Sagehen Mesa - Season 3 - Episode 6

Hello again.

My dear friend Kellee Culpepper has gone to her reward, leaving me the only one of my generation in town. It got me to thinking that my days are numbered and I should keep myself busy by being a good influence, mending fences with those who have offended me, helping the poor and downtrodden, and spending quality time with my family.

I guess it's no secret as to who I'm referring when I mention "those who have offended me." I ran into Cliff down at the horse arena the other day. I was so surprised! I thought he had skipped town, but there he was, looking a little older, and I hoped a little wiser and more agreeable. I was very kind to him. So kind I guess, that people started to gossip. My reputation as a flirt is alive and well, unfortunately.

(The gossip got back to this town's Overlord, and sent her into a panic, but it was all for not. Old Cliff was not much different from his younger self.)

I guess he thinks I'm pretentious because I drive around in my classic convertible. The man is unreasonable.

I will turn the other cheek, and keep trying to mend this relationship, but I sense time is running out. I'm already living on borrowed time.

Cliff was here with his sister Stephanie. I heard she move to town quite some time ago, but oddly enough, I hadn't run into her, or hadn't recognized her. I used to work as a teacher's assistant and playground monitor in my younger days, back when she was a little girl.

Stephanie is not like her brother. She's kind and sensible. I suggested we have lunch sometime. She does have a touch of that Mahon hot-headedness, however. I asked her what she did for a living and she said she was a resident. I said, "Oh, I know dear. I heard you moved here a while back. I mean to ask, what's your profession? Are you working?"

"I'm a resident at the hospital! I'm a doctor, for crying out loud! Why does no one in this town comprehend what a resident is?!?"

"Easy, hon, I didn't mean to offend. Do you have a man in your life?"

"Yes, I just recently got married to Christopher Lang, a local private detective. There's just something about that mustache that makes me weak in the knees."

Oh, yes, I know Mr. Lang. He's a hot-head to. They should be perfect for each other.

"Oh hi, Tess! I see you noticed Cliff is back."

"Did you have a nice talk?"

"Have you met Cliff's sister Stephanie? She's a doctor."

"I might need to pay her a visit. I need to get my prescriptions renewed."

Tess explained that she had recently seen Stephanie and got her own prescriptions renewed. The phone was ringing. I was invited over to a little get-together at my neighbor's house. I guess I'll drop in for a little visit.

Thanks for inviting me over, Augustin. I meant to cook up something to bring, but I'm afraid I ran out of time.

Clancy Mahon was there, and in a snit. He seems to think my house is an eyesore and I should be doing a better job at keeping it up. I'm an old woman, Clancy. Things are more difficult for me to do these days. What is it with the Mahon family today? They have all been very snippy with me!

Oh, you probably haven't heard the latest news. Timothy Mahon and the youngest Roland girl had a baby girl, and they aren't even married! Young folks these days.

The baby's name is Magdalena, which I think is quite pretty. Anyway, Kathy has decided to move in with Timothy despite the fact that they don't really get along very well. I think she's doing it for the baby's sake.

I hope they mend their relationship and decide to get married. I think they work together and live together, so maybe they need to give each other some personal space, so they can appreciate each other more when they are together. Maybe Dr. Ellen can help them.

Anyway, as I was saying, in addition to mending broken relationships, I want to help the poor and downtrodden. While I was at the horse area, a poor raggedy young lady came up to me and asked me for food.

Her name is Bridgett Hoyt, and I guess you could call her a drifter. She's homeless, and from what I gather, has a father who was a well-know music conductor.

It seems her father divorced her mother and married another woman. He started a new family with the other woman, pretty much abandoning Bridgett and her siblings. Bridgett's destitute mother recently passed away due to a long illness, which consumed all her financial resources and Bridgett's as well. Bridgett never got to attend college, and was laid off a while back. She decided to leave her hometown of Starlight Shores and try her luck in another town. She's not sure if she's going to stay here or if she's just passing through. It depends on if she finds work here.

I bought her a snack at the bar, and gave her my phone number in case she was in a bind. (I have a plan, but I want to think it through and pray on it before mentioning it to her.) Then she asked me for money.

Bridgett might be a little shifty. Christopher Lang had been bull-riding, and I guess Bridgett had filmed it.

"Oh! My form is appalling! I look like a fool! Please don't post that on social media!" he begged.

"No problem. Buy me a hot meal, and the footage will be deleted."

If I befriend the girl, we'll need to have a little talk about ethical behavior. Blackmail, for whatever reason, is unacceptable!

That was yesterday. Today I went over to The Firehouse pub to have lunch with my granddaughter Hannah.

She has done very well for herself once she found her calling. She's worked her way up the ranks and is the fire chief now. I'm so proud of her. She's a wonderful wife to Hector Lopez, nurturing mother to baby Leroy, a capable firefighter, and an attentive daughter and and granddaughter. Who could ask for more?

I told her I was going over to fix us up a pizza so we could have lunch together and catch up.

We had a nice little visit. While I was there, I got a call from Bridgett, that destitute young lady I met at the horse arena.

I decided to meet her at the park and get to know her a little better.

We played a game of horseshoes, then I shared my idea with her.

I think Clancy's tirade from last night was the eye-opener.

I do need a live-in helper or my house is going to fall in around me, and my garden will just be a field of weeds. Hannah is great, but she's got her hands full with little Leroy and her responsibilities as a wife, daughter to an aging mother, and fire chief.

The little Culpepper girl, means well, but she's just not quite old enough to be much help in the garden.

Even she has noticed my house needs a little work.

Besides, I've got my cat Corwin to consider. If something happens to me, who will be here to take care of him?

"You need a place to stay, and I need some help around the house. I have a spare room. Would you like to stay at my place and help me with maintenance of my house and garden? I know you aren't sure you plan to stay here, but it would give you some time to look for a job and decide if this town is where you want to stay."

Bridgett accepted my offer, and I took her to lunch.

"I appreciate all the help you're giving me, Josie. I don't know what I'd do without you."

Poor Bridgett was getting pretty ripe, and people were starting to notice. It's time I get her home so she can take a shower.

Maybe we'll dash across the street and get her a toothbrush at the grocery store while we're at it.

********

After we got home and Bridgett showered and brushed her teeth, I showed her my garden and asked her about the kinds of things she enjoyed doing. She said she used to be into fitness, but the past couple years have been hard for her to embrace the hobby what with her depression due to her financial instability.