Stone South Wind - III

A Journey to the Beginning

2

My Trip to Mexico

Let us now suppose that the temperature of Figure 10-4(b) is above the critical point (L = A) of A, but below the critical points of B and C. then be turned a liquid-vapor surfaces will not reach the pure A corner, and a section such as zA appears as in figure 10-7. at some point such as K, there will be the critical identity of tertiary L and V phases, and the curve generated by such points is the ternary critical curve, running from the AC face to the AB face, for the specified temperature of the P/c prism.

The Phase Rule and Heterogeneous Equilibrium - Ricci

One can never forget certain times. They leave a memory that cannot fade or wrinkle. When I was 16, and the Great Depression still had a ways to go – it was 1932. Hoover was still President, and he did not know what to do. Some said he was already dead but did not know it.

In the same way, many people did not know what to do with themselves either.

It was June, and I decided that I needed to get a job – any job – to make ends meet. I could see full well there was nothing in the cupboard, and what is more, there was not going to be for a while. The only thing I had were two pair of dungarees, a horse, and a pistol. So, I told my mother – because my father would completely refuse – and said I was going off to Texas and try my luck at punching cattle. She was forlorn but put on a good face – and told me that she would have something special when, and if, I came back. I had a good idea of what she meant but was not sure that I would be the right person.

Intown, that would be Columbia Missourah, I met a man who said he was looking for people to go down to Mexico, there to round up a herd and bring it North. Having no other option, I signed on board. Little did I know that there was one rule which would stick in my craw – that was the rule that whoever complained about the food, would cook tomorrow's meals. After a week's worth of riding, I was selected as the least worst cook among the group. And so, everybody else ate, while I cooked. After 2 weeks of this, I had had enough – and made beans, but with a whole mess of salt. glorious salt. And we did for the other hands to chow down, giggling under my breath as I did so. The 1st hand scooped up a fistful of beans and shouted: “These stand beans there is so much salt in them.” Already I had taken off the cook’s robe when he amended his statement to say: “That is just the way I love them!” Exclamation point duly inserted. We looked over to the boss, and he motioned that I should keep the cook's mantelpiece. With the scowl on my face, I complied, though not willingly.

Try as I might, appointment as the cook awaited.

On the way was the way down to Texas, and on the way there, in the evening when we played cards – poker, of course, Another hand – big, tall, and ornery - tried to misdeal. Now remember I am just over 6 feet, and he was taller than that. As for the misdeal – misdeal this was a sin of all sins because it was a form of cheating, a matter of stealing. In this case, the man to the right had not been given a chance to cut the cards – which as everyone knew, probably meant that the dealer was deliberately trying to defraud the rest of the players. Several laws hold out our pistols – perhaps I was the 1st - and it looked like a fight was going to happen. But the dealer pulled his own pistol piled up the money on the table, and slowly backed away until he, keeping the money he had already stolen, disappeared into the stars. It was already cold because we were in the high country in New Mexico.

On the way back, I tossed and turned – and then awoke. It was still nightfall, and very clear. The moon cupped on the low western horizon. Something was amiss, but I did not know what it was. The campfire was slowly burning out, and then I saw a figure in the distance – reached for my pistol and shot – about 40 yards. I do not know whether it was a lucky shot, or whether I had the gift. Suddenly the figure collapsed and died quickly. You could tell he died by the way he clenched. I did not look as to who it was in the dark.

Morning came - it turned out that the man who had missed out the cards had come back again, to finish what he had started. Apparently, I was the 1st person on his list, a rather long list. But that was expected, he was a mean sort of person – and this was not the 1st time that he wanted revenge. Everyone clapped my back and told me how I had done a good deed – but it did not feel so at the time. We buried him, among the cactus and dirt, and then went on our way

When I came back, I was asked if anything happened, and I told everyone “No”. But there was a notch in my saddle, which was not there before. There are some things that your family does not want to know. Or so you think.

A fortnight later, my mother took me to the storm cellar – it was quiet, and a gloomy wave of black was coming. What she showed me the 4 winds made from igneous rock and said to me: “I know your 1st brother should have these – because he is older. But he is not the right person to have them. He drinks, he carouses, he writes well but does not finish, and he plays chess. He says he is going to write the great American novel, and there are times when other people believe him. But I do not, all I see is a good provider and nothing more. You should be the one who takes charge of these things because you understand that they are not yours – but a gift from your ancestors, to be given to your descendants.” So that is how I was the 2nd son gained the 4 winds, each about a foot high. Somehow, she knew that I would take care of them, as I took care of myself on the ride to Mexico. I did not know how she knew, or even if she knew, but there was a sense of a premonition.