Last night we realized today was the final day of many of the Tuscon Gem Shows. A couple we met hiking came specifically to try for closing weekend deals from snow covered Buffalo New York.
Like all true western New Yorkers we swapped snow stories in the southwest sun, relieved in the reprieve from ice and lake effect snow offered by the Sonoran desert.
There are many nomads legends in this world, like urban legends except pertaining to traveling life. One legend is of the finds to be made in the dumpsters after gem shows. Curious as to whether the myth had veracity and to witness the mad scramble pack up we went back to the gem show.
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| Danny fantasizes impossible finds... |
Yesterday, we savored a day of tranquility talking with Sunny and smiling Dei in the ruins of the Stone house. This afternoon we watched workers pack quickly and with few words. Cardboard and wooden boxes, pallets and plastic wrap where before shining stones had lured our dreams and wallets. The sparkle was safely nestled away to be born off to another show.
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| The Stone House, Tuscon AZ |
We walked around, bought a few more pieces from our favorite exhibitor. We walked past the dumpsters- if good wood or wooden boxes were needed this was a gold mine. Peering in and looking in discarded cardboard boxes we found several clean reusable grocery bags and no treasure. Dumpster did not equal a red X on our mythical treasure map, but it was fun to poke around to see how true the whispered hippy tales of "a friend dumpster dove after a Tuscon show and found this whole tray of gorgeous stones and two luggage bags and a new displays..."
We didn't dive, so maybe there was treasure in there, we just weren't willing to give it our all. Instead we went for tacos and shaved ice. We tried ordering in Spanish, as the menu was in Spanish and we're both trying to practice. This failed abysmally, the woman seemed to only understand English- although she spoke Spanish. It was the most bizarre moment of total absurdity.
We decided to give up and head home to regroup for tomorrow's adventures. As we pulled off the highway there were tents and tables. There was a closing rock and mineral show right there! Danny decided to give it a go, we stopped.
As we walked into the tents and displays people smiled, they were packing but friendly and unhurried. It was a different atmosphere, a relaxed neighborhood rather than a lot of silent separate entrepreneurs.
A woman called out a greeting, she recognized us from the grocery store! We walked over and visited with her and her significant other. He showed us beautiful stones in his display, talking about where they were from and where some were headed as they were already sold. As we were leaving he showed us a type of flint from Texas, Danny asked if it was for napping. The man brightened up at Danny's knowledge, he gave us some of the flint to practice napping on.
We met a couple from New Mexico that welcomed us to go to a rockhound event in Deming NM in March. They told us where to find good hot springs off the 10 in New Mexico as they casually packed. It was nice to visit with everyone.
As we walked across to see the next table a man saw us. He smiled, pulled his phone and got our pictures. He introduced himself as Chuck. We traded stories and his face lit up in a smile. He walked us to his area and introduced us to his helpers: Windy and Shantih. Windy was watching the sunset, Shantih finished a quick seam seal on their van. The van was covered with a beautiful sunset ocean painting.
Shantih seemed surprised I knew his name meant prayer, properly invoked it should be said three times, which I did then and now. Chuck talked of metaphysics with me as Danny conversed with the others. Chuck said how he'd almost entirely succumbed to losing himself to materialism until he'd found them on Craig's list. They'd worked the show and brought him back in touch with his spiritual values.
We traded contact information, Chuck told me that we need to stop and visit them at Manitou Springs Colorado, and that we are doing Burning Man. Who knows what the year will hold? Chuck immediately upon hearing that Danny is a comedian and I am a storyteller felt something that inclined him to connect us with his path later in the year.
I know somewhat of where I think I will be, where I am planning to be, but it seems just in case the world shifts beneath us that the universe is weaving a net around us. Chuck spoke of the lines of time, I spoke of perspective and the power of truly spoken words as the sun set on the gem shows.
Perhaps it is the journey not the destination. Perhaps true wealth isn't material.
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