So the Mister Brucester and I drove into town Friday night for some batteries – a crucial need for my camera that ran out of juice after I snapped just one pear picture. (Go to Food and “A Pear Rant” to see my maiden photo.)
That’s how it is out here in Igo, where it’s pretty much an hour’s round-trip drive to anywhere.
We don’t say, “I’m going to the store for batteries.”
We say, “We’re out of batteries (or milk or whatever), so we’d better head to town to buy some. And is there anything else we need while we’re there? (Understood: it’s such a long drive we’d better make it worth the while.)
And do you want to come along? (Understood: I could be gone a while, so if you’re thinking you’ll be missing me, or if you’re guessing I’ll be spending a bunch of money without you, you’d better tag along.)
So off we went for batteries, and a few other things.
Every drive is an opportunity to notice things to and from town. We point them out to each other. Watch out for the quail, deer, raccoon, fox, coyote, whatever. (Yes, I have been known to brake for quail.) Oh my gosh, look where someone dumped trash. Hey, how come the deer haven’t eaten their lemon leaves?
Friday, we didn’t get far before we encountered an Igo-style detour: two guys – maybe a father and son – and their pickup parked near the Placer Road/Gas Point Road/Veterans Memorial Drive intersection.
The men directed us away from Placer Road and onto Clear Creek Road. They said the Placer Road side was blocked by an overturned Amerigas truck. They said that, plus the stench of propane gas in the air, made the area unsafe. (He said the driver was hurt, but he’d probably be OK. Let’s hope so.)
Later, as we drove up Placer on the return trip home to Igo, I pointed out that funky little building beside the Downtown Market (formerly Jernigan’s), that held a lock and key business for as long as I can remember. It’s still empty and still displays a For Rent sign. This always sets my mind to imagining. What could it be? It’s so tiny. A drive-through flower stand? A bagel shop? Lord, please not another coffee kiosk. Unless it’s Peet’s.
A few blocks higher up we see that one of the two houses near Magnolia Avenue that recently caught fire is now gone, and is nothing more than an empty lot. It’s a sad loss for that old neighborhood.
Finally, we drive up, up and a ways up Placer to Igo. Like one of my neighbors, Emily, I always feel I’m home when I round the bend where I can see the large pond on the right. Often, the pond is alive with geese, ducks and deer, silhouetted by a setting sun. It’s one of my favorite Prozac views, of which Igo has a million.
We drive into downtown Igo proper and notice an empty spot where a huge tree – maybe a fig – used to be in front of the old vacant house across the road from the post office. So the tree’s gone.
But the Christmas lights and decorations are up at the Igo Beer Bar/Store. And the post office bulletin board announces the upcoming Igo Christmas parade on Dec. 1, where Christmas trees will be sold.
Finally, we noticed the spot, almost to the end of Placer Road, where the propane truck must have rolled. Scattered glass pieces glistened on the wet asphalt.
The road is open again. Life goes on in Igo.
