Mary was hiking a trail in west Texas, and thinking about taking a rest break, and smoking a joint. She had not seen anybody the whole morning along the trail, and had enjoyed the solitude. It was a really remote area and not many people took this trail because it was a long loop, maybe 6 miles of hard hiking before it returned to the starting place. 

She came upon a large flat rock just off the trail, and stopped to sit on it. She drank some water and kicked back in the hot shade. After a couple minutes, she dug into her day pack, the same one she had carried all during her Peace Corps stint a couple years ago, and found the joint she had stuck in there that morning.

Mary had just sparked up the joint, and took a long draw on it, when she heard someone coming along the trail. She blew out the smoke, and held the joint down by her side, hoping that it was not the Park Ranger. A pretty woman with big blonde hair came swinging along around the curve in the trail, and as she saw Mary, she came to an abrupt halt.

The girl with the big blonde hair: Oh! You startled me! I had not expected anyone to be out here in the middle of nowhere. Hi! My name is Lesli.

Mary: (who also had big blonde hair) Hi Lesli. I’m Mary.

Lesli: I smelled the pot smoke just as I got to the curve in the trail. Ok if I sit with you in the shade and rest a bit? Maybe share that joint with you?

Mary: (laughing) When I heard you coming, I was afraid it was a Park Ranger. Please come sit.

So, Lesli sat, and shared the joint with her new friend. As they smoked, they talked about who they were.

Mary: I live in Dallas with my boyfriend. I teach in the public school there.

Lesli: I live in Montana, but grew up about 100 miles from here. While visiting my relatives, I remembered how much I liked hiking in this park, so I took a couple days to come and hike before I headed back north to Boseman. I teach Pilates classes there, and do massage.

Mary: I needed a break from Dallas, so I drove down here to decompress from all the hubbub of teaching, and do some hiking. It is a beautiful park. I just picked it randomly from a map.

Lesli: How long have you been teaching?

Mary: Only about two years. I am a returned Peace Corps volunteer, and after my service, I moved down here from Chicago to live with my boyfriend, Bill.

Lesli: Peace Corps? I knew a guy who joined the Peace Corps. He was my boyfriend right up until he flew off to Africa to do the Peace Corps thing. We both took massage classes together. I kinda miss him. It has been 5 years since he left. I have not heard from him since then.

Mary: Oh? Where in Africa did he serve?

Lesli: Some place called Swaziland. I never heard of it before.

Mary: No way! That is where I did my service! What was his name?

Lesli: His name is Sam.

Mary: Sam Birchall?

Lesli: Why yes! Do you know him?

Mary: Yes I do. We were in the same training group. Sam and I hitched all over southern Africa during our term of service. He is a wild guy. I have not heard from him since I left. He stayed an extra year after I left.

Lesli: How amazing that out here in west Texas I would run into someone who knew someone that I know.

They finished the joint, and swapped stories about the Sam that they both knew. Eventually they got up and continued the hike together, becoming fast friends.

I miss you Mary, and you too Lesli.