Mi Amor

"Amid the gloom and travail of existence suddenly to behold a beautiful being; and as instantaneously to feel an overwhelming conviction, that with that fair form, our destinies must be entwined, this is love."  unknown

     Sometimes the glamor of the pipeline isn't so glamorous.   A guy left for home today and explained he was having family problems.Most the guys are from somewhere else.  My friend Jose Jimenez is from Racine WI.  Rather than talk about the sad situation of our fellow crew member, we decided to share about something positive. Today he was telling me about his kids.  George is expecting a rare butterfly from India,  Rainbow Joy and Peace Willow are sad because softball season has started and they are forced to practice in the gym still.  They can't wait to get out on the green grass.  Much like my daughter Gracei.  His wife is struggling with the hustle and bustle of shuffling the kids around.  The days out here get monotonous doing the same job all the time,  and the conditions don't seem to ever improve.  I like him am just getting tired and need a break.
    To break the monotony, we tell stories.  We share our lives with each other, our dreams, our troubles.  We talk about love.  I asked him the other day because I was curious about his family. His dad lives in Alamogordo, NM.  His mother lives in Thunder Bay, Ontario.  I asked how they met.
     Their love is interesting.  His mother is a climatologist.  His father is a research biologist.  She was studying climate change, and he was gathering reproductive data on penguins at a research facility in Antarctica.   Two intelligent people alone in a cold place.... Hmmmm.  They just knew.  Love at first beak.  As for him and his wife,  She belongs to the Menominee Nation in Wisconsin.   They met at a pow-wow at Thunder Bay where his mom is from.  His dad hasnt the time to get a passport so mom flies to New Mexico for the Winter.   They make it work.
     I tell him of my new love,  Brenda.  She is from Williston, and I am from Middle River.  We met at church.  She shows me around Williston, and bakes me cookies.  I shovel her sidewalk.  We make it work.  Jose likes her cookies.  He says they are better than "Mi Amor."
     Funny,  what guys talk about about over a baloney sandwich to break up the monotony, out here while energizing America.  Nothing is gloomy about love, a common ice-breaker out here on the line.  And it happens in the most unique places.