Ketchikan or Bust (Tom's Adventures in Alaska)

by Matthew Green

  “We should try to be quiet and not disturb the moose. If they feel threatened they’ll charge! They’re not even afraid of bears,” Tom whispers. “Let’s enjoy the water and try not to disturb those that live here. It’s their home, we’re just visiting.”

  “I love this, Tom! I’ve never had a bath with a moose before. I feel so good right now! I’ll bet I sleep like a log tonight! We should come back in the morning for another dip to relax before we take off.”

  They sit in the hot pool until they’re pruned and ready to fall asleep before they decide to go set up camp. They scramble across the campground to the motorcycle and ride to the bridge without changing from the oversized t-shirts. Tom pulls the bike under the bridge and they set up the tent a couple of hundred feet away, beside an old stone fire pit. Swan starts a fire and then pulls off her t-shirt to stand naked next to the fire. Tom admires her raw beauty in the twilight. She turns to him and smiles as she tugs a clean shirt over her head. She finishes getting dressed before coming to him.

  Chapter Twenty

  “Whatcha doing?” Swan asks.

  “I thought we could go fishing and maybe catch something for supper. You have a new fishing rod here that needs to be christened,” Tom says. “Do you want to fish with me or do have other plans?”

  “Oh, I always have other plans, but they can wait until after we go to bed. I’ve been thinking that after that soak in the hot pool that I should release the rest of your tensions and you’ll sleep like a baby in my arms.”

  Tom smiles. “So you’re into showing me your pole handling skills? Do you want me to catch supper?”

  “Give me that and I’ll show you how to catch fish!” Swan says as she grabs the pole from Tom.

  They sit next to the river fishing for a while before they get their first bite. The river drowns out the little traffic on the road and the evening is very peaceful. They watch birds flitter in the bush looking for a safe place to roost for the night. Clouds shimmer in shades of pink and orange as the sun heads toward the horizon. It’s windy overhead but they’re hiding below it next to the river.

  “Every time I sit along a river like this it reminds me of my brother,” Tom says wistfully.

  “Where’s he?” Swan asks. “I don’t think you mentioned having a brother.”

  “Oh, I have two brothers and two sisters. They’re older than me,” Tom says quietly.

  “You’re the baby of the family?” Swan says with a wry smile. “I guess I have been robbing the cradle!”

  “Yeah, I guess,” Tom mutters.

  “I’m sorry. You said sitting here reminded you of your brother,” Swan says apologetically. “I shouldn’t have been cracking jokes. Why does it remind you of him?”

  “Well…..one of my brothers died a few years ago,” Tom says as he looks at her. “And every time I’m by a river or a lake, I’m reminded of him. He was always nice to me and looked out for me. He taught me a lot of different things through the years. He taught me a lot of what I know about fishing. One of my first memories is from when I was about three or four. We were living in Colorado and Dad took us camping. My brother must have seen that I wasn’t having much fun so he took my rod and untangled the line for me. He put a new worm on the hook and tossed it out into the river. He stayed with me while I played on the edge of the river until a fish took the bait. I think he set the hook before he gave me the rod but I’m not sure. Well, anyway, he started hooting and hollering and made me feel like a million bucks because I’d caught my first fish. Over the years we went fishing a few times but I never had his passion. As I grew up he taught me that fishing for food was more important than just going fishing. It’s ok to catch what you’re going to eat, then put down your rod and enjoy the river.”

  “He sounds like he was a good brother,” Swan says. Her eyes well up with tears.

  “Oh, I think he was more than a brother. I considered him one of my best friends. In a lot of ways he was kind of a strange duck but people who knew him thought the world of him. The thing was that few got to know him because of his restless feet. He couldn’t stay anywhere very long because he liked to explore new places. He left home when he was fourteen and in a few years, he’d explored the world. He told me stories of being in the Philippines, Thailand, Japan and all over the United States and Canada. He’d done things that most people only read about. Sometimes it was months or more than a year between seeing each other but every time we got together we’d talk for days,” Tom says. “I’m probably boring you.”

  “No, I’m enjoying getting to know him,” Swan says. “Go on.”

  “Well, one time when he was home, he decided that he wanted a boat. He spent weeks putting together this little boat from plans he’d found in a book. Let me tell you, that thing was so heavy I thought it’d never float,” Tom says with a laugh. “But when we heaved it into the water the first time, it did. We used to throw it into the back of the truck and go fishing every chance we got. Most of the time we just floated around in that stupid boat and told lies, but those times were pretty special. One time he told me about living under a bridge in Colorado for a few months. I asked him what it was like. He said that it was the best place he’d ever lived. No phones to ring, always in the fresh air, dry in the rain and cool in the sun. He said that he always had food and the occasional visitor hitchhiking down the highway provided as much company as he desired.”

  “So what happened to him?” Swan asks.

  “For sure, we’ll never know. He was camping by a river and was found in the river, drowned. The sheriff said that it looked like an accident. Maybe he slipped on a rock or something and got caught in the current. We’ll never know,” Tom says softly while looking into the water next to them.

  “It’s sad that you’ll never know,” Swan says as a tear rolls down her cheek.

  “Honey, I do know that he died in the place that he loved. He was camping, fishing and living his life the way he enjoyed. I always remember the way he told about living under the bridge and the sparkle he had in his eye as he talked about it. I know that if he had to die, that dying in a river was better than being hit by a bus in some damn city or something like that. I miss him a lot but every time I sit by the water, he’s alive and with me again.” Tom looks at Swan. “I sit looking in the water and can feel him next to me and I don’t miss him as much. The day he died I wrote him a letter, sometimes I read it when I’m out here.”

  “Do you have it now?” Swan asks.

  “I think it’s in my wallet. It’s been a while since I’ve looked for it,” Tom says.

  “Can I read it?” Swan asks, “Would you mind?”

  “No, if it was private I wouldn’t have mentioned it,” Tom says as he looks in his wallet. “No one’s ever wanted to read it before.”

  Swan takes the letter and reads it out loud

  -----------

  Dear Brother,

  So long ago your feet were bare in the sands of time, your body sans clothes except for your lifejacket. The look on your face told the story that this was your home, waves cleansing your feet, running free, at one with the life-force that unites the Earth. You spent your life seeking out and playing with your true love, water.

  From tiny creek to vast ocean, you never failed to stop and taste the cool waters beneath your feet. From sailing above to cruising below, even making a home under one of the bridges which others used to bypass it, you were at home with the water.

  Often seen fishing, playing with the water creatures, at times taking sustenance from her murky depths, this was where you lived your life. To you there was no body of water too small, for you knew that they were all connected; the giver of life.

  On this day, I learned, tears now rolling down my face and great sadness in my heart, that it was in the water that you love so much that you were found and that you have become one with your true love. I know in my heart that when your soul left your body, that it entered the water to finally roam free, as it had always desired. My Bro
ther, you are now free with the one you love, free to see it the way you always desired. I wish you well, explore for me, and show me the wondrous things you experience, even if only in my dreams.

  Though we may never speak again, be sure that from this day forward, each time I am near the water, I will remove my shoes and walk as you once did, bare feet in the sand, and we will again walk together. Though the waves may erase your foot prints, I will know you are there.

  Each time I feel a raindrop on my face, I will feel your gentle kiss, knowing that you traveled with your friend to look upon the Earth from above. Enjoy your freedom, it was your desire.

  Beware of glaciers, and glass jars on a shelf, for these are bonds hard to escape. But once for me Bro, fall as a snowflake. Feel its crystalline shape, so fragile and meek, but fall in the water so you remain free.

  This shall be our common bond, my brother, though I have to say goodbye today, I will also say “See you soon!” for you are now all around, free to be everywhere. I will miss you, but now you will be closer.

  Farewell my brother. I love you.

  See you soon.

  -----------

  “I’m sorry it’s not written very well, I wrote it when I was younger,” Tom says apologetically.

  “Don’t worry Honey, grammar and spelling aren’t important when you’re writing from the heart,” Swan says as she lifts Tom’s chin to look in his eyes. “It’s the message that’s important and you sure gave your message well. What’s his name?”

  “Ken,” Tom says, “His name is Ken.”

  Swan pulls Tom’s shoes off and kicks her own aside. She takes his hands and pulls him to his feet. “Let’s go walk in the sand, introduce me to Ken.”

  Chapter Twenty One

  “I’ll take the dishes down and wash them while you’re packing that stuff up.” Tom says as he walks to the river.

  Tom kneels by the river and scoops up some gravel. It’s become ritual to do a bit of gold panning everywhere they stop. Swan found a few flakes earlier when she needed to wash the clean pan to make breakfast. He swirls the gravel around before picking out most of the rocks and then washes the sand to refine the mixture. He looks through the sand carefully but there’s nothing worth digging for. Tom dumps it out and digs deep into the hole he’d started. He washes the gravel and starts to pick out rocks and debris. He picks out a lump of rust and tosses it aside. He starts to wash the sand but stops and looks over at the rusty lump. He sets the pan down and picks it up. Tom picks off a few of the larger rust flakes and washes away the dirt. He looks at it carefully and realizes that it’s an old pepperbox pistol. It must have been lost here during the Klondike gold rush. Tom cleans it for a few minutes before giving it a final rinse and setting it on one of the plates. He finishes washing the dishes and heads up the riverbank to the motorcycle where Swan waits, sitting the bike.

  “Any gold?” she asks.

  “No, but I found an old pepperbox,” Tom says as he holds it out to her.

  She takes it and turns it over to look at. “Uh, Tom, this isn’t a pepper box, it’s a gun.”

  Tom laughs. “It’s called a pepperbox. They were called that because they looked like the pepper grinders of the day. The pepperbox was the first multi-shot pistol before revolvers were invented. They were used in the days of the gold rush for personal protection. They didn’t allow guns to cross White Pass into the Klondike but a few were smuggled in. I think it’s pretty cool to dig one out up here. It makes me realize how much history there is here”

  “Is it worth anything?” Swan asks.

  “Probably not, but I’ll keep it as a memory of this place. Thirty years from now I’ll look at it and remember digging it out of the river,” Tom says.

  “Come here and I’ll give you something that you’ll remember for thirty years!” Swan says lustily.

  “Don’t we need to hit the road?” Tom asks even though he knows the answer.

  “I’m offering you what could be the most memorable hour of your life and you think that now’s the time to try to stick to a schedule?” Swan grumbles. “Give me your hand and I’ll show you what you’re going to miss!”

  Tom steps close and places his hand in hers. She swings it up over her head as she spins around and flips Tom over her back to the ground. She puts one foot on his chest, gently digs her heel in and grinds it around. Tom looks up shocked.

  “What the fuck was that?” Tom screams.

  “Never trust a girl wearing leather!” Swan laughs, “And, I’m warning you, leave my tits alone. You’re on the pillion for the first stretch. I’m feeling aggressive and want to take it out on the road. Get on, we’re gonna make some miles today!”

  Swan reaches down and helps Tom to his feet. He picks her up and carries her with one arm toward the creek. She beats on his legs, kicking and screaming.

  “Honest officer, she slipped in them damn boots and fell into the river. By the time I noticed, she was already gone. I told her not to wear those damn high heeled boots. I’m going to miss her.” Tom laughs as he swings her out over the river.

  “Put me down you son of a bitch! On land!” Swan screams. “Put me down or you’ll regret it, I’ll smother you in your sleep!”

  Tom laughs as he sets her down. “Do you want to have another round or should we hit the road?”

  Swan jumps into his arms. “I want to hit something!” She says in between kisses, “We better hit the road or we’ll be here all day. I’m so turned on right now, I think I’d tear you to pieces!”

  Swan struts over to the bike and swings her leg over the seat. She pulls her helmet on and tucks in her hair. “Get on, hang on and shut up. It’s gonna be a hell of a ride!”

  Tom hops onto the seat behind her as she lets out the clutch. She spins the wheel up the bank and launches the bike onto the highway. Tom looks back to make sure that the trailer is still following and not bouncing through the brush. Swan rides hard through the lonely stretch of highway to Fort Nelson and the mile markers fly by. She pulls into a gas station on the far side of town and leaves Tom to fill the bike.

  I paid for the gas and got you a sandwich,” Swan says as she walks out of the gas station. “It’s about eight in the morning. Let me hang on the bars for a while longer and let’s see how far we can get today!”

  “Why the sudden rush?” Tom asks as he slips in behind her. “I thought we were going to take it easy?”

  Swan begins to pull away from the pumps. She leans back and screams so that Tom can hear. “I woke up this morning hornier than shit. I realized that the quicker we get onto a stateroom on the ferry, the sooner I’ll be able to release all of this frustration and get fully satisfied! You’re in trouble if this trip takes too long because it’s getting worse! I’ve got twenty years of not having sex to work through and these little one night stands just aren’t cutting it!”

  Tom looks around. People are standing at the edge of the street staring at them in shock from what Swan is screaming. Tom sits back and smiles. She accelerates hard at the edge of town and races down the highway.

  Tom loves traveling through pine forests because they smell so fresh. The morning is crisp and the occasional light fog rolls out from the trees to cover the road. Swan rips down the straight stretches of road and banks hard into the corners. The bike labors up each hill and she tries to make up the time on the downgrades. They ride into Pink Mountain by mid morning and Swan leaves Tom to fill the bike again. She comes out and hops back on when he shuts off the pump.

  “I’m going to pull this thing around to the side. The food in there smells great, let’s stop and eat,” Swan says as she stomps on the start lever.”I’ll meet you inside!”

  The bike roars away and Tom walks up the stairs into the building.

  “She’s quite the rider. Most guys won’t let their girl ape hang on their bike,” a man with a scruffy grey beard says while scratching his chin. “I watched her pull in here; she’s got some talent for it”

  Swan struts in m
idway through the man’s speech. She ignores him as she walks to Tom and hooks her arm through his. She looks at the man as he speaks. “Come on lover, feed me up and take me out and fuck me.” she says while looking sternly at the man.

  The man looks at Tom and smiles. “You better do what she says! I would!”

  They sit across from each other in a small booth. Swan leans over and whispers, “When you were outside he said that a real man wouldn’t let a chick ride his bike. I think he’d like to be less of a man with me now!”

  Tom laughs, “I think you took what he said wrong but you’re right, I bet he’d let you ride in front of him.”

  They order lunch. Swan devours hers and orders a huge piece of chocolate on chocolate cake for dessert. She eats it slowly, licking off the fork after every bite while Tom struggles to finish his meal. He watches her eat it and enjoys every bite as much as she does. She finally groans and pushes the plate to Tom.