Spring Thaw

*Thomas knows summer is nearly here. And while he appreciates the abundance of warm weather and enjoys the long Montana days, he doesn't share the same enthusiasm most of us have as June, July, and August hover just around the corner.

Since November, he has been living in a mostly dried creek bed in the outskirts of the county. It was a difficult winter but he had everything he needed to survive. Occasional trips into the closest town afforded him supplies to help him manage the weather and freezing temperatures. His tent was nestled beneath the 5 foot gulley that shielded him from wind. Blankets and sleeping bags insulated his dwelling place and fire pit he dig at the entrance of his tent provided heat.

Food was sometimes scarce but the periodic trips into town allowed him to fill his pickup truck with donations from the food bank. He parked his truck in the woods, just off an access road about a quarter mile from where he camped. It was his only possession after the fire that forced him into his current situation. On the rare occasions when he still drove it, he was reminded of what it was to not be homeless. Every time Thomas turned the ignition over, he closed his eyes and remembered his life of just a few short months ago.

During the winter, the creek bed was a slow and steady trickle, just deep enough to catch fish. It provided him company, protection, and solitude. In the back of his mind he understood it would be a temporary habitat, and now that supposition was becoming a reality. The increasing temperatures and warmer weather was melting the snowpack miles above him, producing a steady expansion in the creek. By all accounts, Thomas estimated he had about another 3 weeks until he would have to find a new place to live.

Thomas sat in the entrance of his tent, looking up at the clouds rolling across the sky. And while the rest of Big Sky Country applauded and welcomed springtime, he knew if he were any other person, he would probably feel the same way.

But he wasn't. And he knew that his life was about to change again.

*Not his real name