Crude: A Western North Dakota Oilfield Story (part 3)

I spent a little time holed up in a Lutheran Church, thankfully indoors through the most bitter parts of late January and February of 2012. Eventually some film crew would go in there and produce a documentary that won some little Sundance film festival award thingy , I know I'm minimizing what is actually a pretty big accomplishment, it just amazes me that the people who made the documentary secured a place in the history books and made quite a bit of money, I'm sure. They made that pastor somewhat famous, and took advantage of people who were basically suffering to do it. I was in the local movie theater a few years after the time I spent there when the trailer came on the big screen. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. The pastor of that church was overall a good man, although I didn't particularly care for him or agree with most of his methods. But, I did manage to make it into the spring, and as soon as the temperatures would allow it, I was back in my newly repaired Chevy once again. A fact that I had them to thank for.

I would often stay in a parking lot, just across the street near a diner. One morning, while waiting on my ride (I car pooled to work some times) I saw a man peek his head around the corner after walking inside the diner, he called the police apparently, because while I was waiting, a few squad cars pulled up.

One asked me "what are you doing here?" I was a little nervous, but I explained that I was waiting on a ride to work, and that I hoped my vehicle being parked their was not an issue. He began to laugh hysterically, "No, you can park there! The reason I asked was because the diner was burglarized last night."

While I lay there sleeping a few feet away, some one had broken in and apparently made off with a good sum of cash. As far as I know, the burglar(s) were never caught.

Back in approx. 2006 when I lived in Fair view MT I would see a lady who would run every day along the main street, and back roads. I would on occasion wave to her, not sure she ever waved back.

Unfortunately for her, a few years later, some men from out of state kidnapped and subsequently murdered that poor woman. They caught the men on the Wal-mart security cameras buying a shovel and sandwiches if my memory serves me right.

I eventually got hired by a construction company, had free housing, and excellent wages. Not to mention it was down town in the entertainment district. It was a very nice pad.

At that time I was 27, and the only game in town. I kept clean shaved, and in shape. Drove a brand new company truck. Things were looking up! For a little while...

I spent far too much time and money in the bar. Around that time I was offered some very interesting "jobs", one as a enforcer, a few times as a jigalo , and also for a cleaning crew in the apartment of a recently deceased person.

A month before, I was with him at a local bar. He begged and pleaded to buy me drinks if I'd just sit and talk with him. I told him I had to go to work, and his clinginess sort of aroused my suspicion. Overall he seemed like a nice guy, but I don't swing that way.

Later I found out he must of just needed a friend, because he shot himself in that apartment. Small world.

There was a young woman who hitch hiked from California in search of a better life. She used to sleep in the doorway of my apartment building. I had a company truck, and a place. So I offered her my car. She acted like she had just won the lottery. "It needs work," I told her, but I handed her the keys and the title. "I'll help you out with it." "What do I need to do for it?" she asked back, smirking with a knowing look that it meant something sexual. "Nothing." I told her, and I meant it. For anyone who has ever been homeless, it is an incredible burden to carry all of your belongings with you, you can never set them down or take your eyes from them for even a second. She tried to transfer the title, but didn't know she would need a driver's license. She ended up simply living out of it for a while, which she was very grateful for. One day she called me and told me she was leaving, and not to call her back. She said that something had happened, but she appreciated all I had done for her. She left the keys in the gas cap. When I went to check, the back door had been pried open.

God knows what happened to that poor girl or where she is now.