Only in Manitou

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

This is a work of fiction. All names, characters, places, except Manitou, and incidents either are the complete products of my imagination, conjured or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living and dead, businesses, companies, events or locales is entirely coincidental or just plain weird.

A LITTLE HISTORY

In the mid 1880’s two entrepreneurial men, Dr. Bell and General Palmer came to Manitou after hearing stories about its springs. Both seeing Manitou’s potential formed a business alliance becoming the official founders.

Originally wanting to pattern the town after a Swiss spa resort they decided to call it La Fon, French for fountain. Later on an investor suggested that the town be named Manitou after an Indian character in the poem Hiawatha written by Henry Longfellow.

As word of Manitou spread businessmen, spiritualist, entrepreneurs and marketers made their way to Manitou.Seeing the opportunities, they quickly marked the virtues of the springs in Manitou. Pamphlets and brochures promised The rejuvenating effects of the body, mind and spirit! by consuming the waters inviting those with Consumption to venture to Manitou and heal.

Sick people traveling from all over the world began to visit Manitou with hopes of healing their tuberculosis. Hotels sprouted up overnight while Health Huts were built in abundance to shelter and treat the tuberculosis patient. Both Doctors and Charlatans alike provided various water therapies to the ill and infirm. By the mid 1890’s Manitou Springs was put on the map as The Saratoga of the West.

THE SPRINGS OF MANITOU

There are eleven distinct springs in Manitou each with different mineral contents and tastes. The waters travel tens of thousands of feet from underneath the mountains surfacing cold and carbonated. Back in the day each spring was marketed to cure a specific ailment.

If you suffered from iron poor blood it was recommended that you take a daily walk up Ruxton Avenue to the Iron Springs. There you could imbibe in the strongest of tonics! to get a healthy dose of iron.

For modern day medicines if you’re feeling a little blue or bi-polar a visit to the Shoshone Spring might brighten your day. With the highest mineral content of all the springs it has a high count per million presence of Lithium.

Each spring’s water also has it’s own distinct taste. Navajo Spring is bitter, Twin Spring is quite pleasant, Iron Spring tastes like rusty nails, and Cheyenne Spring is sweet. In fact every year at the Ice Cream Social, the local Chamber of Commerce makes their famous sparkling lemonade featuring its sweet effervescence.

Of the eleven active springs, three of them are irregularly regular. Seven Minute Springs was named just that, back in the early 1900’s as it irrupted just like Old Faithful in Yellowstone, every seven minutes. Navajo Geyser although called a spring, was actually a geyser originally spouting over seven feet up in the air. The Stratton Spring also spits out water irregularly regularly as well.

Presently there are nine springs running, open to the visiting public and residences alike for sampling. One spring is privately owned, the waters are bottled and sent overseas to Japan. The culture there reveres the deepness and age of the waters source making it an expensive sought after commodity.

The springs are sprinkled randomly around town as ill conceived as the parking. Two of the springs are attached to the outside of buildings, two are in historic buildings, and two or three are in neighboring parks and the balance stand where they are. It’s quite common to see someone standing at a spring font, filling up various containers with their favorite water to take home.

INTRODUCTIONS

On the surface Manitou Springs seems like most old towns in Colorado. The main street lined with an assortment of aged brick and wooden buildings providing a collection of varied architecture, many of them dating to back in the mid 1800’s. The buildings are painted peculiar but surprisingly agreeable colors of pinks, yellows, grays, oranges, greens and blues, all blending together side by side against the backdrop of Pikes Peak like a mosaic afterthought.

The structures are squeezed together as tightly as pickles in a jar. An Antique Shop stands next to a Bicycle Rental Shop, alongside a local Real Estate office, upstairs from another Antique Store, next to a Book Store, in-between a Gelato Stand, next to a Greek Cafe, alongside a Bar, next to another Bar, beside the Arcade, next to the Wine Shop.

Manitou remains unaffected from urban planning by simply evolving. Businesses arrive where there’s opportunity, many coming and going with the passage of time, while others remain year after year becoming fixtures in Manitou.

Each shop’s picture window displays their own offbeat assortment of souvenirs sold in most touristy western towns. Flower boxes are abundant, surprisingly planted and well kept. Sidewalks are wide intended for the hoopskirts of yester-years while the streets are narrow not intended for todays cars and parking.

Manitou is a sleepy town even during the summer, establishments generally opening up late and closing early. During the winter several store hours are posted as such:

Winter hours: Depends on the weather.

32° or colder - Closed!

33° to 45° - Depends on the chill factor.

The lifeblood of Manitou’s economy is Pikes Peak, a towering fourteen thousand foot plus Mountain that’s been the destination of many peoples. For decades it was the Indians, the Spanish, the Soldiers, the Infirm, the Explorers, the Vagabonds and the Travelers. Today it’s the Tourists, flocking to Pikes Peak via Manitou.

The summers bring in Busloads, Motorcycle-duos, Truckfulls, RVehicle Groupies, Bicyclists and Unicyclist. Multitudes of people all on various wheeled contraptions all coming to take in the local sights and enjoy the beauty of this quaint small town nestled in the Rockies.

The streets are flooded with hoards of Tourists as they stroll up Manitou Avenue to the Roundabout and then back down the other side take in the charming shops and concession stands, enjoying the unique restaurants and bars.

Several eateries on the sunny side of the street offer tiny tables placed outside providing visitors a chance to enjoy a meal and people watch as well as be watched themselves. Manitou offers a superlative playground of diversity.

Variety strolls in quantity up and down the Avenue with leather clad bikers and cross-dressing hikers are just as common and Goethe garbed teenagers, tie-tied outfitted hippies, orange-robed Tibetan monks to plainly dressed Amish folks.

Aside from a summer varietal of people watching specimens Manitou has also attracted its fair share of weird people coming to live over the centuries. Some folks think the water manifested the weirdness. After all, in Manitou’s beginnings the water was what people came for. Perhaps things haven’t changed and now, so many years later it’s still the water?

Or could it be after living here so long and drinking from the springs the people who stayed evolved into weird? Or is it the other way around, weird people sought out the springs because that’s what weird people do?

It’s no secret that Manitou is weird. The locals pride themselves on it. Several stores in town sell T-shirts and bumper stickers that read, Keep Manitou Weird.

However in the summer, when hundreds of tourist invade Manitou the weirdness is camouflaged. In order to divine the presence of weirdness you must keep eyes and ears open. Weird lingers, lurking between the local Leprechaun Shop and the Mexican Food Restaurant, between the Navajo Spring and the Candy Shop, behind the arcade and up the street and down next to the Antique Store and the neighboring Hemp Store. Weird circles around the Roundabout reaching east, out to the ends of town.

In Manitou it’s not for any of us outsiders to say what’s considered weird or not, but it’s sure fun to watch. All you have to do is sit on a bench in front of the Barker House on a spring or fall afternoon and you will see WEIRD coming in capital letters. In Manitou weird walks by in many shapes and forms and has for decades.

Part of the perpetuation of weirdness in Manitou has been it’s complete ability to shorten its memory and forget. This unifying process of short-term memory loss has allowed Manitou to continue to manifest its own unique set of weird behavior. If all is not forgiven then it is forgotten

Manitoids acknowledge their weirdness and expect it matter of factly. By definition, the actions and activities of weird in Manitou are completely normal. Manatoids simply don’t know any better.

In Manitou, corruption, adultery, magic, thievery, vanities and faux pas are extravertedly discussed and introvertedly dismissed. In City Hall or out in the street when a weird person or event is discussed the accepted conclusion is voiced, Well, it’s Manitou, what did you expect!

Is weird too strong a word? Would odd, or unique or quirky be a better choice of words to define the offbeat heartbeat of Manitou? Would then, queer, strange, peculiar and bizarre rate a close second? Perhaps, unusual, eccentric, peculiar or curious would better selected words?

Most of Manitou’s cast of characters have hearts of gold although a few stand out as slightly tarnished. Let them tell their story and then decide for yourself.

AFTER THE MONSOON

Wednesday, September 8th

As Nat ran up Ruxton Avenue he thought, It’s great to be out in this cool clean air! Yep, I think I’ll go up Barr Trail. All the rain has left the Incline a little worse for wear.

Nat zigzagged over the debris of branches and rocks littering Ruxton Avenue. Onward and upward he ran, past the Cog Depot, past the Power Plant, past the dirt parking lot at the base of Barr Trail and then up onto the trail itself.

Nat had run this path a million times, knowing it like the back of his hand. Traversing the trail he gained speed, setting his pace. While he ran he thought of Missy and her upcoming graduation from sixth grade. He was grateful his wife Tiffany stayed with him after what he’d done and thankful that Missy was still alive.

I better turn around and go back, I’ve got a lot to do today, he thought, reluctantly veering to the right to run back on the trail sloping down. He mentally composed a list of things he needed to do now that he was on City Council he passed the Iron Springs Chateau and was just about to pass the Iron Springs Pavilion when he saw old Bill Crosby peering into the creek bed. Nat slowing to a trot approached the old man.

Old man Crosby hiked up Ruxton routinely everyday, regardless of the weather. Rain, sun, wind or snow Bill would leave his apartment at the Barker House, each time wearing a red wooly plaid hat with the big flaps to cover his ears and holding a long walking stick. He’d slowly shuffle up Manitou Avenue turning onto Ruxton, taking the trail up to Red Mountain.

LOST AND FOUND

Hey, Bill, watchya see? asked Nat as he stepped beside him.

Bill focusing so intense jumped when he found Nat standing so close to him. Hm, I was lookin in the creek and I think I seen a table or something…and over there, he pointed with his gnarled fingers, them look like bones.

Following Bill’s directional finger Nat saw something odd too. Yeah, it looks like a broken wooden box. No, it looks like a coffin! Nat exclaimed breathlessly, And those are bones! That over there looks like a femur and part of a pelvis and look! There’s a skull with a bonnet on it!

Bill looking muddled then scared turned around shuffling down the street. Bill, it’s okay! Nat started after him, Stop, will you?

Still looking confused he shook his head muttering, This just can’t be! This isn’t so. Gotta tell the police, I’m gonna to tell the police…I’ll go to the station. He set off down the street as fast as his bull-legged legs would carry him.

Nat shouted after him, Bill, you do that! I’ll wait right here until the police come!

Fifteen minutes later Officer Mulles parked his squad car along side of the Iron Springs walking up to where Nat waited. Nat, good to see you. What’s all this about old Bill saying that it’s Emma?

Nat looked at Mulles puzzled, Hi Mulles! He didn’t say that to me. Who’s Emma? He was standing over here looking at something in the creek bed. I was coming down from a run and stopped to find out what he was looking at.

Mulles craned his neck to see what Nat pointed at thinking, Just great! I just picked up my clean, pressed uniform and now I’m going to have to go down and muck around in the mud.

As if reading his mind Nat asked, I don’t know if there’s any protocol or anything, but that looks like a coffin to me and that skull is human. Don’t you have to call the Coroner or somebody? I mean, if it’s a dead body?

Good point. Reaching for his shoulder radio, Dispatch, this is Mulles. Is the Police Chief in? Over.

They both listened as the staticy voice responded, Affirmative, standby. Over.

While they waited for the Police Chief to respond Mulles asked Nat, So, are you going to run in this years marathon?

Nat grinned, You know me, I wouldn’t miss it for anything!

Well, I think it’s great! You really found your niche. You wouldn’t catch me climbing up that mountain, not if I had a fire lit under me!

Mulles, this is Marybeth, what’s the problem? squawked the radio.

Chief, we got what looks like a coffin and possible human remains washed down Ruxton Creek on Ruxton, just north of the Iron Springs. I thought we might need to call the Coroner’s office on this one?

There was silence for a moment then the voice on the radio screeched again, Yeah, you’re probably right. We’ll call them now. You need to secure the area and wait until they show. I’ll send Samarma with some barricade tape.

Mulles clipping the handset back to his shoulder turned to Nat. I’ve got you covered. If I have any questions I know where to find you.

Nat shrugging his shoulders smiled, Gotchya. See you later, man!

Sprinting down Ruxton, Mulles yelled after him, Stay out of trouble! He remembered the dark day when Nat almost killed his daughter. He was glad Nat got his act together.

Nat, remembering how Mulles once helped him change his life, diverting disaster waved. Always! as Mulles pulled a roll of barricade tape from his trunk.

NAT’s STORY

Nat’s been running for eight years, almost every day. He’s a local hero, holding the record for the fastest timed ascent to the top of Pikes Peak for six years in a row. Nat ran up over thirteen miles to the top of Pikes Peak at altitude in less than two hours. Day after day, every day, the slight, zero body fat Nat ran as if he was running for his life.

Of course there is some credence to that theory. Nat was running from some pretty powerful ghosts. Nat runs from the ghost he almost became and from the ghost he almost created.

Helped by luck or happenstance and definitely by Sergeant Mulles, Nat was spared a catastrophe that would have altered the course of his life, his family’s and others. After that day, Nat changed with absolute conviction from living in the darkness of black to living in the lightness of white, just like his hair.

Eight years ago Nat emotionally hit bottom. When he was in high school it had been the best time in his life. As head of the track team he was popular, having lots of friends. After he graduated he continued working at the Cog Railway, going full-time on section

crew while all his friends went off to do other exciting things.

He felt like he’d been the best he would ever be in high school. He married Tiffany, his high school sweetheart and shortly afterward Missy was born. He continued working at the Cog while Missy waitressed at the Circle Mexican Restaurant. Nat started to drink as his frustrations grew.

Zeke Mullins traveled all through Colorado experiencing life on the road. Emanuel moved to Puebla to work in construction while his sister Corazon went on to Medical School. Caroline opened up her own businesses after attending Beauty college and Lou Ann went on to a Photography school up in Danview.

As the months wore on he continued spending his evenings at the local taverns drinking until they closed or cut him off. Arrested several times for driving under the influence, he lost his driver’s license. He spent time in jail for his offenses while his marriage became strained, Tiffany becoming resentful and silent.

On the fateful day, Nat stole Tiffany’s car keys and tip money out of her purse, taking off in her car while she slept. His morning drinking binge started in El Dorado Springs then on into Old El Dorado City. By the time he returned to Manitou it was late afternoon. He was blind drunk and angry.

During his routine rounds Officer Mulles spotted Nat in Tiffany’s beat-up Mazda just as he turned onto Brook. Weaving wildly from left to right he side-swiping several parked cars. Knowing where Nat was heading Mulles immediately turned up the back way on Waltham preparing to intercept him.

He arrived in front of the cottage before Nat. Quickly getting out of the patrol car as Nat’s four-year-old daughter was playing in the yard in front of a tiny yellow bungalow. Mulles watched her blond head turn as she recognized the engine sounds of the car driving up the street. She clearly knew it was her Daddy coming up the street. Missy stood, running over to the short white gate, letting herself out of the yard to greet her father.

Barreling up Waltham Avenue the car was going much faster that the 20-mile speed limit. Mulles mind’s eye calculated what was about to happen. As Nat’s car rapidly approached he jumped into the street scooping up the little girl. Hang on Missy! he swept her onto the sidewalk on the opposite side. Nat swerving last minute, crashed into the picket fence surrounding the yard Missy had just been playing in. The car hit the foundation supporting the cottage before coming to a grinding halt.

The screen door squeaked open as Tiffany flew down the steps of the cottage towards the street. Officer Mulles held out his hand, Tiffany, Missy is fine. Why don’t you take her inside while I talk to Nat. Honey, you go with your Mommy now.

Missy looked up at Mulles, "What’s wrong? You look mad? Are you mad at my Daddy? Her face crumpled for a big cry.

Honey, I’m not mad, I just want to make sure you are okay. Now, go in the house with your Mommy.

With his words Tiffany gathered up Missy returning back up the stairs. Let’s get you a cookie. she said, bribing the youngster into the house. A minute later they returned to the screen door, Missy with a cookie in hand while she and her mother peered down at Officer Mulles.

Nat still sat in the car, which was half sticking out on the sidewalk and half in the yard. Officer Mulles squaring up his shoulders walked stiffly towards the car. Nat, get out of the car. Now. Struggling with the door, Nat stumbling out sweaty and pale, taking a step forward he started to sway slumping heavily against the car.

Mulles radiated anger and self-control, Nat, I want you to listen to me and listen well because I will not repeat myself, do you hear me? Nat staring at his feet, nodded without looking at Mulles. Look at me when I am talking to you! Nat slowly raised his veiled eyes, squinting at the Officer.

Nat, I’ve known you since you were in high school. I never thought I‘d see what you just did. It’s no business of mine what makes you do the things you do as long as you harm yourself and nobody else. Mulles struggled to keep his voice calm, But, today you almost killed your daughter because of your self-destructive and selfish behavior and that, I won’t tolerate in my town!

I’m going to do you one final favor and give you one last chance of maintaining your dignity. I’m not going to arrest you now, not in front of your wife and daughter or the neighbors. I won’t humiliate them even though you deserve to be! he said through clenched teeth, I want you to say goodbye to them and then you are to walk directly to the precinct. I will be arresting you for driving with a suspended license, driving while under the influence of alcohol and reckless driving, I will not be citing any other charges that have just occurred here. Am I clear?

Nat looking directly at Officer Mulles his eyes wide in amazement swallowed, speaking softly, I’m grateful for that Officer. Thank you. With his words, Mulles turned on his heels crossing the street to get into his patrol car. He pulled out without a word leaving Nat to face his family behind the screen door as the neighbors looked on.

THE BEST IT’S GOING TO BE

After that day, Nat changed. He never took another drink. He completed his jail term and public service hours with repentance. He stayed home with his family grateful Tiffany and Missy were still part of his life. He went back to work at the Cog taking great care to do the best that he could. He started running everyday, a little further every time. Nat changed just like his hair on that night. It went from black to white, overnight.

HUMAN REMAIN’s

Thursday, September 9th

The next day City Hall was in complete chaos. Last night’s local news station announced, The discovery of grisly human remains being uncovered in Manitou! The body of the young women was mutilated beyond recognition! Reporters crowded the entry area while the Chief of Police and three of the City’s Council members argued with the Mayer in the reception area. The Mayor’s aged secretary Maggie did

her best, attempting to herd everybody into the Hearings Room for an ad hoc press release.

A white Coroner’s van pulled up, parking in the loading zone. Two men in white coats hopped out while the gathering crowd turned to gawk. One of the technicians climbing into the back reappeared with two deluxe sized white plastic bags. Tossing one of the bags to his partner he jumped down to the pavement.Pushing past the crowd into City Hall they proceeded down the long white tiled hallway turning right into the Mayor’s office.

While they placed the plastic bags on the floor a reporter leaned in, snapping pictures with her camera Is it true? Is it the body of a woman brutally murdered? Her body dumped in the creek? she asked while Maggie stepped in pushing her back into the hallway.

You’re not allowed here. You need to leave! Rushing into the Mayor’s office after the two techs, You can’t do that! This is the Mayor’s office! she snapped.

Handing her a clipboard, Sign here. asked the tech pointing to an appropriate line. Maggie grabbed the pen signing blindly. Thanks! He ripped out the pink copy, handing it to her. The techs walked out the door returning back to their vehicle. It’d been exactly two minutes since the Coroner’s van pulled up.

MEET THE MAYOR

Meanwhile, the Mayor called to Maggie. Good Lord Maggie! What in God’s name is in those bags? Marsha had been Manitou’s Mayor for the past two terms. Nobody could figure out why, as no one admitted to voting for her.

Marsha’s features were as sharp and pointed as her words. She was sixtyish, tall, pale and slender. She spoke with a back east accent taking the Rs out of her words. She had no enemies but was intensely disliked by her employees and friends, by saying the wrong things at the wrong times.

Maggie rushed out from the office, clasping her hands together in what could only be a silent request for forgiveness. Your Honor, I tried to stop them! Really, I did! But they insisted! she whined.

Marsha looked at her with distaste, Well, what am I to do now? Turning to face the Police Chief, Marybeth, why is it that I always have your department’s trash to deal with? Without waiting for an answer the Mayor stomped out of the reception area, moving to the Hearings Room where the crowd gathered.

Marybeth frowned looking at the three figures cowering in front of her, two Councilmen, Nat and Mark as well Councilwoman Fancy Holmes. Just great! she thought angrily, A guy who just runs, a wild-west impersonator who’s a nut and a bumbling store clerk that isn’t above frequenting any of our local taverns as soon as they open. That represents our town leadership just as well as Marsha does, that bitch! the Chief scowled at her thoughts.

MEET THE POLICE CHIEF

Prior to being Police Chief Marybeth graduated from the local Community College earning a degree in Police Sciences. Starting green with Manitou, she’d worked her way through the ranks.

Marrying a local fellow who managed the community of Crystal Beds they settled peacefully in Manitou. She kept busy between taking care of their two children and responding to Manitou’s civic needs.

Marybeth liked the quaintness of Manitou, from a law-enforcement perspective, it was one of the safest cities in the country. In her thirty-six of working on the force, there’d been only three homicides. The rest of the crimes were petty for the most part, shoplifting, neighborly disputes and assorted disorderly conducted violations.

Her daily work schedule had been mostly pleasant until Marsha had been voted the Mayor. After being the Police Chief for almost twenty-five years she only recently started counting the days since the Mayor was in office. She tried the best she could but she found the woman intolerable.

THE BUSINESS AT HAND

Forcing her face to form a businesslike expression she resolutely, Marybeth addressed the dynamic trio in a bright tone, Well, glad you three could come and lend some support to the Mayor during this time. Before we speak to the Press, let’s all meet in Marsha’s office to review our facts.

"Nat, can you find Sergeant Mulles? Have him meet us for an update. Fancy, would you please tell the Mayor we’d like her to be ready to join us at the press conference scheduled twenty minutes from now. I’d like her to be present here when we reconvene in five minutes. Mark, would you please be Press liaison? Track down Katie Clummens. Have her get in touch with her contact with the media. She’s to tell them that the Manitou Police Department and Mayor’s Office will have a prepared statement regarding the skeletal