Sagehen Mesa - Season 2 - Episode 14 - Josie's State of the Town Address

 Oh, Joe! You would not believe the state of this town we grew up in! If you could see all that is happening, you'd be turning over in your grave.

We've recently lost Chuck. You may have seen him around here lately. That leaves just Ben and me as the "oldtimers" who know what this town used to be. It's no longer the laidback, cozy little town it was when we were growing up here, or even when we were raising Lucile here. So much has changed!

The place is swarming with paparazzi posting and publishing all kinds of articles about the benefits of country living, which is causing more and more outsiders to move here. One paparazzi woman was so rude and condescending to me the other day, I lost my temper and put her in her place. 

Not only that, but a young man has recently moved across the road from our house and built this HUGE house that towers over our humble cabin and blocks my view of the mesas. I'm not very happy with him for doing that. 

His name is Sam, and he seems amiable enough, so other than ruining my view, I guess I can't hold too much against him. He's recently married and he and his wife have a little baby boy named Jerod. 

I have to admit, Sam is a pretty good fit for this town. Unlike the Sherriff's new partner, who appears to be from another part of the world. 

The man is so intense, and wants to bring high-speed internet to this town. I just feel this type of technology will change people, especially the youth. Before we know it, they'll be addicted to screens and not out playing in the parks, fishing in the fishing hole, swimming in the hot springs, or doing other healthy childhood activities. I think the guy is from Belgium. English seems to not be his native language. He seems very cranky with me. Maybe something I said was lost in translation. 

I haven't had much luck with these foreign types lately. You may have heard I got married again. 

Luis Toledo was from Monte Vista. I admit at first I was fascinated by his foreign ways, but they got old pretty fast. 

He seemed very free with other women at the expense of giving any attention to me. I was feeling like an outsider.  I'm not saying that Luis "drove" me into the arms of Ben Culpepper, but Ben and I have so much more in common. We can talk of the old days. He's familiar, and I'm comfortable with him. I know he can be a rascal at times, but we have deep roots in this town and have been a part of each other's lives for decades. 

Apparently, there's a double standard here. Though I admit I never saw Luis actually kiss another woman, I think he took my indiscretion a bit too hard. 

He divorced me and went back to Monte Vista. At first I was devastated. I was glad to have our granddaughter Hannah around to lean on. 

She was kind and encouraging, even if she's not a fan of Ben. I feel she wants what's best for me regardless of her feelings about him. You'd be really proud of our Hannah. She's doing well as a firefighter and is earning promotions at a steady pace. 

She has married a nice young man - a LOCAL boy, thank goodness- and they have a sweet baby boy named Leroy. She and her husband and baby are living in the big fancy house with Lucile, who just hasn't been the same since her husband took off to avoid the law. 

I don't think it helped that she started dating Ben,  . . . 

. . . but Ben broke it off with her once he learned I was single again. 

He told me that he felt he had lost me, and Lucile was the next best thing. But it is really me he loves. There's a rumor floating around town that he's after the preacher's wife, but they both explained to me the source of the rumor, and I believe them. 

But enough of my love life. I'm here to tell you about the state of the town. 

That Mahon boy Cliff is creating quite a havoc around here. I've always felt bad for him since his mother walked out on the family when he was little. I've always tried to do right by him, despite his onery ways. But the boy is in the grip of the devil now. He's turned to crime, . . . 

. . . and he even went as far a to beat me up! I'm afraid for his youngest boy Timothy, who seems to be taking after his old man. 

Timothy has severed ties with his mother and little sister, and has a strained relationship with his older brother Clancy. 

Cliff's sister Stephanie has arrived in town. She has aways been such a nice girl. She contributed a lot of money in improving the local schools and providing STEM opportunities to our youth. She is also working at the hospital. 

People don't seem to trust her or include her in their social circles because of her association with Cliff. 

They seem to have forgotten we can pick our friends, but not our family. 

I need to invite her over to tea and give her some encouragement. Maybe she can be a good influence on Cliff and get him to turn himself in and pay his debt to society. One can hope. That's all I have to report for now. I'll come by and see you again soon, love.