Near Dusk

Near sunset– nearer dusk, descending the south path, but with sunlight still warming the treetops across the gorge- we met a ranger making his rounds. He’s a tall rangy guy, probably in his fifties, but his pace along the trails is that of a man twenty years younger, thirty. We’ve talked before, over at Buttermilk; if you listen, you’ll learn something. When I remarked about the quality of the light, he said, You notice the light. A lot of people don’t, and then it’s dark, and they don’t have a flashlight. They’ve got a cellphone, they think that’s all they need. Yeah, and they call you, I said. He smiled, turned, was on his way again. At the next turning, I looked back, but he was already gone.