Abandoned Movie Set

Utah Sun

That summer, the sun was huge. Bright. Unrelenting. And hot as only possible in the high desert of Kanab.

My instructor, Mike, wore boots that time and miles had made thin, a big hat, torn jeans, and always a short-sleeved, plaid shirt. I’d decided to resume riding lessons, so I switched from English to Western. Mike and I rode twice a week, before the midday heat made the days deadly. Our drills took us up and down hills, around scrappy trees sprouting sporadically from the sandy red soil, over pancaked rocks, and across wide, flat, dry stream beds. I learned to trot without reins. On one ride we passed through an abandoned movie set. It felt so good to be exploring new places and spending time with a really nice guy.

As August drained away, I stopped by Mike’s ranch one last time to say goodbye before heading back east.

I drove for days through the flat states of endless corn, both wanting to get home and, at the same time, not.

When finally my trip had ended, I paused before heading inside. I knew that everything would be different.