No Sleep Till Boise

Sleeping in this hostel environment would be something of a challenge. As I prepared for bed one of my fellow bunk mates appeared in the dark. He was rather happy, and very friendly. Probably the nicest I’ve come across so far on my journey west. He might have been a little drunk to. He immediately introduced himself, and said “What’s up man? How did you get in here?” I was confused by what he meant by this question and replied “I got lucky?”

He immediately turned into the Jackson Hole welcome committee. “Cool man, you want to come out with me to the Cowboy bar? If I had some beers here man, I would offer you one. You staying more then a day man?” He didn’t even give me a chance to answer instead he just kept going.

“Dude they call it the Jackson shuffle. One day you’re here the next you’re over there.” He then began changing his clothes and continued talking “dude I just scored this new job, man so I rented this joint out for like a week. I was living on this dudes couch but like I just had to get out. I was living in my car for a bit, you know parking on what ever street is dark but now I’m sitting good.”

I didn’t know how to respond. He asked if I wanted to go out to the bar two more times, and thinking back I should have gone, not to drink, but to observe. Unfortunately I was beet I half slept the night before and was desperate for some bed rest. So I declined. He then told me once again where he was going to be. Before he left he pulled out a tiny flashlight, saying “see dude I come prepared, in case you want to do some reading or something…..here you want it, I got plenty of extra batteries. Here man take what you want, you want my radio, I don’t need it.” I was overtaken by his generosity, he didn’t even know me and here he was offering up what little he had. I commend people like that, probably because it’s a quality I lack.

As fast as he walked into the room he left. I laid down and drifted off to sleep. I have no idea what time it was, but the person who occupied the bunk opposite mine returned with a bike, and in his effort to maneuver it into a better location he slammed it into my bed, jarring me from my sleep. He muttered a slight “sorry” when he noticed I turned over to see what was going on. I couldn’t really make out who he was in the dark or what he looked like. He then began fumbling with his lock on his footlocker making all kinds of noise. Once he had it opened, he then began digging about in his bag making even more noise all the wile saying “SHIT SHIT SHIT…….SHIT!” Then he began to slam his belongings around. I have no idea what this was all about but it annoyed me to no end.

I was awoken around 6:45 AM to this maniac next to me, fumbling about again. Instead this time he turned on the lights to the whole place seemingly awaking everyone. The only reason I knew what time it was is I could hear others in the room whispering in phlegm filled throats “dude what fucken time is it?” Ah fuck, 6:45, you got to be kidding me!”

It was about this time I felt something between my legs. I made my bed; there wasn’t anything there when I climbed in to go to sleep a few hours before. I reached down to see what it was, and I pulled forth a silver Zippo lighter? Where the hell did that come from? I don’t smoke, it wasn’t mine. How does something like that get between ones legs in the middle of the night? I hope nobody tried to take advantage of me.