I had been at the Verde River a few
weeks when a weekend hit that was every bit as exciting as my first.
I met many people then who have been cherished friends now for over a
decade. Most don't remember me from that time. I was still keeping
mostly to myself and had shaved my head. My friends may have some
memory of those meetings, but have revealed they were unaware it was me. It am reputed to be much more sociable (and hirsute) than I was that first trip.
It was late April or early May and the
weather was that from which summer memories are so often made. I was
camped alongside the river below a grass crested dune of sand that no
longer exists. My camp was invisible from the drive, yet I was
afforded a view of all incoming traffic and a quick escape into the
trees adjacent to the north side of my tent.
A young couple, not noticing my camp
from above, wandered in and stayed to share my fire and their smoke.
It was good smoke and they were most welcome.
He was a glass blower, specializing in
pipes, and they were on their way to Bonnaroo or Burning Man or some
such event to ply their wares. After a few drinks, my guests
retrieved from their car a wooden case with samples of their art.
They made a present to me of a small chameleon glass one hitter about
three inches long.
After showing it and announcing his
intent to leave it with me as a gift, he raised the pipe over his
head and dashed it into the rocks of my fire pit. It bounced about
the stones for a bit and finally came to rest in the sand...
unharmed. An unbreakable chameleon glass pipe is a wonderful gift for
a fellow who lives outside among the rock.
For the next month, whenever somebody
at the hot springs or campground inquired for a pipe, I would proudly
display my little gem, dash it on the rocks, then offer it up to
smoke. It was a big hit and if I had contact information for the
artist, I could have sent him a lot of business.
Then it happened.
One evening, as I was returning to my
camp from an afternoon soak upriver, a group of campers asked if I
had a pipe they could use. Responding in the affirmative, I revealed
my now richly hued piece, and dashed it into the rocks of their fire
pit where it exploded into tiny little pieces.
They all just stared at me. One guy
told me what a dick move that was and his girlfriend said I could
have just said no, I didn't have to be shitty about it. I looked like
an asshole. I explained myself; that the pipe was
not intended to break, and they understood. I presented my rolling
papers as an alternative and we enjoyed a good laugh as well as a fine
joint.
I'd like to find another of those nearly indestructible pipes.