Tree climbers

We knew our mom had a date, my sister and I. This would have been 1988, because my mom was 29 and her date was with a man who was 49. This mathematical balance or symetry made an impression on my 7 or 8-year-old mind. I thought it strange, but more importantly, cool. For some reason my sister and I knew the date was important, and so what else would we do besides climb the large pine tree in the front yard of the rented house at 210 Stutz Bearcat in Sedona, Arizona, and wait for the mystery man to arrive, and to hide and spy as he showed up.

That tree was tall, and we climbed high as we could. We were comfortable and seated in the upper reaches, no less than 30' from the ground. Maybe our mom's date was to show up at 6:00; we would have been sure to be all the way up the tree - and quiet - by 5:50. I remember laughing and joking with my five year old sister high up in that tree and waiting and not knowing what kind of car he would be driving. I remember being slightly happy when he showed up in the tan 4wd S-10 Blazer. I appreciated seeing the 4x4 vehicle and may not have respected a man who showed up in something less capable.

He showed up on time, and we waited a few minutes before climbing down, going inside, and presenting ourselves. At 6:10, probably, we did so. Inside the house, Dawson was showing some of the work product of his project to my mother. Once we showed up at the front door, he showed us too. He produced a small polished purple triangle gem. This was his work. I asked him about his age, what year he was born, and made sure he knew that he was 20 years older than my mother. In his work, Dawson procured gemstones, polished them into important and sacred trinkets and objects, and sold them at gem shows throughout the southwest. He used specialized equipment, like diamond-tipped blades, and knowledge and an understanding of spirituality to do this job. He had met my mother at her job; she was a waitress at a mid-level diner in town, and I was very glad they had met. This guy, Dawson, was very cool and I was very glad to meet him.