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Picture Credits: By Robert Betts
Shortcut To El Paso
Bright morning sun peeks over bleak desert mountain tops, drives away the cold winter night air.
I remember 1950.
Many years have vanished into dim memory since he traveled there.
I can see him now as he was then, walking the dusty New Mexico byway.
Young, lean, hungry, only hope and dreams to see him through the day.
Few travel this desert road to offer a ride to this lonely traveler, to where he must go.
Only a surplus military ambulance of much older vintage, squeaks to a stop, trailer mounted model A in tow.
A small puppy dog sat as guard in the rear, where once there were doors.
Window glass in the driver side departed long ago.
A young Texas lad leans out the window opening, to offer the traveler an opportunity.
Drive to ride he proposed.
Another offer like this may never come along, who knows?
Weary he maybe but drive he would do.
All day or night anything to help see him through.
Drive he did, only a sombrero to shield his eyes from the morning sun
Cold mountain air from the open window chilled him undone
The Texas lad napping in the back, felt nothing to fear.
Puppy dog ears flying in the wind setting at his guard position in the rear.
The sign read, mile high village.
Stone walls lined the steep narrow road.
Stop for coffee was the plan.
If only to ease the inner man.
The brakes on the old ambulance would not hold.
Too much load on this steep mountain road.
Shifting down would not do, half the gears were missing too.
Down through the village this strange train traveled.
The Texas lad's nerves were becoming unraveled.
Trailer mounted model A glancing off the stone wall.
Stop this thing before we lose it all.
I would if I could the traveler said.
I do what I can or we all will be dead.
The last thing they heard from the mile high village was a church bell ringing.
They could not stop for services they hope to be forgiven.
Rolled down the narrow mountain road out onto the desert flats at last came to a stop.
Traveler and Texas lad dove under the ambulance with screw driver and wrench, adjusted the old brakes clear to the top.
On their way again the Texas lad spotted a sand road heading south, that is a shortcut to El Paso.
My Dad told me so many years ago.
Down the sand road they went, sage brush and cactus as far as you could see.
I'm not sure about this don't look right to me.
The ambulance hit a big bump.
Puppy dog flew high in the air.
When he came down it was not there.
The trailer wheels ran him over.
The Texas lad was sad.
We scraped him a hole in the Mexican sand piled rocks to mark the spot.
We both felt so bad.
Half way through the morning.
The temp gage gave them warning.
The load was too heavy and started to heat up.
Trailer tires were gone down to the rim.
The Texas lad looked worried and traveler felt sorry for him.
They rolled the Model A off the back of the trailer and hitched it to the ambulance.
Its tires looked low.
Down the road they went the Model A in tow.
The sun reached its peek when at last they spotted a shack.
Setting beside an old train track.
They paid the track keeper their last bit of change for a little more gas.
He spoke only Spanish but that was OK.
Both had a question almost afraid to ask.
What was the answer go on or go back?
They left the keeper standing by his lonely train track.
He seems to be saying both were the same.
They waved him good bye not knowing his name.
Near middle afternoon the gage said hot.
The tires were gone on the model A too.
Now there was nothing else they could do.
They pulled the A to the side of the road stripped all its parts they felt they could use.
They deserted it there in old Mexico, if you feel so inclined it may still be there.
Somewhere on the shortcut to El Paso.
Fifty-four years now have gone by.
Model A little deuce coupe, may be worth the trip, if you find it say Hi!
It was late afternoon when it started to steam.
Now they were sure the long walk would be mean.
Off to the East they could not believe their eyes.
There stood a wind mill much to their surprise.
They did not know then it was called antelope wells.
Standing in the middle of this desert not another thing in sight.
Only animal skeleton heads to guard its tall stone walls.
They stood on the hood and scooped up the cool water.
Traveler's sombrero served well to fill the hot radiator.
Night was drawing near.
As traveler threw the ambulance back into gear.
On through the night until the early morning hours at last reaching a main road.
Only an old service station to rest and lighten their load.
No lights from El Paso were to be seen
The service man pointed out they had a long way to go.
The shortcut had failed, nowhere near reaching El Paso.
Trading the model A parts for a full tank of gas.
Taking the long way now, you bet your sweet ass.
Past El Paso with hardly a glance, heading still east now toward good old Fort Worth.
Just as the sun chased the cold night air from the earth.
The motor made a knocking sound.
Now they would pay.
For the strain of that long hard day.
In a dry field just outside Pecos.
They parked that wonderful old army ambulance for the last time.
Traveler placed the big sombrero on its hood it seemed to belong there.
Heads hanging low they walked to a lonely truck stop.
Looking for a ride a trucker said, I can take only one.
The Texas lad waved good bye from the high truck cab.
Traveler still had a long way to go.
This story is true and strange I agree.
One thing you should know that traveler was me.
Mervin H. Dochterman
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