For some reason, tonight, I thought of Charles Bukowski. I was standing outside and envisioning him standing on the streets of Skagway. Of course he was smoking and drinking, but he was doing more than that. He was living, breathing, loving, hating and cursing with Skagway. He found the joy, but didn’t mask the indisputable reality. This mixture of emotion made me smile. Not because I wanted to revel in the same set of emotions as him, but because I had a moment that felt as poetic and real as does all of his writing. Whether or not you have read his work, know this, he speaks his own truth. He doesn’t sugar coat, say the right thing, wait for the timing to be right or falsify himself for better societal acceptance. He is and he does. Some people hate him, some people love him. I’ll let you decide.
I guess that is what I felt tonight. This town makes me feel real. I feel alive. I don’t worry about what shoes I wear or what I accessorize with. Sure, I brought my earrings and makeup, but no one gives a shit about whether your shoes match your outfit or if you’re wearing the right color given the season. You do and wear what you want for you and only you. You dance like nobody’s watching. You don’t have to prove anything to anyone. God knows the Disney cruise folks don’t care; they are only concerned about placing as many Mickey and Minnie stickers around town as possible. We know you were here Disney cruise, no need to leave us a momento.
The point is, Skagway is what it is. Sometimes we have eggs, sometimes we don’t. Sometimes I wish I could make a quick trip to Target for a new top. The next day, I love that my old, ragged t-shirt from high school will do just fine and instead of spending hours roaming aimlessly through those perfectly arranged ailes, I cook, play softball, take a hike in the woods or just sit idly, gazing at the magnificent mountains around me. It took me a few weeks to find the right hot sauce, but I found some! In Juneau, a plane ride away. Totally worth it. Tapatio on eggs? I will travel many miles.
I have been reminded of the real joys in life. The ones we forget about, take for granted, excuse for something or someone showing us the better, more efficient way. There is more to life than new cars, wireless internet and 24hr gas stations. There are many luxuries that we have come to expect, but Skagway has reminded me, or maybe forced me to live simply and simply live. It takes planning. It takes patience. It takes a couple of deep breathes. But, it ends with a shrug, a smile and a set of shoulders with not an even an ounce of weight to carry. It’s not like we are without electricity and the modern amenities, but we don’t have everything. It’s a tiny town, with only a barge carrying our weekly supplies. We are lacking some of the conveniences and luxuries one could find in a big city, but Skagway has more life, love, laughter, music, community, serendipity and history than most cities could only hope for. There may not be much gold left up in those mountains, but the true gem that remains is Skagway.
For lack of a better and more concise way to explain everything that brings me joy in this town, I have come up with a top ten list. It is in no particular order. If you ever get to Skagway, I can only hope that we share some of this list.
1. The sound of my boots on a real, wooden boardwalk. Nine blocks long. It makes me feel like a bad ass.
2. There seem to be more bike racks than parking spots. Driving is actually less efficient in this town (especially when tourists are crowding the streets) and when you can do all of your errands on a vintage bike with a basket, why would you want to be stuck inside a metal box.
3. There is a true, old, local hardware store. If they don’t have it, you don’t need it.
4. I have two windows in my apartment. Both look out to the mountains and one even shows off a glacier.
5. Instead of Target, we have Skagway Swap. It gives an entirely new meaning to the phrase, one person’s junk is another person’s treasure. There is a better selection than Target and much better prices!
6. There is very little WiFi in town. Sure, it makes keeping a blog a bit difficult, but I have rediscovered things other than web pages, Facebook and Netflix. Things like the local library, NPR, and writing letters.
7. The tourists huff and puff and think the alcohol has gone to their head because of the elevation. Sea level is about eight blocks and five feet away people.
8. People are genuinely nice here. They want to have a conversation with you. We say hi on the sidewalks and wave to each other on the streets.
9. In just a short 3 mile hike, you can feel as if you’re at the edge of the earth. 
10. It turns out, the residents of Skagway are still finding gold to this day – in their own way perhaps.
1 Comment
Sounds like a magical place! Glad you’re enjoying.