Soul Brothers

Editors note: The following is an excerpt taken from Wilderness Strangers: Adventures in Shangri-La, to be published early this fall by Luminare Press.

Now working in the office until June, wilderness ranger Joe Blanco would meet Jan’s friend Carol Winters, who was pulling a stint as the receptionist at Lake Wenatchee Ranger District.

Carol had co-founded a community theater group known as the Plain Players. She asked Joe if he had any interest in joining the group. “Sure, that sounds like fun” said Joe. “I was something of a thespian in high school.”

 

“Excellent,” replied Carol. “One of our members is having a social soon, and you can audition for the group at the cocktail party that will be held in Shugart Flats near Plain.”

 

Carol then suggested that  Joe perform a skit where he would mimic Shirley Temple singing the “Good Ship Lollypop” for his tryout at the upcoming social gathering. 

The cocktail party would be hosted by Georgia Campbell, an upscale New York socialite and theatre aficionado who had relocated to the wilds of the Upper Wenatchee Valley.

 

Providing Joe with a cassette recording of the song so he could practice, Carol promised to supply the costume, wig, and makeup. All Joe would need to do is practice lip syncing the tune. In the evenings after work, he retreated to the Mushroom Haus to practice.

 

When it was time for the summer season to begin, Carol resumed her position as a fire prevention guard when the district ranger hired a new front office receptionist, Carli Townsend. Carli, a music maven, would come to play piano and provide most of the music for the Plain Players.

 

Meanwhile Kerry arrived at the Lake Wenatchee Ranger Station for his summer assignment as a wilderness ranger, and his first task was to find a place to live.

 

By mid-June, most of the better housing options on the compound were already claimed, so Kerry pitched his tent at a campsite in the Dirty Face campground and reported to the office, where he was greeted by Carli.

They hit it off immediately, so Kerry asked Carli if she knew of any rentals available in the area. “You might check with Joe Blanco,” suggested Carli. “He just rented a little cabin (above) down by The Cougar Inn."

"You can’t miss the Mushroom Haus," she added. It has an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ theme with mushrooms painted on the sides of the structure. It's across the highway from The Cougar Inn (below).”

 

“Thanks, Carli, I will do just that,” replied Kerry.

 

Dancing around the Mushroom Haus mimicking Shirley Temple to a cassette tape of “The Good Ship Lollypop” in preparation for the tryout, Joe suddenly noticed an odd fellow gawking in one of the many windows lining the deck of the cabin. He looked harmless enough, so Joe waved him to come inside.

 

“Are you Joe Blanco?” the blonde, wiry fellow inquired.

 

“Yes,” replied Joe, “and who might you be?”

 

“My name is Kerry Weiss,” he countered. Kerry and Joe learned they would work together as wilderness rangers. Though strangers, soon they would be fast friends.