Page 3 of Loved By the Mountain Man

His voice booms across the room, causing the table of diners to pause in their meals and look up. Symon gives them a friendly nod and a wave.

As a volunteer Ranger, he’s gotten to know quite a few people around the town and is the only one of us that doesn’t seem to mind human interaction.

“Sorry I’m late, guys.” He slides into a chair next to me, and I hand him a beer.

“A couple of tourists got lost," Symon continues. " With the snowstorm coming it was all hands on deck to find them.” Symon shakes his head in mock disgust. “Damn tourists. Who goes hiking when there’s a storm coming?”

“Who comes out to a bar when there’s a storm coming?” quips Corbin.

“Touché.” Symon holds his beer up, and we all knock bottles. “I didn’t want to miss your ugly mugs.”

Symon’s the joker of the group, and lord knows we all need that.

He launches into an account of his afternoon tracking down tourists, gesticulating wildly and making even Corbin crack a smile, almost.

The windowpane rattles, drawing my attention to how the wind’s picked up.

“Hate to say it fellas, but we should probably eat and go.”

Corbin pushes his chair away and stands up. “I’ll ask Angie to get the pizzas on.”

We always come to Angie’s, and we always order more food than we need and take the leftovers home in doggie bags. It’s another little way we can help support her.

While we’re waiting for the food, I head upstairs to fix the door. With the storm coming in, I’ll want to get away as soon as we’ve eaten. Not ideal, but when you live on a mountain you learn to respect the weather.

There’s no hiding the pain in my leg as I drag it up the metal stairs outside that are already covered in a thin layer of snow. It’s slow going with my toolbox in one hand, and I’m glad none of the guys can see how slow I’ve become. How much less of a man I am than the one that lead our unit in Iraq.

As I make my way up the steps, I realize I never asked the name of Angie’s tenant.

2

HAILEY

Hot water gushes over me as I rinse the conditioner out of my hair. I give my hips a little shake as I belt out the chorus to Sweet Home Alabama. There's something about being on the road that's got me singing all the big American hits.

I haven't even been to Alabama. Yet. It's on my hit list.

It’s been two months since I left Sanborne, my small hometown in rural Virginia. I'm working my way down the east coast states and around the bottom of the Appalachian Mountains to see what's on the other side. Coming from Virginia, I’ve spent some time in the mountains before. But my travels of the last few months have really opened me up to their beauty. I can see why people come to the mountains of North Carolina, especially Wild Heart Mountain. It’s absolutely breathtaking.

I quickly rinse the last of the conditioner out of my hair and turn the shower off. Angie has been a great landlord for these last two weeks, and I don’t want to use more hot water than necessary. Any single mom running a business and raising two kids on their own needs all the help they can get. I've been working the bar for her and helping out with odd jobs, but she’s given me tonight off and I don't intend to waste it.

I'm washing my hair, I’m going to put on a face mask, make myself cheesy pasta, and veg out in front of the TV. It's a small box TV and there’s no cable, but I found a channel that's playing The Bachelor at 9 o’clock. I've got a date. Me, the TV, and cheesy pasta.

I feel a pang of sadness that Trish isn’t here to watch it with me. I always watch The Batchelor with my sister, but other than that, it’s a pretty perfect night.

I read somewhere that two weeks is the optimal time to stay in a transitory job, so that's how long I told Angie I was staying for. She was grateful for the help, and I accepted minimum wage because I could see she couldn't afford much else.

I get the room for free and a hot meal every day. It's not much, but it's enough for the bus fare to the next town and a few nights’ accommodation if I don't find work immediately. Luckily the entertainment is free around here. On my days off, I’ve been wandering the trails in the mountains taking in the wildlife and the beauty.

It’s low tourist season, but plenty of places need help redecorating or deep cleaning in the off season.

I’m happy to turn my hand to anything. On the road I’ve tried cleaning, painting, nannying, bar work, mending fences, turning soil, and looking after pigs. The smell got to me on that last one.

But I still haven’t found my purpose in life, which is what this whole trip is about.

My sister Trish and all my friends were happy to stay in Sanborne and have babies, but I’m sure there’s more to life than that. I just don’t know what yet.

Mom never exactly talked to us about a career, and going to college wasn’t something anyone in our family does. I’m not sure I want to go and study for years anyway, even if I knew what I wanted to do. I’m hoping by travelling around I’ll find my calling, my purpose in life. And it definitely won’t be having babies and hooking up with a small-town man who expects me to cook and clean for him for the rest of his life.

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