Five Years Earlier and One Day On
With the mine having closed five years earlier, the desolateness of Gulchtown served as little more than a reminder of the glory hole it had been in its heyday. The faded shingles and clapboards long since weathered to nondescript nothingness, the burg stood in stark contrast to blue skies and cottony clouds, the populace of a few hearty souls saving it from the near ghost town it otherwise appeared. Of course, its situation at a crossroads - albeit a minor one - helped.
If Gulchtown had a leading citizen, Pharmer Dale well fit the bill. A former independent miner of some note and minor success who signed on as an employee of the company that took over the largest mine in the area, he owned and operated most of the local establishments - the bar, hotel, cafe, bath house, and barber shop amongst them - consolidating most of them to the environs of the bar. Now, 'tis not to say that Pharmer had made a fortune or close to it as a mine worker. Indeed, after he paid the rent on his company house and bought supplies at the company store with the company scrip paid out as wages, he often had little to show for the long days of dirty toil.
'Twas just this reason - and the six little ones at home, all of tender age - that his wife felt the need to urge him out of the mines, an idea he wholeheartedly embraced. As well, soon thereafter, as the earth's precious resources petered out, so too did the company wind down. And before their own prior stake dwindled to nothing, Mr. and Mrs. Dale saw opportunity in taking possession of what was left of local businesses abandoned by their proprietors, who followed the mine operators and employees out of town.
Not to say that Pharmer Dale was a raving success, no matter the former grandeur of the largest home in town in which he and his brood resided. The onetime abode of the departed company general manager, it stood in fairly good repair thanks to Pharmer's skills, but still lacked the several coats of paint it, like the rest of the town, required.
Of course, being the most important businessman and unofficial mayor of Gulchtown had some advantages. When the odd traveler happened through, it was Pharmer's job to greet, feed, lodge, and slake the thirst of the visitor, while Mrs. Dale took charge of said person's laundry with her own, if desired - at a price, of course. When the weather held, they could expect visitors every now and then, singly or in pairs, traveling to wherever their journeys took them. And whether they chose to stay in a room above the bar or camp outside of town, eat in the cafe housed in the bar or cook beans over a campfire, belly up to the bar or swill their own concoction of brew, rid the trail dust in the bath house behind the bar or bathe in the creek, Pharmer the storekeeper pocketed some of what jingled in their pockets through purchases of supplies for their continuing journeys. Thus, along with farming a few tillable acres upstream of the former tailings run, did the Dales support their growing family in an otherwise beautiful corner of God's green earth - rundown conditions notwithstanding.
Life continued as such for the Dale family. Travelers came and went, rarely staying beyond a few days' respite from the trail. And, while the Mr. and Mrs. might this day give thought to moving on themselves, another saw them eschew the idea. Certainly, as the children moved beyond the basic reading, writing, and 'rithmetic, through which Mrs. Dale could guide them, a move to a place with a school might be in order. For now, though, it seemed a lifetime away.
One day, the monthly wagon of mail, household supplies, and goods to restock the store's shelves arrived with a pair of teamsters new to the Dales. Pharmer found them at once personable, but uneager to get to unloading. As well, their low slung gun belts and tied-down holsters were indeed odd for men of their profession - shotguns hidden beneath the seat being more the norm.
Begging off a half hour to rest and grab a beer, the two exchanged pleasantries with Pharmer and noted the unusually hot December weather. The high desert could be warm year round, but this winter was particularly balmy. The new arrivals explained they had taken the run as a favor to a friend of a friend and would only be making it this one time. After returning with the wagon, they would be off on another job for some former army bigwig.
The deliveries being perhaps the biggest events for the sparsely inhabited town, Pharmer and the other townsfolk listened intently, eager for news of the world beyond their isolated surroundings, and the new arrivals shared happily, although in their opinion there was not much to note. After whiling away the afternoon with drinks, conversation, and impromptu penny ante poker, Pharmer invited the newly arrived to take full advantage of the amenities he offered, and they accepted, noting the reasonable prices.
Refreshed and rested, the next morning the pair unloaded the wagon with help from the citizenry whom they had regaled with rare news and entertainment the previous day. The two were glad the work was not too hard on the back, and one noted to the other that, as his ma used to say, many hands made for small work.
When finished, the two men feasted on a hearty lunch and took their leave, guiding a wagon empty but for a sack of outgoing mail. Pharmer watched them disappear in the distance before resuming his usual routine, satisfied for the moment that his world was not as small as it sometimes seemed.