Saturday in Flagstaff at Leroux and Aspen

a performance piece for four voices

1   Howdy
2   Hey there, long time no see
1   Well, I've been keeping busy
3   Excuse me, could you spare some cash
4   Well, what do you know -- I was just thinking about you
1   Likewise -- I saw you playing at the Redwood the other night
3   It's just that I'm short right now
2   Sure, no problem
4   Yeah, well it's the only way I can make money around here
3   I've been walking for world peace
1   I tell you, work's been real tough for me lately
3   Sometimes I sell medicine bundles, but mostly I live on what I can find
1   I suppose you heard we're shutting down
4   No kidding -- you know, I read something about that
2   Say, you look familiar
1   It's been hard enough with the weather
2   Did I see you at the Test Site?
3   I've been there many times
1   And all I'm trying to do is earn an honest day's wage
2   I thought I'd seen you around somewhere
1   The worst part is I'm going to lose my job because of a damn owl
4   You know, I heard that spotted owls are just an excuse
3   The real problem is overcutting of trees
2   He's right -- I see trucks coming in hauling four inch trunks
1   That's because we're not allowed to cut the older stands
3   The average age of the entire forest is falling rapidly
1   Younger forests are more healthy; older trees get diseased
2   What I hate to see is cutting down trees for a parking lot or housing tract
1   You're not against the town growing, are you?
4   More than anything else, the city needs a tax base
2   You can't get that with tourists and retirees
1   You gotta have industry
3   There's enough pollution here already
2   The traffic's already unreal
1   Yeah, mostly skiers and tourists
2   Skiers and tourists don't pay for the roads
3   Ski slopes are an abomination
4   Snow boarders are an abomination
3   Ski lifts pass over sacred sites which get littered with beer cans
4   I nearly had my nose broken when one rammed into me
1   What are you gonna do, tell the whole world to shut down?
3   No, just to be careful
1   Well, it's been interesting meeting you but I gotta take off
2   You hanging around town?
3   I'm continuing on, but I plan to return for the Sun Dance
4   It's getting late, and I still need to work out
2   I'll bring over some of my latest batch of home brew sometime
1   Yeah, well, take it easy
4   Catch you later
2   Take care
3   Peace