Yesterday, my friend Maidie and I went to the Co-op in Hanover, New Hampshire to grocery shop.  After we were done, we drove the car to behind the gas station next door to eat the lunches that we had purchased.  There’s a short grassed road running along-side a field, we pull into it and park at the head.  We get out, planning to lunch on the corner of the grassy field.  I see in the distance, at the end of the grass road, a trail sign.  Maidie has walked over and sat down on the field and I head towards her.

There is a small sign planted on the edge and it warns of pesticides.  The field has been treated in the last 48 hours it describes.  We quickly remove ourselves and head over to the picnic table across the parking lot, on the backside of the gas station.  A pleasant couple says, ‘hello’ as they get up from the table to throw their lunch trash away.  We sit down.

Lunch is sushi and a banana.  This is my last time eating fish or seafood.  I have decided to go back to being a vegetarian so I savor each bite.  Maidie and I chat about this and that.  I’m feeling melancholy as she will be moving away soon.  This will be one of our last meals together.

We finish eating and she offers to throw all the lunch trash away.  My curiosity has finally gotten the best of me and I run down the dirt road to read the sign.  Indeed, it is a trail sign.  I see the familiar Appalachian Trail marking and the white blazes on the trees.  I can hardly contain my excitement and I quickly break out pen and paper.  I jot down a brief note saying, “Lakeshore friends, please go to the Dartmouth Outing Club on campus and read the Register.  Girl with Dog.”