Desert Spirits
 

"Jack, you DO see him also, don't you?", I asked tentatively. I could see Jack, my desert
Botonist friend who had been the first scientist to document the encroachment of Los
Angeles air pollution into the deserts of the SouthWest in the 1970s. Jack was a life-long
friend and neighbor of my wife, as they were both raised in Las Vegas. We had gotten to be
good friends over the years during numerous trips back to her howmtown to visit her family,
founders of the Las Vegas area in the early 1900s. Jack was one of those exceptional indi-
viduals who positively influenced everyone they came in contact with and it was an honor
to know him. In doing his research, Jack would spend days out in the desert, collecting
samples from various instrumental stations he'd established over the years and on this
occassion he'd allowed me to accompany him into unexplored territory, north and east of Las
Vegas, during the Spring of 1975. We'd parked the Jeep and had to hike several miles into
the rough back country, intent on establishing a new monitoring station, sampling the air
automatically between visits. On this particular trip, night had fallen, the weather clear and
the stars diamond-like in the heavens. As was our habit on such trips into the desert, we'd
established our camp just after the sun set, hot, even this early in the season. I'd gathered
wood while Jack cleared an area he'd chosen as being protected from the elements while also
allowing us maximum visual access to the surrounding desert. One never knew what one would
run into out here in the desert and you could never assume that you were alone. I was about
to find out that this included spirits as well as coyotes.
"Yeah, I see him, just relax, I don't think he means us any harm", he whispered over the popping
of the fire. Embers flew into the black night as we sought warmth, staring at thing, neither
man, neither animal, that watched us from about 30 feet away in an outcropping of rocks.
"I've seen this before", Jack continued as I tried to get a better look at our visitor. It was
very hard to make out details of just who or what it was out there; first, I thought it was just
the outline of a cactus, just beyond the rocks. Then, when it moved, animal like, I realized
we were being watched by something quite different. Yet, when I looked directly at the shape, it
seemed to disappear, then, as I would look slightly off to the side, it solidified, much like
some of the apparitions I'd investigated over the years.
"Should we say something to him...or, it?" I whispered back. I wasn't concerned at all, it didn't
threaten us, that was obvious, it was simply curious it seemed and continued to circle around us to
the north. Around us, all the insects and night sounds had ceased; my breathing and the fire
being the only sounds.
"No, what we need to do is close our eyes, hold out our arms and ask it to join us at the fire",
Jack whispered back, not taking his eyes from the thing out there.
"Close my eyes?", I managed to grunt back, unsure of this strategy.
"Don't you trust my judgment", Jack laughed as he whispered just above the noise of the fire and
he looked over to me with a quick smile.
I'd depended on Jacks' judgment to get us around this alien environment before many times. He'd
allowed me to accompany him on several trips, lasting from 24 hours to one trip where we spent
5 days in the desert and he'd introduced me to the beauty and wonder of this otherwise alien
environment.
"You know I do, it's just..", I looked at him for a second also, his eyes sparkling in the fire,
confident and relaxed.
"Where'd it go!", I exclaimed, looking back into the darkness. We'd both looked away from it for
no more than just a split second, yet it was not where it had been.
"He's still here, I can feel him, now, close your eyes, relax and let him join us at the fire",
Jack whispered, unconcerned and without hesitation.
I did as instructed as we both took several deep breaths and I concentrated on relaxing my mind
as I'd taught myself in the last couple of years, reaching alpha within 10 seconds, despite my
concerns. I did trust Jack's judgment. He'd spent allot of time out here in the desert and had
told me of other experiences similar to what we were going through then. I must admit, if I'd
out there with anyone OTHER than Jack, I probably would have gotten up and headed for the Jeep
because the desert can intimidate even the strongest of people.
As it was, we relaxed and simply listened to the fire snapping at our feet. Then, about 2 minutes
into our meditation, I heard Jack whisper aloud, "Please join us at the fire, we welcome you here
and thank you for allowing us on your land...please, join us".
Moments passed. I had managed to totally relax now and when the breeze picked up intensity, it
took several moments to recognize the fact.
"Ok Patrick, open your eyes, but don't react...", I heard Jack whisper, just to my right. With-
out fear or hesitation, I opened my eyes to a slit, first seeing only the fire. Then, just beyond
it, and much closer than before, I could see something, neither solid nor of definite shape, just
"something" that blocked the very dim reflections off the rocks and plants beyond it. It moved
liquid-like and shimmered in the flickering fire light.
"Welcome, desert spirit...thank you for allowing us to share your beautiful land..", Jack said
aloud. I repeated the welcoming phrase aloud, word for word. A moment later, a brisk wind swept
over us both, forcing the fire into a small tonado-like funnel, sweeping sparks high above us, then
it was gone. I could physically sense that we were alone again; the crickets and other sounds
of the desert returned and, without speaking of it again, we unrolled our sleeping bags, fixed
something to eat. I found I was very comfortable, out there in the middle of nowhere, in that
alien environment, knowing now I could sleep in peace. Indeed, I slept like a baby,
knowing we were welcomed guests now, welcomed guests of that which lives in the desert night.
Thank you Jack for blessing me with your friendship and your knowledge; rest in peace my friend.