POWDERHORN

"Last call for boarding flight 301 United Airlines, to Grand Junction, Co." came over the speaker.

Tina checked her ticket, Oh gosh! that's me. She quickly grabbed her carry on bag, from the chair next to her, and proceeded to the boarding gate. She showed the stewardess her ticket, and made her way down the isle to the seating compartment, reading the seat numbers as she passed, 101 window seat, here it is. She put the shade up and put her bag under her seat, thinking about who would be sitting next to her. I hope it's not some screaming kid...,just then a tall dark haired guy walked up.

Is this seat 101B? he asked.

Uh huh, she could barely reply, she was caught up on how good looking he was.

Hi, my name's Nick, are you going to Powderhorn? he asked checking her out, as he put his carry-on under his seat, and sitting down.

Hi, I'm Tina, she said, finally able to catch her breath, and mustering her voice enough to reply, and yes, I am. I haven't been there in so long, I can hardly remember what it looks like. My family has a cabin there, and we used to go a lot when we were kids, but not so much since we're grown, and went our separate ways, she said sadly.

Same here, Nick said, I work so much, and I decided I needed a break. I'm getting out of a relationship, that didn't end well, and need to take some time to think about things, and clear my head.

Oh, I'm sorry to hear that, Poderhorn, is definitely the place to go to do that, and get away from the hustle and bustle, she laughed.

I'm renting a car when we land, if you don't have any plans, you could ride up with me, I'm sure your cabin isn't far from mine. I'd like the company, and conversation. she said, thinking she's rushing things a bit, and wondering if it was appropriate.

Sure, I'd like that, I did have a car reserved, but I can cancel it, and rent it again, if you go back first. Not much up there, and I'm pretty sure we are neighbors, I'm not sure how long I'll be staying.

Me either, I'm off work indefinitely and hope to find work up here, or start a new career, which ever comes first, she said hopefully.

The plane landed, and they drove 35 miles to Powderhorn, casually listening to the radio, and singing along. They felt like they've known each other forever, but didn't know why, perhaps their paths crossed in their youth, and they didn't know it.

Welp, this must be it, she said pulling up in front of a tiny cabin with a red door. I like how the doors are painted in code instead of numbers, mine is the one across the way with the purple door, she chuckled.

That's great, thanks for the ride, he said getting his luggage out of the trunk, I hope to see you soon. his voice trailed off.

Sure, stop by anytime, maybe we can go skating, or skiing sometime.

That would be nice, see you later. Be safe.

As she drove off she kept thinking about him and wondering where this new found friendship would go. She parked her car in front of her cabin, and went to unlock the door, before she unloaded her stuff. She wasn't quite sure what to bring, so she had a variety, her camera, laptop, some cards, and probably way too many clothes. She opened the door, and was surprised that it looked the same as what she remembered, when she was a kid. Not much has changed, she walked around looking at each room. This place is so dusty, and the floors need scrubbed. I guess I have my work cut out for me. But first things first, I have to get a fire started in the fireplace. Thankfully they left it stocked with plenty of firewood, to last awhile.

The cabin was so quit she could here the floor creek with each step she took, I wonder where the radio is, she started looking through the cabinets, and finally found an old transistor, ah hah! she plugged it in.. nothing.. hmmm there must be a blown fuse, I better check the breaker box. No, everything looks fine there, I wonder what happened. She decided to try the phone, to see if she could call the electric company to report it. That was dead too, oh kay.. this is getting a little weird, no electric, no phone, and this place hasn't been updated in fifty years, so there's definitely no internet service, I probably have to go to town, to use my laptop. Just great! now what do I do? she thought disparagingly. Just then there was a knock on the door, it was Nick.

Hey Tina, I just wanted to come check on you, to see if you're alright. My neighbor told me they had a bad ice storm here last week and some of the power is still out.

Yeh, I think I just found that out, thanks for coming over, I thought I was going crazy, and starting to worry what to do.

Well, we need o see if you have any candles or oil for the lamps.

Ok, thanks, this might be fun, primitive, but fun, she said feeling a little better.

We're in luck, there was a gallon of oil, under the kitchen sink. it should be enough to fill all five of your lamps, and we can get more from town if you need it. But with the fireplace and lamps, you should be fine. During the day there's enough light through the windows that you won't need to use them, and at night only use the lamp in whatever room you go in.

Ok I will, thanks again for saving the day, she said flirtingly, I have no clue what I'd have done, but I really got a lot of cleaning to do, no one's been here in over ten years.

Yeh, I know what you mean, my place was pretty bad too, well I guess I'll be on my way then, he said reluctantly. It's not that far to walk, I'll check back in a day or two, but if you need anything, just holler, he laughed.

She boiled some water on the wood burning stove, and started scrubbing the floors, and walls and dusted off the furniture, wishing she could vacuum it, she changed the sheets on the bed, and dusted everything else. She found some old books, and games in the closet. This really isn't so bad once you get used to it, and it's clean, it's actually pretty cozy. I wonder if Nick would want to come over to play Yahtzee sometime, uh, she there I go again, I gotta quit thinking about him, she got a book and snuggled down on the couch, in front of the fire, to read it. Mmmm.. this is nice, she fell asleep.

The next day, she was fixing breakfast and heard Nick holler outside her door. She went to open it, Hi!, your just in time..

In time for what? he asked.

Breakfast, silly, she said teasingly. I'm making hot apple oatmeal.

Ooooh, that sounds delicious, it's freezing cold out here, and that would surely warm me up.

I'm so thankful my granddad never replaced the stove, I don't know what I'd do if it were electric, they laughed.

Yeh, who needs electricity anyway, we have everything we need, right here, he said, his voice trailing off.

Well except for me finding a job she said, trying to change the subject, or at least where her thoughts were going, but maybe the coffee shop or the ski lodge is hiring, I could check people in at the hospitality desk, she started rambling nervously, Oh that would be so fun, let's go to town after breakfast and find out, she said excitedly.

Sure, that sounds good, and we can catch some lunch while we're there.

Ok, give me a few minutes to get ready, she went to her room to change her clothes and brush her hair, then to the bathroom to wash her face, freshen up and brush her teeth. Fifteen minutes later, Ok I'm ready, let's go tackle this town.

She drove to the ski lodge first, not really wanting to work at the coffee shop, but using it as a last resort. They went in to talk to the manager, Mike.

Hi! she said, we're new in town and wanted to know if you had any positions open for immediate hire, we've been here about a week now and could really use some work, before the bills roll in, she chuckled.

Well, he said, this may be your lucky day, how good are you at skiing? we need a ski instructor for the bunny hill, and someone to work in the lodge store, and run the concessions.

Oh! I could do that, I have a lot of retail experience, and I'm very good with people, but I like to skate, more than ski, Nick, what about you, do you ski?

Do I? he said, I've only been skiing since I was five, he said boastfully, and I took Jr championship when I was ten, It's been awhile, but I'd love to help out.

Great! be here Friday, for training, 9am,sharp.

Can you believe it? Tina asked as they were walking to the car.

Nope, it's fantastic, he said, as he grabbed a bunch of snow, and threw a snowball at her. I think I'm gonna like it here, more than I expected, he said lovingly.

Me too, she said, lets get some lunch to celebrate.

She drove to the cafeteria, it was an old fashioned type, where you take your tray down the line, and the girl gives you your food you pick, the only restaurant in town. They got their food and walked to the booth in the back, where it was warmer, and sat across from each other.

Let's have a toast, Nick said as he picked up his hot cocoa mug, to great friendships and lasting memories.

Cheers, she said, to new jobs and new beginnings, all hail, Powderhorn. she chimed.

Their mugs clanked together.