I have had a difficult time, trying to explain that the people in North Dakota are not friendly.  The people in North Dakota think that they are friendly.  The only thing friendly about the people in North Dakota, is that they don’t shoot people or stab people right away, usually.  This makes the people in North Dakota friendlier than the gang members in south central Los Angeles or Chicago, because they are less likely to stab you or shoot you.

Now in Dickinson, I don’t want to leave my apartment and go anywhere.  There is no where in Dickinson that I want to go, not one place.  How can I explain this to people, that this is not normal, that there is no place worth going to?

To try to make my point, I will now explain that going to the County Dump in Idaho was a far better time than going to anywhere in North Dakota.  I have been to the Four Bears Casino in New Town, and to the Prairie Knights Casino near Mandan, and I had a better time at the County Dump in Idaho.

Back at my home in Idaho, I owned and operated my own business.  In the Summer, at least twice a week, I would have to make trips to the County Dump, most often to the wood pile section of the dump.

I would usually just have to slow down at the gate shack, because the employees would recognize me and know that I knew the routine, about what material was supposed to go where, so they just waved me by.

At the wood pile, I would usually see Mr. Wolf, who was about 90 years old.  Mr. Wolf had sold his tree service to his nephew about thirty years ago.  He had also once owned the local Stihl Chainsaw dealership.  He would be there at the wood pile picking out logs that he wanted to use for firewood, logs that he wanted to make furniture out of, and cut lumber that he wanted to use to make something with.

Mr. Wolf was always in good spirits, smiling, and happy.  He was always happy to see me, because he probably had been waiting for someone to come along to give him a hand loading logs that were too heavy for him alone.  I would always look to see what he was up to and help him.

I had as much enthusiasm for taking cut lumber from the dump, as Mr. Wolf.  It was like a gold mine of cut lumber at the dump.  When you get to large size dimensional lumber, like 3″x14″x16′, just one board like that would cost about $50 to $60 at a lumber yard.  Yes, that was an odd size timber board, but I would find lumber like this at the dump that had come from old farms and old barns.  I made several decks and stairs with lumber that I had taken from the dump.

Sometimes, after helping Mr. Wolf, he would tell me to stop by his antique shop or his equipment yard so he could show me his different collections.  He had many old International pick-up trucks, carry-alls, and work trucks.  One-of-a-kind custom equipment to haul enormous tree trunks, and, enormous ancient tree trunks.

Another older man who was usually at the wood pile, was Roy, who was in his seventies.  I would help Roy load logs that were too big for him alone.  Roy took the logs home, split them into fire wood, stacked the wood in cords, and sold firewood by the cord.  Back at his trailer adjacent to the Snake River, he had stacks and stacks of wood, about $5,000 worth of salvaged firewood at any time.  When Roy was splitting wood, about 30 muskrats would gather around him, and act like Roy was no different than any other muskrat.  I paid Roy to help me on a couple of work projects.

I would see Dusty, who managed a work crew Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.  An ex-girlfriend who left him ten years ago, who he hadn’t seen or heard from in ten years, got a child support judgement against him and wage garnishment for $36,000, leaving him no money at all.  He asked me if he could work with me on weekends, which he did.

There were nice looking women who came to the dump, wearing short shorts and tank tops, who were friendly.  There was a girl named Shea who worked at the dump and ran the D9 Caterpillar Dozer, usually wearing a Bikini top and shorts.  Shea had platinum blond hair, was thin, very tan, had nice boobs, and she wore a Bikini top.

One time, a pick-up truck backed a yellow truck-bed trailer into the wood pile, unhooked the trailer, and took off.  I telephoned Shea, and I said hey Shea, this truck just left this trailer here, I think they meant to leave it, if I unload it, can I take it?  Shea said, I know the truck that came in with it, let me stop this truck and ask them.  Shea called me back and said, yea, you can have the trailer.  I still have this yellow truck-bed trailer to this day on my property back in Idaho.

There were other people that I was friends with from the dump, I made many great lumber finds, other good finds, I met people wanting work done, I met people looking for work who I had work with me.  I had such a good time at the dump, that I would invite homeowner customers to ride to the dump with me, and they had a good time too.

Like I said, I had a much better time at the County Dump in Idaho, than any place that I have been in North Dakota.