The end of April was a deadline for Joe, there was still an abundance of snow in the Rocky Mountains, but it signaled a decline. If he could have just lasted to May, he would have been able to keep the Basin another year.
Joe’s luck had just run out, in the mail today, he found the final blow. The letter read: In regards to excessive claims, increased liability, and questionable practices, we no longer consider you an acceptable risk and are formally notifying you of the cancellation of this insurance policy
The United States Forest Service would not allow him to operate without insurance. He had one week to cease operations.
“They finally won,” he said to himself. If he couldn’t sell tickets, he couldn’t pay his mortgage. If he can't pay his mortgage, he loses it all. Either way, they win. Joe closed his eyes, hoping that when he opened them, this nightmare would be over. It was over, but it wasn’t a dream, his fears had come true. All hope was lost. His life dreams would be gone with the melting spring snows.
He rose from his desk, and walked out of the office, and stood at the base of the mountain. She was the only solace he had left in his life, at least for another week. He would spend the week, amidst her magnificent glory, like he did when he had first come to her. When times were simple, and the future looked cheerful and bright.
He walked along the front of the Lodge and toward the lift. It was a beautiful day outside. The sun was warm and radiating through the clear blue sky. The silence disturbed only by the hum of the engines of the lifts, carrying the happy skiers up through the carved trails.
“Hey Joe! What’s up?” Tom yelled. He had his skis over his shoulder, his boots squeaking on the snow as he made his way across the lot.
“How’s Toby doing today,” his face was upturned toward the Summit.
“A lot better. He told me, it wasn’t your fault. You shouldn’t feel bad.”
“How can I not feel bad? If I wasn’t so foolish to think I could beat the Senator, at his expansion game, none of this would have happened,”
“It’s not foolish to fight for something you believe. It’s cowardice to not. I never took you for a coward, Joe. Tom could feel a different air about Joe. He was speaking slower and softer than he had ever spoken before. Tom could sense, something was up. Joe was hiding something.
“What happened?”
“ Happened! They cancelled my insurance,” He raised his finger. “One week”
The two men stared directly at one another. They were looking for a sign, the least little ray of hope. Joe was the first to break eye contact. The mountain was all he had, all he had ever wanted. How could he just leave? He couldn’t take his eyes off her.
“Let’s ski,” he finally said.
“You go ahead, Joe. I’ve got a couple of things, I just remembered, I have to take care of.” Tom turned and started back to the Lodge.
“I’ll see you later,” he yelled over his shoulder.
Joe slowly picked up his skis and made his way toward the lift. He placed the skis gently on the ground. Lifting one leg at a time, he scraped the packed snow from the bottom of his boots and stepped firmly into the bindings.
“Hi, Boss,” Sally, the lift operator said, as he skied up to the chair. It was as if he was the only one there. He didn’t hear her. Joe just gazed up the hill, his face void of all expression.
“I wonder what’s wrong with him,” she thought, “It looks like he lost his best friend.”
No comments:
Post a Comment