Spirit Animal in My Travels

 Have you ever wondered, 'What is my spirit animal?'

Or what would appear as your mystical Patronus guardian and protector if you pulled off the magic 'Expecto Patronum' charm?  

The 'Dillo, my spirit animal is conjured in Clayton, New Mexico

I have been conjuring armadillos for some time now, off and on; mostly brought into two dimensional reality to celebrate birthdays and other positive milestones. Perhaps the 'Dillo is my spirit animal, maybe even my Patronus guardian.

Having returned to Texas in March from my home-building project in Northwestern Washington; I reluctantly acknowledged my yet unfinished business in the Pacific Northwest. It was now the last week on June, I packed for my return to the construction site. I had enjoyed the renewed sense of being married, sharing a home and the underrated blessings of a mundane life with my wife. I found an appreciation in the normal tides of life's chores and the casting of plans for some special nights out together.

With Amarillo in my rear view mirror, I drove west on I-40, cutting north up the western edge of the Texas panhandle before turning west and crossing the border into New Mexico. Clayton, the small historic cattle drive town makes a good and frequent place to stop for lunch in my travels.

The Dairy Queen in Clayton is now closed. But, when it was open and serving throngs of Texans passing through, it had historic photos from early 20th Century Clayton on the walls. These photos included scenes from the 1905 hanging in town of the notorious train robber, Black Jack. If one were seated in a specific DQ booth, consuming a basket with a Beltbuster burger, fries and a DQ Blizzard; one of the old photos on the wall showed that the hangman had made the noose at the end Black Jack's rope too long. If one looked closely, it was apparent that Black Jack's head had popped off at the neck when he dropped through the trap door, leaving the formally dressed body slumped beneath the gallows and his head at the feet of the sheriff. Alas, that lunchtime oddity is no longer open for business.

While in Clayton I've enjoyed great chile rellenos at the old Hotel Eklund, roadside taco stands and Tex-NewMex at the Rabbit Ears Cafe. This afternoon, I was seated on the patio of the 87 Restaurant. I was hoping for a chicken fried steak. No dice, they just ran out. Note to self: next time drive faster.

While waiting on the back patio for my enchilada dish to be serve to my table, I noticed boxes of colored chalk available to the patrons. Most people who took chalk to hand merely wrote little passages extolling the virtues of their hometown. I opted to conjure a dining companion. I invited my chalk-rendered armadillo spirit animal to my table, where we discussed our travels. If my dining companion was a fabled magic Shuga Dillo, then he had the power to bless and protect my journey in the coming days. 

My spirit animal rode with me in imaginary form into Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho and finally to Washington. I left the chalk dust visage of my spirit Dillo to remain behind at the table to delight later diners with his company. 

I expect he was hosed into oblivion at the close to the day. But I remember his traveling graces fondly from Clayton, New Mexico and the 87 Restaurant.

My advice: Enjoy the journey - and conjure your spirit animal to travel as your companion. But don't get caught robbing any mail trains in Clayton.