On the day of his dad's first Chemo, Branson brandishes a hockey stick; Metro Cafe is one year old; moose, dog - truck for sale on trail
Thursday, August 19, 2010 at 6:01AM 
When I turned off Lucille Street into the drive-through lane of Metro Cafe, I saw a tiny, heavily- bundled and padded figure run across the parking lot on the blade protectors of his hockey skates. It was five-year old Branson, who then posed for Through the Metro Window Study, #2081. True, he was outside the window, but I could still see through it to the customers behind.
Branson's father Scott had just undergone his first chemo treatment as part of his fight against the colon cancer that he is determined to beat. Today, Branson will attend his first day of kindergarten. While he is trying to prepare himself early, his first official hockey practice will not happen until late September.
I had not seen Carmen since before I left for Barrow, but she was here when I pulled in and so she came to join in with Branson. She let me know that today also marks the first anniversary of Metro Cafe's opening. She pondered all that has happened in that short year, from the family efforts to create a new kind of place in Wasilla to Scott coming down with cancer to Branson now entering kindergarten.
It has been quite a year for Carmen, Scott, Branson and Metro Cafe.
And on top of all this, Alaska buried Senator Ted Stevens yesterday.
As I drove home the long way, sipping my Metro order, this moose crossed the road in front of me. See how summer's colors have begun to give way to fall's?
Very soon, the colors will all be fall. And then, once again, it will be white... I hope. The weather just keeps getting stranger and stranger and that which we could once take for granted can no longer be counted on.
I had not walked down this way in a long time, but now I did. Tequila greeted me just as she always did in the past - barking, growling, acting tough, but I knew better. She didn't scare me.
This is one of those situations that my daughters would derisively describe with the phrase, "That's so Wasilla!" As you can see, this truck is parked across the trail that borders Seldon Street, with a "For Sale" sign on it. Another sign faces the road, so that those driving by can see it.
This is a busy trail, used by many. Pedestrians use it, adults and children pedaling bicycles, mothers and fathers pushing baby strollers, people on four-wheelers.
It is a very busy trail, but what the hell. Someone wants to sell a truck.
So, if perchance you are looking for a truck and you are interested in this one, here is the price and phone number. Give a call, make the deal, take the truck. You will be doing many trail users a favor.
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Cancer, Carmen, Metro Cafe, Scott, So Wasilla, Wasilla, Wildlife, coffee, dog, moose
Reader Comments (6)
now that cracked me up :D, well i imagine if i was using the trail i wouldn't be so happy
This is great Bill! Nothing makes me miss Alaska quite as much as your truck photos. Sorry about your friend Scott. I hope he recovers soon.
Frances
Okay. Tim wants to know. That truck is in awfully nice shape for a 12 year old truck. Don't you folks use salt on your roads up there in winter? Or is it so cold that you have to plow and use some sort of anti-skid? Just curious. Thank you oh bearded one.
my guess is there will be a couple of footprints in that truck before long!
Twain - I'm glad to have brought some amusement to your day. It is not a huge hardship, having that truck parked there, as one can find a way around it, but it does make one wonder.
Frances - I must find more trucks to photograph.
Debby - Yes, they do use salt, but we have a lot of moose around here and they lick it right off your car. Seriously. They do. Still, in recent years when I have been in the Lower 48 in winter where there is snow, I am somewhat horrified and amazed at the amount of salt I see on the roads - much more than here. Probably because just about everybody uses studded tires throughout the snowy months.
Dahli - I think that is a pretty good possibility.
ok i wasn't gonna say it but now that a moose has run across your screen i have to.
have you seen northern exposure?
many of your posts remind me of that show. i loved that show. i know, it wasn't even made in alaska - it was filmed near my home actually, in a town that became a tourist stop and is still proud to be famous for mimicking alaska.
~lytha in germany