The Trip

Ben Reach was breakfasting alone in Millie’s Diner when his old friend Fred Eanes entered and accepted Ben’s waived invitation to join him. Fred farmed near Camilla in partnership with his son. Like Ben, he had been a life-long lover of big going bird dogs, trial and hunting. He and Ben had often judged together, but not for the last decade.

“What are you up to these days, Fred?” Ben opened.

“Not much, Ben. But I have decided to make The Trip this coming season.”

Ben remembered what “The Trip” meant without reminders.

“Where will you start?”

“I am flying to Minot Friday, will rent a vehicle and drive to Columbus for the North Dakota Classics, then drive south and hit the other U. S. Prairie trials for a day or two each,” Fred said.

“Anyone traveling with you?” Ben asked.

“No, but you are welcome to join me?”

Ben was tempted. But he resisted.

“Text me pictures, keep me posted on where you are. I might fly up and join you for a few days. Lots of good memories on that route for you and me.”

“Yep. That’s why I am doing it,” Fred said.

Ben got the first phone photo by text a week later. It was a selfie of Fred with a small ceramic jar on the tailgate of the rented pickup. In the background was Divide Ridge, rising to the Continental Divide (ground water runoff on the south side ended up in the Gulf of Mexico via the Missouri and Mississippi, runoff north flowed to Hudson’s Bay). On a paper plate beside the jar Fred had printed with a magic marker in bold letters, Old Sam.

Ben smiled. Old Sam was a pointer Fred had placed second in the Derby run here Labor Day weekend, then brought home to make a great gun dog for Fred for ten years. Ben recalled he and Fred had stood shoulder to shoulder divided by Fred for many a covey rise.

“Joanne, call the travel agent, see what flights I can get to Sioux Falls early next week,” Ben called out to his PIC (Person in Charge).

Joanne walked in his office and placed on his desk a list of flights she had already looked up on line. She had overheard Ben and Fred discussing Fred’s trip on the phone.

“What in the world is Fred Eanes doing on his trip?” Joanne asked.

“Spreading the ashes of old friends on their Fields of Glory,” Ben said.