Gus pulls a map out of the car’s glove box with the four biggest vortices marked on it. The map is crude. The map is drawn with a pen, but with text added that must have been made with free computer software. The map looks like it’s been copied at least a thousand times.
We decide to head to the Airport Mesa vortex because it’s the closest one.
We park the car and hike up a short, dusty trail until we reach the top of the small mesa that overlooks the town. When we arrive, a dozen people are sitting in a circle, humming. Three men are naked in the circle, while a barefoot woman flows in and out of the circle tapping people on the shoulder, like a game of duck-duck-goose. Other than the three naked men, the group is a combination of stereotypical New Age hippy types and dorky tourists, clearly here on a stop-off just to see what all the fuss is about on their Grand Canyon vacation. An inverted-triangle-shaped man who belongs in a catalog where you mail order military men is the most out of sorts of the bunch, but even he seems to be playing along. Or he’s just taking the time to nap between drives.
Other than the humming and movement of the group, nothing is happening. Gus and I stand for a bit, waiting to feel or see something. Intellectually, I know nothing will happen. That these vortexes–sorry, vortices–aren’t real. But it’s been such an odd week that I find myself believing anything is possible. Or maybe just hoping.
Gus and I turn to leave at the same time. I wonder if he was hoping for something too. As we get away from the group, I feel my shoulders unclench.
“I guess I was expecting… something weirder.” Gus says, looking down at his feet as he walks.
“I was hoping to at least feel sort of odd or something. I don’t know. Even the naked guys didn’t really seem that out of place.”
“Maybe you have to be in the circle or naked to really get it,” Gus muses, earnestly.
“I don’t think that’s it, Gus.” I try not to laugh.
“I do think we should try another one, though.” Gus pulls out his map. “I feel like Bell Rock Vortex is a better bet. It’s close enough to town, and what do we have to lose?”
“Sure, that works. What are we hoping to find?”
“Well, ideally we’d just run into Alexis or Melinda there, ready to answer all our questions.”
“And if that doesn’t happen?”
“At least someone to chat with us, I guess. I didn’t want to interrupt the ceremony up there. Plus I think those people probably paid to be there.”
“That’s a better expectation,” I am still unclear how serious Gus is about any of this, “Let’s head there now. Maybe there’s some type of mid-day ceremony we can catch.”
