I’ve spent 3 months here in north central NM, and since there’s only about 18 people who live here, when you’re an outsider, you’re noticed. That’s a point beside the one I’m making. In riding the free bus for provisions to and from the town 20 miles away, I became acquainted with a gentleman whose name, 3 months later, I still do not know.

I know a lot about him as the locals, when they noticed me sticking around for awhile began to ask questions about me: where I came from, how I came to be here, where I’m going. Theough several conversations, I got to know this fellow, and on one particularly stormy afternoon, I happened to have no knitting with me.

We waited for the bus together, and while it poured buckets he began to tell me of the horrible events that had befallen him that day. It’s not for me to divulge the details of his life, but he is deeply saddened by a specific divide between himself and his family members, who he moved here from Los Angeles to be close to. He got choked up as he told me he’s thinking of moving again as he “Sees no future here.”

As the rain kept pounding and lightning threatened all around us, I noticed he was shivering violently. Most likely from his emotions, but at the time I assumed he must get cold easily. I felt quite comfortable, but usually I am the one of a group to start shivering first. With my sympathies, I also told him that of all the days I don’t have any wool with me! I usually have a project in my backpack, and whatever it was, I would have offered it to him for the time being, needles and all.

As I did not have any knitting with me, I could make no such offer.

I decided very soon after that there was no one I could think of more worthy of the yarn I had left from a hat project I finished upon our arrival here. I knew I wanted to save the yarn for something worthwhile being that it is such luxurious yarn, and at the right time, this opportunity presented itself.