"Me too", I said to my husband, Bob, after our walk along the river and as we made our way back home through the main street of Hot Springs.
Our lovely town has had its issues. Our largest employer, the VA hospital on the hill, has been cutting back over the years and we have lost residents and stores. The latest blow is the nearby railroad yard closing and many of its employees reside in Hot Springs.
We moved into the town in 2007 after the Cascade Fire wiped out our home and with that horrific event Bob lost his mission of creating an off-the-grid house on land south of Hot Springs. He had spent nearly 7 years working slowly and methodically on our dream house. He never really wanted to completely finish it because as he said, "What will I do with the rest of my life?"
Back in Minneapolis Bob had a motorcycle business, sales and service, and his life had centered around bikes, restoring and racing, and the milieu of the freedom of the road. His biggest enjoyment came from fixing what was "unfixable" by the experts. He wanted to open a store in Hot Springs, sharing his expertise with the many bikers in the area, offering services not available nearby, and perhaps, in time, doing his part for the economy which at the present time is in a bit of a slump.
After several years of searching for a spot in town, he bought a building on the main street, and knowing Bob as I do, will take his time, filling the building slowly with a few businesses that will allow residents to shop locally, without the lengthy drive to the nearest large city.
Have you ever wanted something so badly that it aches deep inside? This has been rare during my lifetime, but right now in this time and place I want for my partner to succeed with his dream of helping others by repairing and restoring and recycling. Some friends have chided him and told him that at his age he should stay retired, travel and enjoy life. I know my husband. Sitting on the front porch will not bring him enjoyment. Doing work he cares about in a community he cares about will keep him vital and young.
My dream for my partner is that he does not retire until he reaches 100 or more. If he dies before then, up until that time, may he thrive doing what he does best.
Closing, closing, closing. Not Bob, he will be opening, opening, opening. Watch for it!
Rooting for Bob. Rooting for Hot Springs!
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