Guests and fish stink after three days.
I was excited to see Dan, my friend who moved to Utah. He was my hiking and backpacking buddy.
For the guest room, I washed bedding including the heavy quilt comforter. Cleaned and made my home shine. Made apple-carrot muffins.
Dan arrived on Thursday. Today by the time he left, I was worn out. While he was here, I prepared three meals/day; including our lunch for hiking.
Yesterday, after our 5.5 mile hike (1,000' elevation gain), I was tired. My foot hurt. Dan showered and began drinking wine while I threw myself into making dinner. He drank nearly a bottle of wine. I don't drink alcohol.
"I've become a lush," Dan joked. He is drowning his sorrows after being laid off. At age 64, he's at a crossroad. Retire on Social Security? Try to find a job? Of course, I listened to his woes.
"You want me to wash dishes?" he asked, surprised, when I asked. He was deeply into the wine. While dinner was cooking, I wanted to shower after hiking.
After making breakfast for Dan this morning, I had had enough. He was hung over. Twice I called him to come back for items he left behind. Just found his Iphone charger. Will mail it to him in Utah.
Sent Dan off with muffins, two types of cherries and roasted almonds.
Drinkers are sloppy. Red wine stains on the tablecloth and placemats. It was hard seeing Dan deeply unhappy. He seems lost. I feel worried about him.
Photos: Lake Colchuck hike with Dan, 2015.
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10 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Maybe, just maybe, if Dan had the honors of cooking... there would have been a better “balance” here?
I’m a believer in”no roles are assumed”...
Santanaman9
Level 7
July 14, 2019
1
That's what I call being on the wrong side of the bottle bottom. I know all too well how unpleasant that can be. Going through some hard times is no excuse to be a lousy guess. How ungrateful.
QuidamOutrepont
Level 8
July 14, 2019
2
Thank you. Dan is not acting like himself. He's deeply depressed.
He didn't even thank me.
I guess a judgment at the margins...for some of us, even normally large drinkers, in the company of ladies not drinkers, we enjoy the company without our alcohol crutch...if we cannot do this, we surely have a problem...
seattlepanda
Level 7
July 13, 2019
2
but I'm happy you seem to have had a nice time.
don't worry too much about him...he needs to worry about himself before you may do him much good...
You are a good hostess...you can only be accountable for your own actions and you did well...I would not invite him back, though...seems like he is not a good guest...but perhaps, his own misery affected his manners in a negative way....no excuse, but it might be something you, as a friend, could talk to him about...
thinktwice
Level 8
July 13, 2019
4
I had to look up that rock behind Big Dan. Dragontail Peak. There's a 12-pitch 5.9! Awesome looking route. It follows the red line in attached photo.
Do you see climbers up there often?
CallMeDave
Level 8
July 13, 2019
0
I haven't been back to Lake Colchuck in years. It is overcrowded with Seattleites.
In 44 years, I have never seen climbers on Dragontail Peak, 6,000'.
In late May 2016, I saw a conga line of climbers on Colchuck Glacier, to the right of Dragontail. I counted 30 people. Fifty-five more people had backpacks- planning to camp overnight- at Lake Colchuck that has only five or six campsites. Where would they spend the night?
They caused severe damage to fragile terrain that will take years to recover. This was the weekend before the required permit- period for overnight camping: May 15 to October 30.
Hikers use Lake Colchuck as a jump-off point to get up into the fabled Enchantment Mountains, via Asgaard Pass on the left of Dragontail Peak.
sounds like a big project did he always drink a lot?
scout123456
Level 5
July 13, 2019
0
In the past, Dan drank a beer once in awhile. That's all.
@LiterateHiker I know how he feels, I had my job taken away gradually then my title got moved to another div and nothing to do that I wanted to do and could not find anyone who wanted me so I finally quit in February 2019. He's in a lot of pain and the alcohol is self medicating. He needs talk therapy, anti depressant and off the booze. He might want go to an animal shelter so he can feel needed. You did a good job with him he's lucky to have you as a friend.
He should have helped cook, and done the dishes. Least he could do.
Mitch07102
Level 8
July 13, 2019
2
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