1.    I stood somewhere in the ponderosas.
2.    A single trickle of sap emitted from them.
3.    My great-grandfather owned several sawmills in the area.
4.    Recreated here.
5.    He had been estranged from his son, a notorious worker at the ketchup factory.
6.    Perhaps, that which was shrouded in mystery had actually been abundantly clear – we simply refused to see it.
7.    Including the legitimacy of the son, the son’s son, his various cousins, his children, his children’s children, me.
8.    Throughout the state of Oregon.
9.    Some of whom showed up at the funeral.
10.  That was when she saw them for the very first time.
11.  Oh my god, you exist!
12.  Then tore off a giant piece of garlic bread.
13.  Ha ha, said his wife – weren’t you on an elimination diet?
14.  Worms squirreling in the rainforest.
15.  The work of a beaver, in an embankment.
16.  The work of a nutria, behind the peach orthodontist’s.
17.  You can see it by the salmon river.
18.  His utilitarian teeth.
19.  A truly majestic manmade dam.
20.  Onlookers stopping their cars.
21.  And emerging from them: a bald eagle!
22.  A jogger, out of breath: I hope you have a great day!
23.  His persistence in drought.
24.  The birds of prey aren’t flying today, the greeter tells us – though their presence is not as morally repugnant as you may think.
25.  This fox? We found him mangled by the side of the road and lovingly restored him.
26.  This bald eagle? Well, his left wing has something wrong with it.
27.  So you can see him thoughtfully through the glass.
28.  Reassured, we nod.
29.  What news at the realtor’s?
30.  Four bedroom, three bath, killer deal.
31.  Our seller is highly motivated, the realtor says, you won’t see one like this again.
32.  If you’d like to up your equity, she continues.
33.  Which everybody should.
34.  Friend… Enemy… Friend again.
35.  (Referring to the birds of prey.)
36.  Alive with plants… and animals.
37.  (...)
38.  Well, the realtor was nice, and she gave me an emerald-white pamphlet with suggestions for someone who might repair the garbage disposal.
39.  Not that kind.
40.  You mean you can pour your food down the sink? Johannes asked, incredulous.
41.  Here, he goes by Joe.
42.  Well, you could.
43.  He has a problem with his breathing, so we amble up the hill.
44.  Slowly.
45.  Time is of the essence.
46.  We take it all in until we can’t anymore.
47.  So do I, cantering on a horse.
48.  The horse is like the beagle, it whinnies.
49.  The beagle is like the horse, it’s spotted.
50.  Spotted: another bald eagle!
51.  Or no: A spotted owl in the barn, swooping.
52.  Or looking fluffy and dormant. 
53.  The climbers on the cliff: they did all that with their grip.
54.  Behind them, a dormant volcano called Black Butte.
55.  My parents discuss hiking up it.
56.  You have to know where to look, and where to turn off in case your quadriceps rips.
57.  And then he continued hiking, hobbling 8 miles to the gravel road.
58.  His rescuer was so angry. Nobody knew why.
59.  The neighbor chatted us up as he heaved our bikes in the bed of the truck.
60.  He’s all better now.
61.  I was walking towards him when I saw what hung in his garage.
62.  It was utterly incongruous with the region, and also with myself – I’m bad at speaking things directly.
63.  I paused.
64.  On the other hand, the treasure of indulgences is naturally most acceptable, for it makes the last to be first.
65.  Then continued forward to my door.
66.  Children rang its bell and ran away.
67.  I imagined a scenario in which I confronted the neighbor, asking: Why?  
68.  Politely.
69.  In fact, there is no such thing as effective communication.
70.  Except for the pallet of bread dissolving in my mouth, and the grape juice that hasn’t been fermented.
71.  Luckily, despite my baptism, I haven’t had to pay the taxes.
72.  Clerical error.
73.  Consult dad: The legal expert of the family.
74.  Also the Protestant.
75.  Everyone is free to do as they like in this country.
76.  It’s the best system of all bad ones.
77.  Out for a bike ride, huh?
78.  We drove to where there were fewer cars, and my hands baked in the sun.
79.  You think everything will be like this.
80.  In retrospect, it won’t be.
81.  Well it’s totally within his rights, said Dad.
82.  You can hear people go up and down the stairs.
83.  You can hear my mother whisper in conspiratorial tones.
84.  The most expensive part of the house to recarpet.
85.  The most expensive hobby available to me is downhill skiing.
86.  I was flying, I wrote my daily. 
87.  Literally flew, tumbling down the icy corduroy.
88.  One ski up top, the other below me. Bob slid down to help me out.
89.  Though it happened to me, I can only guess at what happened.
90.  I fell with complete equanimity at my fate, calm.
91.  For days, a thumb of my neck remained stiff – my left side.
92.  I extended my hands to mimic the spread of a California Condor and tipped my head to my right.
93.  Of which there were so many – now only nine, if my memory serves me.
94.  Again, they are raised in captivity.
95.  Their captors confident of their entry into heaven.