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Chapter Six
Riley
AS I PULL MY Jeep into the parking spot along the Yellowstone River, in a park with a name I don’t think I will ever be able to pronounce, I can’t help but think that this has to be the most Podunk town I have ever landed in, to date.
I have been traveling for three days from Portland. I never stay in one place for very long. But when I need to, I’ll make a pit stop for a few months and get some work to save up and keep going. So here I am, in a small town called Columbus Falls. I had a job in Portland at a small doughnut shop, but I ate my way through every paycheck and the tips were crap.
I stopped at the grocery store on my way in to chat up some locals, I’m kind of a people person, and they told me the recent gossip was that the bar might be hiring for a weekend summer shift. Bars are my favorite place to work, especially in the summer months. The tips are amazing, and the bar food is usually on the house.
They told me the bar was down the main road, across from the railroad tracks. That I can’t miss it. This town is tiny, only around 2,000 people live here, the Yellowstone River runs through it and there is a train that runs quit often carrying coal, because this town is full of mines. That’s how this town started.
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Built from the mine up, literally. I got the whole story from of the locals.
I cross the railroad tracks a few blocks away from the park access, lock up my vehicle, and start walking.
I noticed when I drove in that this town doesn’t even have a stop light! On the main street, right across from the railroads, is a whole block of original stonework buildings. The bar I am looking for is called New Atlas, the oldest bar in town and is also known as “the dead zoo.” As I walk along the sidewalk admiring the old buildings, I peak inside each store front and someone waves at me. That must be a small-town thing, I am not used to the friendliness of every person, but I put on my best smile and wave back. From what I gathered, from listening to the town gossip, everyone knows everyone here. So, I am sure word will get around fast that someone new is in town, and she looks…out of place.
The sign above the bar looks old. The kind that stands out straight from the brick and the plastic, that I assume was once white, is now yellow. On the sign is the map of Montana with an elk and a moose. Seeing a moose would be amazing. I grab the thick brass handles and open the heavy wood double doors. My eyes grow wide when I look around as the doors open and I take a step in.
The first thing I see are four huge elk heads lining either side of the wall above my head. Then, it dawns on me what they meant when they said, “the dead zoo.” The zoo continues from there. It almost seems like every wall space and counter surface is covered with a dead animal. Rabbits, sheep, bears and even a couple golden eagles. As I walk through and find a seat at the bar, my eyes are drawn to the back bar. It is by far the most impressive part. Its massive, a dark grain wood, antique. Pillars with swirled carvings go from top to bottom, with mirrors in each of the three sections. and lined with bottles of liquor. The bar stools that line the ancient looking counter are accompanied
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by spittoons, which if I look hard enough, it seems, are still in use.
But it’s when I look up that my eyes grow even wider. The tin ceiling is gorgeous. It’s yellowing in places but the silvery shine of what it once was is still visible. I spin on my heels and am mesmerized by the beauty this bar holds.
“Original ceiling,” a woman says to me, bringing me out of my daze. I focus my attention on her and smile.
“Hello there.”
She has blonde hair and red bangs, and she walks towards me from the other end of the bar.
“Oh, hi.” I say and give a little wave.
“Can I get you something?”
I am the first one in the bar. It opened at four and I wanted to be here early so I could avoid any crowds.
“No thanks. I am actually here because I was told you were looking for someone part time?”
“I’m honestly not sure. The usual bartender isn’t here now but let me go grab the owner for you.”
She disappears into the back again and I turn, to take in more of my surroundings. Opposite of the main bar has a remarkably similar old oak looking back bar. Slightly different but still just as stunning. I take a few steps towards the back and get a better look at the buffalo and a moose. They are huge. North Carolina doesn’t exactly have these kinds of animals running around, so I have never seen them in person, the size of them seems unnatural to me.
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There’s pool tables and dart boards in the back with even more elk, deer, birds, foxes and even a two headed baby calf. So weird.
“Hello,” the owner, I assume, says as she enters the bar from the back room.
