Where do you all buy groceries ? Where do you shop , you people of the mountains?
It’s true, we cannot buy underwear or socks in our town.
Our town makes mineral water soaps, homemade beef jerky, no promises at a future.
I don’t think I look mountain exactly, but the Trader Joe’s in Chico is keenly aware
of those mountain folk with 300 bucks worth of groceries in their carts.
They nod and sigh when they see us, knowing we will take up their time.
I, too, live in mountains (also northern mountains but way, waaaaay further east) and although it took a while for the locals to accept my presence, noww (two & a half decades later) they speak to me kindly, and I have become wary of newcomers. I just read your Grandfather poem at the egg & am very favorably impressed. I guess I’ll have to check out your prose, too. Salute, poet!