Burro Races in FairPlay this weekend. My boyfriend has a cabin up there and we went last year. I had no idea how much fun it is. Now what I am really excited about is the Llama race on Saturday. Last year I took 4th place”. She the explained to me that people think they ride them, but just like in the Burro race they carry a pack. I said, “I knew the inside story of Llama racing. 25 years ago she sent our four nephews and our son on a 1 week Llama trek in the San Juans”. She than began to ask me lots of questions about growing up in Colorado and how I felt about all the change. I said, “As long as it keeps bringing in people like you I am all in. Be sure to drink the right fluids before the race”. She laughed and said, “This year I am shooting for 3rd”.

Ride 2–The Almost Bride— She had one of those names that can be either gender. I was to pick her up on East Colfax which means it could really stretch the Bell Curve. I pulled up at a stop sign looking north across Colfax. Siri had my passenger standing right on a spot in on the corner of an alley. There stood a most elegantly dressed young woman who looked like she was going to 4pm tea at the Brown Palace. She was looking at her cell phone, which is a Big Clue in Lyft world. I called her to confirm and tell her I would pull in the alley for safety. She got in the back seat and with my saying a word she said, “I am headed downtown to my rehearsal dinner. I am getting married tomorrow”. I replied, “I love doing weddings, I have performed over 500 in the past 45 years. The conversation took off. “What advice would you give me”? “Well, first of all have fun tonight and tomorrow, you are with your best friend. Don’t be in a hurry, let life come to you. Travel, play, take lots and lots of walk. My wife and I figured in the last 35 years we have walked together around the earth 🌍 at the equator”. “Thanks, this has really been a gift, I still have to write my vows, you really helped”. She hopped out in front on the restaurant and thanked me very graciously. I said, “Your best friend is getting beauty from the inside out”.

Ride 3– A Mechanic— He got in the front seat and we began a 30 minute ride to the SW. Quickly he told me “I am a mechanic who thought because I loved working on my car as a kid and I am really good at it that I would love working full time on cars… nope. After 9 years I am creating my exit plan. I am in my second year at Red Rocks Community College and I hope to go to either Colorado School of Mines or CU to become a mechanical engineer”. We had a very honest and real conversation about life, values, change and yes God. We pulled up in front of his house and there was a beautifully restored green Volvo. “Is that your work”? “Yep his name is Terry, I have had it since high school. It’s the one car I won’t ever sell”. “Well, I have no doubt a grey haired old engineer will take it on Sunday drives in those mountains”. GIANT SMILE

Ride 4– Two Forty something moms headed to a concert— I picked them up right after the mechanic. They were headed 17 miles to Fiddler’s Green to hear Jason Aldean and Kane Brown, I have no idea who they are but they were girl giggly over them. I often play Sirius #26 Classic Vinyl on weekend Lyft runs. I was thrilled when Crosby, Stills and Nash came on with “Teach The Children”. I said, my last concert was at Red Rocks with those guys. The all had to sit on stools”. “Who are they, we have never heard them”. I almost pulled into the Sunnybrook Assisted Living Center to check myself in. I just said, “Well, I just turned 70… I guess this my life from here on”.

Onward and Upward,

Mark