A Good Man

I needed a truck to get me out, and it was the tarps that made me feel safe to ask. Nature is too powerful a teacher to not have an impact on a soul who is living that closely to the Earth. Just seeing a truck alone in America, right now as an Asian woman, is not safe. To be completely open, an older white man who is “kind” to me frequently feels creepy with a hidden agenda. But my instincts were spot on with this humble stranger living in a fort made out of tarps.

He didn’t underestimate my ability at all. He handed me a shovel and had me do my part and knew I was totally capable. He treated me as a human. He even told me what I had started would have worked had I just changed the direction I wanted to go. The mansplaining was spared which is not common. He spoke to me like he knew I wasn’t born yesterday and knew I knew how to think for myself. It’s not all men who talk to women like we’re children, but it’s enough to make the ones who don’t stand out...and they’re the ones that come off smart. After we got the van out of the sandpit, I went and had a couple beers with him.

The way he treated the wildlife was the way he treated me - with respect and humility. And we talked about society, nature, and we shared about our pasts which were different in the details but unsurprisingly very similar in the big scheme of things - upbringing somewhat similar - both leading us to despise money and the system. But at the same time, we also both were given the privilege to be able to deliberately choose between money or the earth...and we both chose following the sun and living as close to the earth as we can. His story is his to tell, not mine to share, but we agreed that unfortunately multiple childhood traumas are much too common.

He goes and chops his firewood across the highway, carries his water and stores his food in a cooler and cooks under the sun while he leaves water out for the birds and hummingbird feeders out for “the old man” - the same little hummingbird that comes by every evening. They trust him. And they keep each other company. And for now, I trust him, too. And I enjoyed another evening coming by for a drink just like the birds do. 

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