The End of a Wonderful Vacation

The last major part of our 1970 summer vacation was visiting Yellow Stone Park
, and I hate to admit it, but it was a let down.  Maybe I'd been overloaded with adventure by that time; after all, swimming on a California beach, Disneyland, San Francisco, Oregon's natural beauty and boating on Lake Hebgen were all pretty exciting adventures, while just riding around in the camper and looking out at scenery can be pretty boating.  I do remember walking along a cat walk above some mud pots; but that was kind of scary; and sitting in a big circle around Old Faithful; but the hour wait diminished the excitement of the performance.  Mostly, I think I was just being a grumpy teenager, tired from a week of traveling cramped in a tiny camper with seven other people.  You know what my best memory of Yellow Stone Park is?  Keith, my older brother, laying on the bed over the cab, trying to sink James Taylor's new song, You've Got a Friend.  Keith had heard it on the radio, and he liked it.  After hearing him sing it for hours and hours as we drove through majestic mountains and forests, I decided I liked it, too.   Even all these years later, I still grin when I hear that song, and feel like a fourteen year old all over again.

You've Got a Friend

James Taylor

When you're down and troubled
And you need some loving care
And nothing, nothing is going right
Close your eyes and think of me
And soon I will be there
To brighten up even your darkest night

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend

If the sky above you
Grows dark and full of clouds
And that old north wind begins to blow
Keep you head together
And call my name out loud
Soon you'll hear me knocking at you door

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there

Ain't it good to know that you've got a friend
When people can be so cold
They'll hurt you, and desert you
And take your soul if you let them

You just call out my name
And you know wherever I am
I'll come running to see you again
Winter, spring, summer or fall
All you have to do is call
And I'll be there
You've got a friend
You've got a friend

Ain't it good to know you've got a friend
Ain't it good to know you've got a friend

We ended our summer vacation staying at Clear Creek, in Idaho.   Where we camped the stream ran cold and clear and shallow over a bed a small rocks and pebbles, a perfect place for my little sisters to wade and play and release some of their pent up energy.  Dad and the boys went fishing, but mom and I didn't have anything particular to do so we sat around and read and relaxed. Then, you know what we did?  Mom plucked my eye brows.  I know, that sounds like a really stupid way to spend an afternoon camped along a beautiful creek in Idaho, but oh well.  I suppose we had been talking about Aunt Eloise's beauty shop and makeup and stuff, because suddenly mom got this idea of showing me how to puck my eyebrows.  So mom found her old blue make up case, dug out her tweezers and mirror, and proceeded to carefully pluck my eyebrows.  Man, it stung!  I remember how my eyes watered so much I could hardly see, but I still let mom work.  I wanted to do whatever it took to be pretty, and I remembered Aunt Eloise's mantra, "It hurts to be beautiful!"

That evening we cooked over a camp fire instead of on the little stove in the camper, and roasted marshmallows over the coals.  I'll always remember the cozy feeling of sitting in lawn chairs around that fragrant campfire, singing songs, telling stories, savoring roasted marshmallows, and just relaxing.  That was a lovely evening.