The three of us are winding through Brown Bear Road or whatever “street” it is that takes us up to the trailhead of Dude Mountain.
I’ve wanted to hike Dude all season, but you can’t get there without a car. I also imagined it was harder in ways than Deer, and Deer was a bit strenuous at points so I also was kind of dreading it. But my goal this season has been to try everything once: snorkeling, ziplining, fishing (thrice, thank you) hell, even adventure karts, so when Ria texted that she and her visiting friend Chaz were going to hike Dude, I had the afternoon off and said “yes!”
So, we’re winding around the dirt roads of Harriet Hunt territory, making our way, and talking about whatever it is you talk about with two people on the way to Dude Mountain.
“Ria, I would wager to guess that you are going to get bitchslapped by love some day.” I hypothesized, probably to the annoyance of Ria. I’ve told her this before, in calmer terms, and she responded with an intransigent no.
I offer the caveat: “I am not saying that you have to be with someone, believe me, because we are in the same boat. I don’t think that you need a man, I think that you are perfectly complete on your own. But knowing you, knowing your hobbies and what makes you happy, I can just see someone partnering so easily with you.”
Ria: See people used to say that to me, “Oh when are you going to find someone? But I got out of Iowa and went to college and staying single has been my success.”
“For me, I’m winning if I’m single.”
Later on in the hike, she explained more about what it was like growing up in her house. She grew up with 6 other siblings, 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms and financial strife. I get why she wouldn’t want to have to take care of anyone else, make decisions for anyone else but herself.
But Ria loves chemistry, metal music like Nightwish, The Lord of the Rings, hiking, and Yellowstone National Park which she considers home. To me this girl screams “there is someone out there for you!” It doesn’t have to be her forever person, I’m not even sure I believe in the forever person concept, and it doesn’t have to happen tomorrow. But I just think Ria will get bitchslapped by love, but she won’t even realize it’s happening, she definitely won’t admit that it has, but it will change everything and nothing all at once. Somehow it will feel the way that it always has, but everything will change.
Am I projecting? I really don’t see that happening for me. But I have friends like Ria, and have known people like Ria, who are like salsa. They eventually find their Josefina’s.
We walked past a group of three guys descending the mountain. I gave one of them a hard time and said “Smoking goes great with hiking” because I’m a spitwad. He nodded and said “Yep. It’s easier smoking when you’re going down.” I said “Ah.” And we left.
FOR ME, FINDING LOVE IS LIKE HIKING AND SMOKING. And for types like Ria, I think it’s paring chips and salsa. My description may be vague, but it is in fact how the search has felt up until this point. Fun perhaps but harmful and not sustainable.
But when you get love-bitchslapped, Ria, I am going to be the first to let you know. And then we will go out for Mexican food.