Wayne

One of the things I love about Mountain Town is the eclectic mix of people who live there.

They usually fall into one of four groups. First, the die-hard skiers and snowboarders, who will do anything for powder! They find work as waiters & waitresses, liftees, equipment rental staff, and instructors, all to get discounts on the holy grail of lift tickets. Second, are people like me, who are looking for a fresh start or escaping their previous lives, or both. Third, the Peter Pans. The men who never grew up and moved to Mountain Town after failing at being responsible adults. Finally, there are the Waynes.

Wayne is my quirky neighbor, who lives in an old mining cottage without electricity or heat. He is not exactly a squatter, since the owners know he is there. He made some sort of deal with them to stay there in exchange for house-sitting their million-dollar mansion right next to the cottage. Their plan was to one day tear down the house and use the land for extra parking. This makes me sad since the cottages are what give my neighborhood the “Whoville” aesthetic that is so appealing. Tilted tin roofs and brightly painted wood backlit with mountain peaks and ombre sunsets. I finally took Wayne up on his invitation to tour his rugged home. He missed his calling as an engineer with his ingenuity when rigging up his place. He explained how he uses rubber tires to provide insulation to hold in the heat of the original wood-burning fireplace. I did not even ask how the toilets work because I didn’t want to

know, but you could not help but appreciate its simple beauty when looking up at the stars while laying on the slanted deck, which was built around a huge pine tree.

Wayne moved to Mountain Town 20 years ago, when it was a one-traffic light town. He is the

original “local”. He shared with me that he has been a bit of a vagabond since he was 16 years old. His mother had abandoned the family, and his father remarried. His stepmother did not warm up to the kids and somehow convinced her husband to banish his children to a trailer in the backyard, while her children moved into the home. I am sure that my facial expressions betrayed me as I tried to hide my horror at hearing this and imagining the pain that he must have felt being abandoned by his mother and discarded by his father. Wayne finds a way to move through life making deals, going with the flow, and doing whatever whenever he wants to. He has minimal obligations, maximum freedom, and a community that has welcomed him into their world. It is not a life that I would choose for myself, but I

do admire his resourcefulness!

Until next time,

❤️

Olivia