Carlsbad, NM

Carlsbad, NM

Sunday, July 9, 2017

2017 Day 6

Went to Tombstone to start the day - the Tombstone famous for gunfights - especially the OK Corral gunfight. We saw a reenactment that set the record straight. All the shooting was done with the enemies within ten feet of each other in the corral. They didn't aim that well back then so close quarters were needed for some gunfights. It's a history laden town and we soaked it in.
 


We also made friends with Booger Bob and his wife Kasey - local retired people who filled us in on some history and fun stories. I even good deeded Kasey when she almost fainted due to the heat. Check out photo.

We left Tombstone around noon and you know you're close to Mexico when you get stopped by the border patrol:

Next we went to the Titan Missile Museum site south of Tucson. This is where missiles with thermo-nuclear warheads were at the ready in case of a nuclear attack.  Our tour guide was super knowledgeable - a little over our heads at times but that was OK. We got the gist - if the Titan missiles (now not operational) ever had to be used it would have been mutual suicide between us and the Russians.

Then on to the Saguaro National Park northeast of Tucson. This park is peculiar at times, different but astounding, and full of cacti but empty of visitors, except for us. Which meant we had an opportunity to get out, run around, and regress to our preteen years. That happens on this trip sometimes and no details will be related.

The good deeds were the story today. The thing about them, they break down barriers. When we explain what we are doing and how we would like for them to pay it forward, relationships are immediately formed. That happened with Kasey and her husband at Tombstone. Then this evening, Barry helped out the servers at our hotel happy hour by taking out their trash bags to the dumpster. They loved the paying it forward part when they read our cards and were already talking of what they were going to do.
Then tonight we ate at El Corral - the 2nd oldest restaurant in Tucson and a famous one. John Wayne used to play poker there late at night between movie shootings. Our server was Kathy - a kind woman from Wisconsin who has been through some hard times. She lost her husband and son a few years ago and her daughter is dealing with addiction problems. She told her two managers about our desire for good deeds -we were told how their tables were not being cleared fast enough because they had a new bus boy. After the 3 of us got to work on the tables they got caught up.


Back to Kathy, she asked us for two favors. One was to pray for her daughter Ronnah. That was easy, has already been accomplished, but we don't really count that as a good deed - it's just what you do. But she told us how her CDs won't eject from her CD player in her truck. So we all went out in the dark parking lot and improvements were made. So a good day, and rewarding. But a little sad too - even though the relationships built on doing nice things for each other only lasted maybe 30 minutes, saying goodbye wasn't easy.

5 comments:

Taylor said...

Sounds like a great day! But you can't say you met a guy named Booger Bob and let us know how he got that name.

Jim Gassman said...

Good stories of helping others

Cliff & Steve said...

Not sure I want to know...
GG

kathy said...

Did you see the 170 year old Lady Banks rose vine in Tombstone? It was just highlighted on the CBS Sunday morning show.

Cliff & Steve said...

Missed that Kathy