Jul 01 - MID-POINT in this Journal's Journey***

Saturday, July 1, 1972 - Page 183
LOCATION: Bethlehem & Rapid City, South Dakota

Half-way thru this big year...

THE YEAR IS EXACTLY HALF OVER

(11:30 AM 7/4/1972)
So I woke up at 7:30. Bruce got up somewhere before 6:00. Anyway, I ate breakfast with the gangs and then wandered around outside. Tom H. and John were at the cave unloading boxes of candles from the Van, so I helped them. Father Gil was gone yesterday, but he had come in during the nite. I met him again at breakfast. He's a nice fellow.

Anyway, eventually another group went down into Rapid -- Tom, Me, Bruce, Mike F., John and a couple who were up at Beth for a short time, and were going to Rapid to hitchhike out -- they were Andi, a chubby gal, and Pat, an Amish sort of fellow -- they both seemed under 20. So we all drove down the road (we always have to use the grader or a cat to pull the van through the creek where the road was washed out), and we stopped at a farmhouse at the end of the road for Bruce's car (Illinois license -- he's from Suburban Chicago), a Valiant with a busted transmission. Mike F., John & Bruce (mostly Mike tho) removed the drive shaft. While we were there we talked with the friendly old man who lived there, and played with the friendly young kitten that lived there too.

John & Bruce rode in the car while we towed it into an Aamco station in Rapid City. There we found out it would cost $150 to fix. (Andi & Pat had left by then, being dropped off at the corner by Tom.) The cost was prohibitive, so Bruce and Tom drove to a junk dealer, but had no luck. They returned, and John, Me, and Tom & Bruce drove to another junk man and he said he'd have a look at it when he got off work at noon. So we left Bruce at the Aamco station with his car to wait for the junk man, while Tom, Mike, John and I went around Rapid -- Tom had to buy a part for Gil's car, and check in at Becker's Drugstore to find out what work there was to be done. There wasn't anything definite, so we drove back to Aamco to wait for the junk dealer. After an hour we left Bruce there again and went to Becker's to finish what little there was left. We did, and then we drove to a Salvation Army truck for lunch. Then we returned to Becker's to eat and to wait for Bruce who would be hitchhiking down.

To pass time I gave Mike and John that psychological test I'd heard in History Class long ago -- the path signifies life, the key symbolizes knowledge, the cup of love, etc. -- during that (I didn't give the test to Tom cause he'd already done it in Spain last year -- we had some time to waste then too), a couple of girls came by from another house to see what we were up to. We talked to her awhile and I learned some more about the flood.

EXPLORING YOUR HIDDEN PERSONALITY

One day during High School History class, our teacher shared an entertaining test he'd learned in his College Psychology course. It's not really a TEST (there are no right or wrong answers), it is a clever method of delving into the human imagination. Your responses uncover subconscious perspectives that reveal your unique view of life's journey.

Throughout my travels, I often used this "test" when meeting new people to break the ice or to fill those awkward moments when nobody has anything to say. After hearing responses from more than a hundred people over the years, I am constantly amazed by the revelations into human nature that are brought out during this exercise. Nobody ever gives the same answers to these questions.

See for yourself. Find the 6 questions here on my website: Your Journey. Write or record your answers, then I will auto-send you a one-time email that explains what it all means (no obligation, no cost, no spam, no kidding). I promise that you will be genuinely astounded. Share it with your family, friends or co-workers, and learn about the fantastic private worlds that live in everybody's heads.

Bruce came by in some body's car (the second ride he'd got) -- he'd sold his car for $45 -- he'd originally asked $125. John was disturbed about the car being sold because he and Bruce were going to drive to Iowa in it. So their plans have changed. We talked with the girls some more, toured the house, and eventually they left, and then we left driving back up to Beth.

It had sprinkled slightly, but hardly at all. Saturday I learned that practically everyone at Beth plays chess. I brought out my chess set (tho I didn't have a board), but John had a set and board so we used his. I played three games with Bruce in the retreat house -- the last game was interrupted by Dinner, but I won all three anyway. Then John and I decided to play cards. I dug up Tom and Lyle (a visitor from the Wonderland Cave Info center) who were at the Abbott's cabin, and we started playing poker. Lyle won, beating me, and left to drive back to Wonderland. We continued playing, and a few new people came in. Brad, who was here in January, Mike Youngster, Tim, and Mike National Guard -- all from Nebraska. Tom left, Bruce played, getting in debt with me & John, and Mike Y. also played. ---

I won eventually -- Bruce lost, Mike Y. lost, and I beat John playing Guts. Then I went on to lose 3 games of chess to Mike N.G. I played two with Lyle and won one. Finally got to sleep after Midnight. (Oh yeah, Lyle was here because his car broke down -- he slept in our room that nite). It rained that night, most of it on Saturday.

TOMORROW: The Cave of TIME