Libby, MT

I expect this story will lose something in translation, but I have to try.

View from the hotel

That speck is a bald eagle

But it's still in Libby, Montana...

Seriously.

Really seriously.

My sister and I have the kind of relationship where no one can make us laugh harder than the other. The more inappropropriate the timing, the harder we can make each other laugh. We intentionally sat apart at our father's funeral so we wouldn't laugh uproariously and inappropriately through it. Also, she worries about me living on the road (there are windy curves). And in the city (they are big). And in small towns (I blend). That's the background you need to know for this story to not be as funny as it was but...


Earlier this month, Lithus got moved from Molalla, OR to Libby, MT. It's a 3 hour flight for a helicopter and an 11 hour drive for a Land Rover. So, by the time I get there, I'm tired. The room we are in, however, is a closet. An 80 dollar a night closet. But Lithus has made arrangements for us to move to another motel, two blocks down and one block over tomorrow morning. I, overly tired and stressed over things that don't matter to this story (but are okay), don't sleep well that night.


Tomorrow morning comes, Lithus takes almost all the luggage in the car to work, leaving me with my backpack and my computer to take two blocks down and one block over to the new motel. Only, as I am leaving, I realize we have forgotten my pillow and I have to move it, as well. Off I go, streaked hair, Pagan tattoo, dragging my computer behind me, with my pillow under my arm, wandering the streets of Libby, MT. The surreal nature of the moment kicks in, so I text my sister. She asks if I am at least wearing my leopard print pumps, to which I reply that no, I am not, and that's a good thing because that would push me over the edge. Is Lithus with me? No, he's not.

The McDonald's. And the liquor store. And one of the murals. But mostly, the McDonald's.

Oh, look, there's a McDonald's. I tuck into the McDonald's, get a coffee, ignore the stares, and settle into a booth. She texts me back: Ummmm...Sister...are you okay???????

Overly tired, stressed, and wandering around a strange town with my pillow, I proceed to lose my shit. I am laughing so hard I am choking. My face is buried in the wall of the booth. My body is shaking. Concerned I am not replying, my sister calls me. At this point, the restaurant has Gone. Silent. I know I can't not answer the phone, but I also can't speak anywhere close to quietly. Instead, I answer and manage to choke out "I'm okay. I'm laughing." Which gets her laughing. Which gets me laughing.

The little old couple sitting behind me actually get up and move, I have scared and scarred them so badly. I finally manage to collect myself enough to stop crying and speak to my sister. Who asks "WHY ARE YOU WANDERING AROUND WITH YOUR PILLOW WITHOUT LITHUS????" as if wandering around with my pillow AND Lithus is something that would be completely normal. And I lose my shit again.

 And that was my way of introducing myself to Libby, Montana.