I Met The Devil On A Mountain In Idaho

I pulled off on a mountain overlook to observer the awesome view of a dark storm on the horizon. I got out of my car walking a couple of yards over to the edge looking for the perfect spot to get a picture. I wasn’t really paying attention on my way up through the mountain pass, but I thought I hadn’t seen a car in front of me or behind me for a good 40 miles. I was used to this by now; it hasn’t been uncommon for me to go a good hour or so with out seeing any signs of life.

As I stood at the edge looking beyond, I was surprised to hear the gravel behind me kicked up by an old Ford truck that stopped abruptly between me and my car. The gentleman in the car was quick to hop out, slamming his door with a creaking thud. He was a tall lengthy man, with a leathery and worn face. I took in his rather stereotypical outfit. He had a long flannel shirt tucked into his blue jeans and big brass belt buckle to tie the whole ensemble together. He strutted across and then adjacent to me coming to rest in front of a large bolder that acted as a natural rail guard to keep cars from going over into the canyon below. He then raised his leg and sat it on the boulder leaning the rest of his body on his now bent thigh, and stared off at the horizon.

I took my eyes from him and returned them to the horizon as well. A few seconds went by and then the man spoke with a strong voice

“Illinois, you’ve come along way.”

I spoke rather sheepishly in response, “yep, some 2000 miles!”

I could hear his feet move in the gravel as he walked closer to my car, my vision was cut off by his truck, but when he returned to my view, he spoke again.

“You traveling by yourself?”

A sort of odd question and one of a prying nature, but I was happy to appease his curiosity, “Yep, I’m headed to Boise.”

To which he was quick to respond with “anyone expecting you?”

I then became uneasy to his line of questioning, and his behavior. He was keeping his distance, much like a tiger waiting to pounce on its unsuspecting prey.

I then stepped up my tone in an effort to make myself sound stronger then I am. “YEAH, I got a great uncle there!”

He then walked back over to his previous position, and taking the same stance. I kept my eyes affixed to his every move. As he peered out at the ominous storm on the horizon he said the most peculiar thing

“This is a good place to make your peace with God!” He then turned his head waiting for my response and spoke again “have you made your peace with God, son?”
My heart jumped in my chest as it began to beat at a furious pace. I thought that this man was about to murder me! His line of questioning led up to what I believed would be my inevitable yet premature doom. I thought at a frantic pace searching for the right answer that would save my life. As in several hairy situations I have been in before, I had to rely on my cunning mind and quick wit.

“I do believe I have made my peace with god, just a few days ago, I was in Wyoming, when a voice from above spoke to me. It felt as if the lord’s hands had come down upon me!”

The man looked at me in a stern manner as if I was mocking him. It seemed to me that it was all now or never. He had his chance to do me in if he wanted. There were no cars for miles around, and even if there were nobody would be any the wiser that a struggle was taking place. All it would take was one good shove to push one over into the void.

I locked eyes with the man and removed my hat, folding the bill and shoving it into my back pocket revealing my shaved head. In another vein effort to look tougher, I puffed up my chest, as if to indicate I wouldn’t go over easily.  I was prepared to defend my life.

The man looked at me with his eyes fixed on mine; they had a cold black feeling to them. He then turned his head back to the horizon and spoke one last time. “It’s not safe to be driving on a mountain in the midst of a storm; we both better get a move on.” He then walked back to his truck and drove back in the direction he came from.

I was confused over the events that had just transpired, had I fought the devil and won?

I