Ezra emerged with two more steaming cocoas.
“Now we’re gettin’ to the good part.”
“I’m ready,” Gabriel said as he took the mug from Ezra.
“I went through a pretty bad spell there for a while. I couldn’t get anyone to hire me. So I took some things from people. Money when I could. I got into people’s gardens and got fresh raw vegetables. I even stole a bicycle and just started ridin’. I didn’t even know where I was goin’. I made my way right out of Mississippi, up through Arkansas, and I even went through Kansas.”
“No way! Did you go through Cairo?”
“I think I got close.” Ezra flashed his contagious grin.
“This is unbelievable.” Gabriel shook his head.
“I was homeless and on the run. I was at a filling station when this old pickup truck pulled in. I saw this man get out and walk to pay for his gas. I snuck around and took a look in his truck to see if I could find somethin’ I could use. And then I heard that voice. ‘Hey, son! Son! What are you doin?’
“This man came walking up to me. I don’t know what happened but I couldn’t run. I just froze. I backed up against his truck. He approached me with kindness in his eyes.
“ ‘You need something? You hungry? I got a sandwich in there that’s yours if you want it.’ ”
Ezra’s voice began to quiver.
“Who does that? Who offers a man a sandwich when he darn well knew I was gonna steal from him? Then he asked me my name. I told him. He said, ‘That’s a good name, son.’ He asked me if I knew what my name meant. I said, ‘No, sir.’ He told me Ezra means ‘help.’ He gave me the best ham sandwich I’d ever had that day. He asked me if I wanted a job and I said, ‘Yes, sir!’ That man brought me to The River. I’ve never left. That man . . . was R. Allen Clarke . . . your grandfather.”
Gabriel felt this to his core. A sense of honor toward his ancestor washed over him as Ezra continued.
“When I came to work for the Clarkes all those years ago, I was low. I didn’t know which way was up. I asked your grandpa if I could get a piece of bread after I was done cleaning up the yard, ’cause I was so hungry. I remember Mister Clarke’s huge hand wrapping around my shoulder. He walked me into the house. I thought I was in big trouble. He was a big man. I can still hear his voice. ‘You see this house? This is your house.’ Then he walked me into the back bedroom where he had me stayin’. ‘You see this bed? This is your bed.’ Then he walked me into the kitchen and opened the icebox.”
Ezra’s voice started to break up. “He opened it up and said, ‘You see this food? It’s your food. You are one of us now. You are a son of this house. What’s ours is yours. You don’t ever have to ask.’ ”
Ezra looked away and wiped his eyes. “That day changed my life. I could get in the pantry myself? No one ever treated me like that.” Ezra smiled and wagged his finger as he reminisced. “That . . . that is love . . . and when love comes . . . freedom comes too. Yes, sir. Love found me. Real love. I know who I am and where I belong. We need more people like your grandfather in this world. People who will reach down and lift someone up . . . treat them like they are worth something . . . believe in them. That kind of greatness . . . that’s what you come from, son. You see, your grandfather reminded me I had a purpose and that I was worthy. You, Gabriel, are worthy.”
12
Under the Waterfall
Later that Summer—July 28, 1973
Gabriel’s first full summer at The River was one of discovery, connection, and new beginnings. He was a long way from his frightened and tumultuous childhood in Cairo, Kansas. As a twenty-one-year-old, new horizons were in view. His perspective on life was changing. He began to see life as it could be, not as it was. Little by little and moment by moment, The River was invigorating Gabriel’s soul. Places in his heart that were numb with shame, fear, and grief were coming alive again. Places in his soul that were heavy with anger and resentment for what he’d lost were giving way to days full of wonder and gratitude.
He was getting his footing as a guide now. He moved from assisting and prepping runs to actually guiding a few of his own trips down on Class II and III rapids. He fell in love with helping people experience the grandeur and beauty of The River. Serving others got him out of his own head and brought him unceasing passion. The more people he helped, the more excitement he felt.
After another mouthwatering breakfast with the others on the deck of the lodge, Gabriel went down to the gear shed to find out his assignment for the day. Jacob was already there, writing names on the large chalkboard behind the counter. His day got exponentially better when he saw whom he was guiding with.
Gabriel (Lead)/Tabitha (Asst)
Half-Day Family
Stevenson (4)
Gabriel felt a soft and cool hand slip inside his left bicep as he was looking at the board.
“So I guess I’m with you today. You okay with that, mister?” Tabitha grabbed his arm with both hands and pulled him close.
“Yes, ma’am. I’m very good with that. As long as you behave yourself and don’t give me any trouble.” He matched her flirtatious tone.
“What makes you think I’d give you any trouble?”
“Well, that’s your middle name, isn’t it . . . Trouble?”
“Excuse me?” she said as she raised her eyebrows and walked over to the life vest racks.
Gabriel couldn’t help but let his eyes wander, watching her curves as she moved across the room. She looked amazing to Gabriel, no matter what she wore.
“Gabriel,” Jacob said sternly as he peered over his reading glasses.
“Yes, sir?” Gabriel, embarrassed, turned his head to Jacob so fast he almost gave himself whiplash.
“Why is your face turning so red, son?”
“Uh, not sure.” Gabriel rubbed his neck. “I’ll go get the rig ready.”
“Good idea,” Jacob said without a smile.
It was nine thirty a.m., and the two Jeeps were prepped and ready to head out for the family float trip. One hauled the trailer with the raft, all the gear, paddles, the cooler, and the life vests. The other Jeep would carry the rafters to the put-in.
The young family arrived at the gear shed after checking in, and Tabitha greeted them.
“Hi, guys! I’m Tabitha. I’ll be one of your guides today. Is this your first time?”
The family of four all nodded with nervous excitement.
The dad held out his hand. “I’m Brian, this is my wife, Kim, and this is our daughter, Samantha . . . She’s ten, and our son, Johnny. He’s five.”
The towheaded little boy hid behind his father’s leg.
Brian ruffled Johnny’s hair. “He’s a little nervous.”
Gabriel walked up and joined the interchange.
“How are you guys doing? You ready for some white water today?”
“Yes, we are.” The mild-mannered father looked down at his son who was clutching his leg even tighter. “It’s going to be fun. You don’t have anything to be afraid of.”
Gabriel got down on one knee. “What’s your name, little man?”
The boy just buried his head in his dad’s leg.
“Johnny. Yep, this one is scared of his own shadow. We thought this might be good for him,” Brian said as he stroked his son’s head.
Gabriel looked up at the dad. “Where are you guys from?”
“Wichita.”
“Really? I lived in Kansas for fifteen years! You must be awesome if you live in Kansas.” Gabriel directed his comment to the boy.
The kindergartner cracked a smile as he peeked around his dad’s leg.
“There it is. I knew you were a river guy.”
Gabriel worked hard to put the entire family at ease. On the forty-five-minute drive up to the put-in, he found out that Brian, a small-framed man with blond hair and wire-frame glasses, was an accountant. He was quite measured and quiet in his communication. His wife, Kim, a perky and round five-foot-tall brunette, was a high schoo
l art teacher. She wasn’t short on words. They were on their first vacation out west.
They pulled the Jeeps off the paved road onto the well-worn clearing next to The River.
“Okay, guys. Just meet me over on that rock, and we’ll go over some safety stuff.”
They climbed out and headed that way. At ten o’clock, the eighty-five degree dry air made for a perfect day to be on the water.
While Tabitha helped everyone get their life vests fastened properly, Gabriel single-handedly dragged the fourteen-foot raft off the trailer and into the water. He went over the basics of his safety talk, and then little Johnny started to whimper.
“I don’t want to go. I don’t want to go.”
“You sure, buddy? We might see some really beautiful wildlife out there today! Maybe even an otter or two.” Gabriel tried to reach out to the boy.
“It’s going to be fun,” Brian responded.
Johnny ran to his mom and jumped into her arms.
“I wanna go home!”
Gabriel looked at the mom and dad. “It’s okay. There’s no rush.” He held his finger up as an idea came to him. “I’ll be right back.” Gabriel ran up to the Jeep and came back in less than a minute. “Hey, Johnny, come here, buddy. Have you ever seen one of these?”
Kim put the little boy down and he walked over to Gabriel who was crouched down. As Johnny approached the guide, he held up a large silver, blue, and gray Aggie marble.
“It’s a magic river marble.”
Johnny looked back at his mom and dad, and his countenance immediately lifted.
“Wow!” Kim said, playing along.
Gabriel held it up to the sunlight and pointed to it.
“You see those beautiful lines in there? That’s The River running inside the marble. If you hold on to this marble, it will chase away the fear so you can ride the water. Would you like to have it?”
The wide-eyed boy nodded his head enthusiastically.
“Awesome. Now, don’t lose it. In fact, you can also spend some time steering the raft with me if you keep it with you. Would you like that?”
“Can I make it go fast?”
“Absolutely!”
The parents cheered with relief. Gabriel noticed how intently Tabitha watched him, and he gave her a wink.
“Hey, Johnny, come over here for a second.”
He motioned for the boy to join him at the water’s edge.
“If you put the marble in the water before we get in, you’ll see how it shines and looks even more beautiful.”
Johnny lowered his chubby hand, holding the marble into the shallow water.
“You see? Everything shines more beautifully in The River, Johnny.”
The boy stared at his marble, lost in wonder.
Johnny got in the raft after that without hesitation. Gabriel pushed off the shore and jumped on the back tube. Johnny immediately crawled to sit with him.
Gabriel grabbed his vest and pulled him in right beside him.
“You ready?”
Johnny nodded.
“You got your marble?”
“Yep!” The rosy-cheeked little guy held it up in the sunlight as he squinted his bright blue eyes.
The young family and the two guides had a glorious few hours on The River, complete with small cascading rapids, a nice picnic, and a splash fight to end their time together.
As they were getting the gear out of the raft and preparing to make the ride back to camp, Kim took Gabriel and Tabitha aside.
“I can’t thank you enough for an amazing trip today. You don’t know how much it meant to us that you helped Johnny overcome his fear. I wasn’t sure we were going to be able to make the trip, but you saved it for him . . . and us. The experience was more than we could have hoped for.”
“He’s an awesome kid. We had a blast with you today. I hope you’ll come back,” Gabriel said with a comforting smile.
“Oh, we will. By the way, how did you know he loves marbles so much? He has a whole collection of them at home!”
“I didn’t. But, hey, what kid doesn’t love marbles, right?”
Gabriel looked at Tabitha as Kim walked away.
“Are you kidding me? What are the chances of that?” he asked quietly.
Tabitha shook her head in amazement.
Sadie and Freddie brought the Jeeps to the load-out area and drove everyone home. They arrived back at the lodge around four p.m. and said their good-byes to the tourists from Wichita.
As Gabriel was hanging the life vests up to dry, Tabitha grabbed his hand and pulled. She walked backward, leading him out of the gear shed as she spoke.
“I made some fresh coffee, and I have some of those chocolate chip cookies you like. Go get cleaned up and meet me at the Jeep in twenty minutes. I want to take you somewhere.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Gabriel said with a wondering smile and raised eyebrows.
He had never had a real girlfriend before Tabitha. Every step, every encounter was new and wonderful. Even when it was hard, he was grateful for the companionship.
Gabriel approached the Jeep. Tabitha sat in the driver’s seat, revving the engine, ready to put it into gear.
“Come on, slowpoke.” She smiled as she pulled her long hair back into a ponytail.
Gabriel grabbed the roll bar and hoisted himself in the passenger side.
“Where’re we going, Miss Fielding?”
“You’ll see.”
They headed northwest on the highway for about thirty minutes, climbing higher into the gorge as the road switched back and forth. The old Jeep chugged as they pulled off the road. Tabitha grabbed her backpack out of the back and threw it on her shoulders.
“This way,” she said as she took his hand and led him into the forest. As they trekked deeper in the canyon woods, the thunderous roar of the water grew louder.
“Not too many people even know about this spot. It’s one of my favorites.”
They exited the trees onto the edge of a cliff that overlooked a spectacular waterfall cascading down some fifty feet or more.
“The River divides around this mountain; half flows down these falls and half flows on the other side, meeting up down there,” Tabitha explained. “Be careful. The rocks are slick from the mist.”
The young couple hugged a narrow path on the canyon wall that descended down about twenty feet. The path curved back into a large cave and opened up right underneath the powerful cascade. The mist sprayed into the air off the jagged rocks on either side. The unceasing flow created a beautiful haven underneath the mountain.
Tabitha removed a colorfully striped wool blanket from her backpack and spread it on the cool moss-covered rock.
Gabriel stood close to the edge, experiencing the power of the water as it flowed over their heads.
“I never tire of the sound of water. It just speaks to me.”
His voice echoed against the rock cave.
Tabitha sat down on the blanket. Gabriel turned around and sat next to her. It suddenly occurred to him how alone and secluded they were. It was magical.
“This is one of my favorite spots in the entire canyon. I feel safe here. It’s such a refuge.” Tabitha leaned her head on Gabriel’s shoulder. His heart thumped.
“The River keeps surprising me. Just when I think I’ve seen it all, there’s more, and it keeps getting more interesting and beautiful.”
Tabitha picked her head up and leaned in to kiss Gabriel.
She pulled her head back and stared into his eyes.
They kissed again.
She smiled.
“You taste like chocolate.” Then it dawned on her. “Did you steal a cookie?”
Gabriel shrugged his shoulders as he grinned.
She smudged the lip gloss from his lips with her thumb.
“You are so guilty.”
She backed up and grabbed her thermos and pulled two mugs out of her backpack.
“I’m warning you; this is my sweet coffee, not that motor oil you boys
drink.”
“I’m sure I’ll love it,” he said as she poured them a couple of cups.
They sat facing each other with their legs crossed.
“Here’s to little Johnny and that sweet family.” She held her mug up and Gabriel joined her as they toasted the beautiful moment. “I’m still in awe of how you helped that little boy. You have a way with kids, I guess. It made my heart melt . . . even more. And to us . . . you and me . . .” They tapped their mugs again.
After a few seconds of quiet and another brief kiss, she spoke up.
“What do you think about us, Gabriel?” she asked tenderly.
“What do I think?” he repeated as he thought about a response.
“Yeah, what do you think about us? About me? I know that you have feelings for me, but you don’t really say much. I’ve just been wondering where this is going . . . what’s going on in that heart of yours,” she said as she traced her finger along the edge of the blanket.
Gabriel felt the longing in her voice. It hit him like the power of the water pouring in front of them. He had never told her how he really felt. He never really knew how to express what was in his heart. It just seemed too risky. It was all so new. He didn’t want to mess anything up.
Gabriel paused in thought as he looked away.
Tabitha sighed. “If you’re not ready to talk about this, it’s okay. I guess . . .”
“I love you,” he blurted out. His eyes became moist and red as he continued nervously.
“I love you. More than anything or anyone, I think. Since the first time I laid eyes on you, it’s like my heart has been outside of my chest. I don’t know exactly what’s next . . . I don’t. I do know this. No one has ever made me feel more alive than you. I’m just better with you.” Tabitha sat speechless as he continued. “Your beauty . . . it keeps me awake at night. My words get tangled when you come into the room. You’ve got me inside out, Tabitha Fielding.”
Tabitha cupped her hand over her mouth as a tear melted down her cheek. She wrapped her arms around his neck and hugged him fiercely. He could feel tears on his neck.
Into the Canyon Page 11
