NOTES FROM THE VAGABOND JOURNAL A VISIT TO RUGBY, NORTH DAKOTA JANUARY 18, 2003 CONT'D - (11)

This is where it started: my first visit to the first community: Rugby, North Dakota, January, 2003. Why does one go to Rugby in January, you ask? If you want to see what a town is made of, you have to see it in the tough season, as well as the sweet, and January in Rugby is the tough season.

You can't imagine

sitting with a fellow who can recall from memory all thirty-one buildings in the Prairie Village, in their proper order and with highlights of their contents. Blessum has had plenty of opportunity to see the buildings over the years, including helping with school tours in May when as many as 800 kids will tour the museum.

"I remember one of those kids was opening and closing drawers in a cabinet at the general store," Blessum said. "I thought he'd open and close every drawer in the place. I said 'Say, did you find the one with the mouse in it yet?' Well, that stopped it. He didn't open another drawer."

Before I left him, I asked Blessum what he would identify as the characteristics of the people of Rugby. "Friendly" is the first trait he listed. He said visitors to the museum have told him they couldn't believe how friendly the people of Rugby are.

The second characteristic: "The people here are willing to do most anything for you." I have to agree: Blessum let me pick at his brain for six hours. It was 3:30 p.m. when I left.

*

I got myself something to eat at the Cornerstone Cafe – an open-faced roast beef sandwich with mashed potatoes and gravy and dressing. Comfort food. And a fellow needed some comfort. The weather forecasters were promising temperatures to nearly 20 below zero and winds approaching 50 m.p.h. and a little snow mixed in just to keep everybody nervous. As I ate, I could see the wind shaking the traffic signs, I could see snow blowing and drifting across the highways, I could see the light disappearing from the western sky and a grey pall of darkness approaching like sadness. What did I come to Rugby in January for? For this, just this, a Great Plains blizzard. The wind slapped me hard as I walked out to my car after my meal, the wind slapped me like it meant business. Yet by morning I saw that it was just a lot of empty bluster. Oh, it was cold, sure, but the wind has died and there was hardly any new snow. If the wind blew 50 m.p.h. during the night I didn't hear it shake the building.

To be continued....