The Yellowstoners

What can I say about those I met in Yellowstone? When referring to any large group of people, I have never been able to say that there is not a single person that I don’t like.  In all honesty, I can’t really say that about this group either, but it’s the closest I’ve come to it. This was the most dynamic and fascinating collection of weirdoes and free-spirits I’ve ever come across. There were also college students and recent graduates who came from all over the U.S. and the world. A number of the employees I met are people who have, for years, traveled from one location to the next, doing seasonal jobs, and making their way back around—some in their twenties, some in their fifties, and several in between. To them, the idea of a 9 to 5, permanent job is terribly disturbing. To avoid this domestic trap that so many of their fellow human beings willingly fall into, they take advantage of the seasonally opened national parks, ski lodges, and beach resorts. These professional nomads form friendships based on a common desire to celebrate life as it comes: friendships that are put on hold at the end of the season but recommence the following year without pause or awkwardness. This subculture of people—many of whom are close to my age, come from similar backgrounds, have college degrees in sociology, psychology, English, and so on—has somehow maintained an understanding of life that I have acknowledged but have yet to accept in full: the understanding that life is, as has been stated, short: that we are all presented with a brief opportunity to experience as much as we can and paint the canvas that is our lives with as many colors as possible before the brush is taken away. These are the people who refuse to work with a reliable grey or beige. At the end of the season, they discard everything that will slow them down and keep only the essentials.

 

My biggest regret regarding my stay in Yellowstone is that I spent too little time with my fellow employees. It seemed like 5 months would be sufficient, and that I would have plenty of chances. But as the season rolled on, a few returned to school. Then, two of the most wonderful ladies I’ve ever met went home to Singapore. Eventually, our beautiful Nina (server assistant extraordinaire) left for her tour of the country, and then home to Taiwan. You would think I’d have learned my lesson and spent the remainder of the season with those who stayed on. But I simply could not keep up with them. How they had the energy to stay out at the employee pub until 3 a.m. and be at work by 6 a.m. for the breakfast shift was beyond me. Each time I considered joining them, I envisioned myself keeling over into a guest’s full stack of blueberry pancakes.  Another barrier between the group and me was my aversion to spending money. A night of partying can significantly deplete one’s cash funds, and having a fairly serious (and permanent) case of buyer’s remorse myself, I only went out on occasion and usually felt guilty about it in the morning. This sense of frugality did not belong to my friends, however, who impatiently awaited the arrival of their paychecks (most of them strategically planned their two days off to immediately follow that arrival) before they departed on some adventure.