BILLY AND APACHE

After eight BILLION pounds of copper, two million ounces of gold and a hundred years of mining the COPPER QUEEN MINE now lies quiet, an open wound on the land but still somehow beautifully grotesque in  Bisbee, AZ.

Huge structures that once were used to separate/wash gold and silver from raw ore.  Not enough money in the city coffers to transform them into public swimming pools.

As I stumbled my way up a rock-strewed hill, across from the open pit mine, beyond the NO TRESPASSING signs that liberally dot the landscape, the one-man sentinel, Billy, approaches and says, "Sorry, you can't come up here."  "OK," I reply, "I'd just like to take a picture of those big cement things."  With an apology in his voice, he tells me, "Sure, but then you'll have to go."  I click a couple of pictures and then turn the camera in his direction. "You mind if I take a picture of you?"  Now were friends and he begins to tell me his story.  "My grandpa is the caretaker of this property for 44 years now and he lets me patrol in his John Deere Gator."  He continues, "My dad is a police Sargent in town, you know him?---and I'm getting a new dog today."  "Oh, what kind of dog," I ask,  forcing excitement in my tone."  "A Blue Healer," he tells me, sucking a little air into his skinny chest and standing as tall as his four foot frame could stretch.  "That's why I'm sitting here at the top of the hill, I'm waiting for the lady to bring him."

I wave off, telling him him he's a real lucky boy to be getting the best kind of dog in the world and thanking him for letting me take the pictures.  "I hope you come back some time and see me and my dog, Apache....when I get him all trained and everything."  "Apache, how'd ya come by that name,"  I ask.  "My grandpa had a Healer named Apache," and a smile stretches across his face as wide as the open pit mine he so proudly guards.

We land in Sierra Vista, AZ. for the evening, pulling the rig next to a serious rock collector.  Jackie, lover of all things rock, becomes the student and teacher Mike couldn't be happier.

Here he shows her his favorite, and most coveted prize, two star agates. Look at those hands.  No gloves for this guy.