Offering

Offering Part 1

            The SUV cruised the single-lane highway as the sun dropped below the horizon, eclipsed by the range of mountains ahead.

"You know, I haven't seen a single vehicle in the last ten miles."

"Well, Pete, it is a desert."

"Yeah, but we're not settlers. I would think we'd see a little more traffic along this route. Don't get me wrong, I like the solitude. Things are desolate, but have their own beauty out here. I like looking at the scenery."

Pete sat up in the driver's seat and cranked his neck around.

"I'm getting knots in my shoulders though."

"Do you want me to take over for awhile?"

"No. I'm okay Tammy. We can switch at the next gas stop." He checked the gas gauge. "Looks like we're good for another half hour or so."

"Is that enough to get us to the next stop."

"Sure, there's a truck stop just as we get to the foothills. We're good."

"Daddy, what are foothills?" asked a young voice from the seat behind Pete.

"Oh, Rachel that's just an expression we use to describe where the mountains start."

"Actually," responded the occupant in the adjacent rear seat, "there's more to it than that, Rachel."

Pete looked at his wife with a smirk. "Okay, Tyler, tell us."

"Well, a long time ago when the settlers came here, the women didn't have shoes that could grip the rocks and rough mountain ground. They didn't have hiking boots like we do today. Before they got too far they decided to leave their shoes behind on the hillsides and wear men's boots. The native people came along and, finding all the shoes, called the hills 'foothills'. That's why they're called what they are to this day."

Rachel looked at her brother for a few moments, then turned toward the front of the car. "Daddy, will we see any shoes when we get there?"

Stifled laughter came from Tyler, who had his head turned toward his window. Tammy shook her head.

"I don't know where you come up with these things, Tyler."

"Yeah, son," added Pete. "You have a unique gift. I'm not sure what it's good for, but it's unique. Must be the artist in you."

He looked up at the rear-view mirror to his daughter in the car-seat behind him.

"Peanut, there aren't any shoes ahead. Your brother is just pulling your leg."

The little girl glanced down at her feet, then at her brother.

"Tyler isn't pulling my legs, Daddy. He's just sitting there."

"I can explain, Rachel." Tyler had sobered up.

Tammy looked at her husband. "Walked into that one."

"I should know better, right?" Pete said with a grimace.

"You see," continued the boy, "this goes back to the days of the pirates. There were once two pirates who sailed the seas together and raided ships for money and gold. One was called Gray Beard and, just like his name, he had a big, furry, gray beard." Tyler cupped his hands under his chin to accentuate the visual image. "The other was called Captain Rum because he really liked to drink a lot of rum."