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Show Thursday, September 29, 2011 The Gunnison Valley Gazette Page 5 The little-known legend of the Haunted Tamarack Trail by I. M. FULLOVIT Remember as we left our tale last week, a bus of football players was returning from a winning game when their driver fell asleep at the wheel. The uncontrolled bus hurtled through the riverbed only to collide with a hearse returning from picking up a 93-year old woman, who had died earlier that evening. Metal twisted and warped as the two large vehicles crashed into a fiery ball. Once the awful sounds of the explosive collision came to a halt...the even more horrifying screams of the passengers filled the clear night air. Slowly, even the screams faded into the night as EVERY PERSON on the bus AND the hearse died that ghastly, somber night (of course the 93 year old woman, Ima Grouch, who was already in the casket had died during half-time, so she didn't really count). Ever since that night of horror, strange and unexplained things have been reported amidst the tamarack. On dark and shadowy nights, a large figure sporting a hat that says 'bus driver' has often been spotted trying to reach out with his skinny, bony hand and snatch individuals using the trail, always trying to fill his empty bus so he can safely make one last trip home. And on nights with a light breeze, many individuals have commented on the unusual wind they hear whistling through the tamarack. Little do they know if they'd listen just a little closer they would realize they are hearing the pom-poms of the dead cheerleader as she hollowly chants one last time for her beloved boyfriend. And what became of Ima Grouch, the woman in the casket? The impact threw the casket from the hearse, which in turn threw the dentures (her pride and joy) from the old lady's mouth. Broken teeth scattered everywhere. So when you are walking along the riverwalk and look down to see a small rock....is it really a rock? Or a tooth from Ima Grouch, one of the casualties of THE HAUNTED TAMARACK TRAIL?? The haunted Tamarack Trail will be open every Friday, Saturday and Monday in October starting October 3rd. Bring the whole family out for a night of spooky fun. There will be a trail for the younger children too. Side by Side Oasic ervice Oa* Service Only 44.95 Only 14.95 r 9 9 15% off Alignments! I (excluding additional parts and labor) at GIC Shop I 51 West 100 North, Gunnison 51 West 100 North, Gunnison Offer good with coupon only Expires 10/22/11 .1 I. .1 GIC Service Shop Propane • Farm and Auto • Alignment • Quick Lube • Towing Radiator Service • ATV & Small Engine Repair 51 West 100 North, Gunnison • 528-7274 I'm Just Saying... by JANIS SAURIC When my nephew was just a toddler, his mom took him to Build-A-Bear, you know the store in the malls where you can create your own stuffed animal and then buy clothes to dress it up. My nephew chose a turtle— not a bear. Before they put the stuffing in, they added a recorded device so when you pushed on the turtle's chest, it said "I love you." The turtle became a favorite companion of this little boy. Before long, a little brother joined the family and as he grew, little brother Carson enjoyed the turtle too. When Carson learned to talk, he called all turtles "I love you's." We were delighted by this association—and many of us still refer to a turtle as "I love you." The boys are now approaching their teenage years, so of course, they want no reminder of this family legend. It still warms my heart—but I keep it to myself —except for you readers who I now tell about our family's connection between a turtle and "I love you." We all know it is good to have many stories, associations and incidents which bring to mind those we love and why. It is even more important that we express the love we have for others and that they know of our feelings. It is most important of all that we show our love by the way we act. Yes, love is another place that actions speak louder than words. Romantic love, brotherly love, familial love, and solid-over-the-years-friendship love are all a little different. In the Bible there are great examples of brotherly love such as David and Jonathan, or Ruth and Naomi. Jesus taught, "A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another: as I have loved you, that you also love one another." I'm sure on that level we each fall a bit short as it applies to all mankind, but maybe we measure up with specific people we love. To "measure up" our love needs to not be selfish or self-serving, it should not be moody or dependent on outside forces. It is solid, honorable and expressive. This kind of love applies in romance—even after marriage; it applies to family love, to friendship and even to neighborly love. I love to read—all kinds of books, really. A few of my favorite are three volumes of "Random Acts of Kindness." They give real life stories of people who have unexpectedly done something nice for someone else. I love to read about how it feels to show unexpected love to others and how people react when they are pleasantly surprised by another. But more important than reading is doing. I'd like to suggest that we each begin looking for things to do to surprise another in a positive, uplifting way. An easy way to begin is to SMILE more! A second thing that makes a difference to people is to say "thank you" for little things and to everyone—family included. You'll come up with lots of ideas if you actively begin focusing on what you can do. You'll have fun doing it. There is an entire foundation devoted to random acts of kindness. You may want to browse their website for some ideas. www. randomactsofkindness.org. One day in the Wendy's fast food drive-through, I told the cashier I wanted to pay for the order placed by the strangers in the car behind me, along with my bill. She looked a little confused. I repeated that I was paying for my order and the other car's order too. She finally took my money. It was so fun to watch in my rearview mirror as the Wendy's employee told them their order was already paid for. As they peered at me, I imagined them asking each other if one of them knew me in the car ahead of them. They didn't. I drove off feeling happy. In hindsight, I like to picture those people who got free food that day at Wendy's doing something nice for someone else. I can imagine a whole chain of events taking place because of a free chicken sandwich at the drive up window. After all, we don't want anyone to "get the best" of us; we each want to be ahead of the game. We have an urge to get even. Kindness begets kindness. How far can we take this? Like a pebble thrown into a pond, we may cause a kindness ripple effect. You know it feels good to do random acts of kindness. Try it! Dr. Christine Jackson FAMILY MEDICINE cOt. Yack accepting newJoatienb eireg-achori acceptlizgrearpatialb Gunnison Valley Hospital welcomes back Dr. Christine Jackson, MD, who recently returned from serving an 18-month LDS service mission in Israel. Dr. Jackson specializes in family practice, including women, children and obstetrics. She would like to be involved in your health care. Gunnison Valley Hospital welcomes back Dr. John Jackson, MD. After serving an 18-month LDS service mission in Israel, Dr. Jackson has resumed his family practice at GVH and is anxious to serve the central Utah community. Dr. Jackson graduated from the University of Utah and completed medical school at Universidad Autonoma de Ciudad Juarez school of medicine in Mexico. He finished his family medicine residency at the University of Illinois College of Medicine at Peoria. Dr. Jackson will practice a full scope of family medicine in Gunnison. Obstetrics & Gynecology • Pediatrics • Adult Medicine He joined the GVH staff in 1995. Dr. Jackson will practice a full scope of family medicine in Gunnison: Pediatrics • Adult Medicine • Emergency Medicine • Inpatient Medicine/Procedures Schedule an appointment with Dr. Christine Jackson by calling 435-528-7227 Schedule an appointment with Dr. Jackson by calling 435-528-2130 4, GunnisonValley HOSPITAL Compassion. Commitment. Community. 4, GunnisonValley HOSPITAL Compassion. Commitment. Community. |