My husband, Al, had to be in Salt Lake City on a consulting project on the Friday before Memorial Day, 1999, and in San Antonio the following Tuesday. Rather than fly back to Connecticut, he decided to continue his search for a retirement spot in Utah, the only western state he had not yet explored. So, after his business was over, he pulled out a map and found a splotch of blue (which we now know as Pineview Reservoir) in the mountains and decided that that would be a good place to start his explorations.
He wandered east from Huntsville and came to Causey Reservoir, where he somehow managed to lock the keys in the car with the engine running. Looking for help, he found a young couple with a puppy setting up camp beside the reservoir. As he approached asking for help, he noticed that the young man had a shaved head and earrings in both ears. At that point, Al started to wonder if he really wanted help after all!
As we all know, stereotypes tend to cause lots of trouble because they are frequently inaccurate -- as was this one. The young man was very helpful and drove Al back to the closest phone at the Red Rock Ranch and refused to leave until he was sure that Al was OK.
While waiting for the Sheriff to open the car, Ray and Janice, Red Rock's owners, introduced Al to that year's crop of colts. They invited him back the next night for the Saturday night Dutch oven dinner and sing-along.
Satuday night was terrific. Two girls sang and played the guitar, and everyone made Al feel welcome. When it was time to go, Al went to Janice to pay for dinner. That's when the trouble started.
"Oh no. Dinner was late, and not a good as usual. You don't owe us anything."
"What do you mean 'nothing'," Al protested. "I ate your food and drank your beer and had one of the most fun nights I can remember. You have to take something."
"OK," said Janice. "I'll take a hug."
What do you do with people like that? For one thing, you decide that anyplace that creates them is a good place to live!