Telescope stories IV

Again, it is the highway that provides the focus. It snakes over the mountains, like a river of information; of stories and intrigue.

This time, the story is of a highjacking. The astronomers had been driving down from site late at night, and had stopped to assist a group of people. Except the people then pulled a gun on them and drove them back into the mountains.

What would they have felt during that trip on the highway? Fear? Or unexpected calm? One can't really guess, right? They were eventually put down somewhere on the caldera; their vehicles and possessions taken, and left to the cold dark night. They made it back. The hiked until they found the highway, and hitched their way back to San Pedro.

Some of the other astronomers won't use that road at night now. Happily, we haven't up at the telescope late enough to be worried about it. While at San Pedro, I've been dreaming more, and sure enough, the night I was told of that story, I dreamt of being kidnapped. Sometimes you wonder if the stories from around the fires are told for the benefit of the rookies; something to help their over-active minds form ghosts out of the shadows of the night. But I think it did happen; it was real.

Another story from the highway.