Shared Places: The Waterfall

July 2026

Water crashes over worn rocks before cascading into the “swimming hole.” Above, stars stand out like a freshly shaved face. Darkness swallows Charlie and me as we sit on a couple of dry rocks. Something gnaws at me, a thought that won’t go away. I pass the hand-rolled cigarette back to him.

“Ever think about how long it’s been since a human has done the same thing as you? Like, when was the last time two humans camped on this stream?” Charlie yells over the sound of the waterfall.

I can’t see our tents from here. The full moon illuminates only the wooded edge of the stream. We had wanted to light a small fire, but the breeze is constant, and the earth is parched. Not worth a forest fire. Yet, I can almost picture two guys in our place. My only problem is the shifting outfits worn as I ponder when the last time this scene played back in human history.

10,000 years earlier

They’re hunting caribou, but it’s dark now. Spears rest against packs of hide and fur. The moon shines brightly. They cup cold mountain water and sip. The waterfall is deafening. A fire burns next to them, barring mosquitoes. Excitedly, they share perspectives of the hunt. One of them says, “We waited for the glaciers to leave.” The other grunts in agreement. 

1828

Cracking wood and crying trees echo in their ears, even after the sun set on the logging day. The two of them used rocks to form a windbreak around their fire. Only embers are left. But the last of supper, salt pork and beans, remain. One of them stares at the waterfall. Pipesmoke, sweet and relaxing, drifts up into the moonlight. “I’m turning in,” the other says.

1995

Giggling, the school boys pass a joint. “Are you interested in Cherry?” one of the boys asks. “Pff! No!” The other lies. They laugh. Their neon colored sleeping bags are nearby, but still out of sight. When the joint is gone, they listen to the waterfall’s never-ending monologue. 

2026

“Dude! I was literally just thinking this the other day,” I reply. We all share this world, and its natural features remain beyond the human scope of time. Well, except in terms of climate change. Now I wonder how long this waterfall will last? 

A cool timeline of Carrabassett History

I’ve written about time before!