Sweetwater Creek

We came upon a woman on the Factory Ruins trail, a trail marked in red. We were orienting ourselves to a rougher, rockier section of the hike we'd planned--past the ruins of the old textile mill left vacant since Sherman's March to the Sea and somewhere between "overlook" and the "falls overlook"--when she came out of the woods nervously.

"Do you have a phone?"

Immediately, I sense danger and disater and look back to Dawn for her cell phone.

"There's a guy back there with a gun. I think he's committed suicide."



I got no signal on the phone and immediately began to climb the hill next to the trail. I saw two bars popping in and out on the phone screen and dialed 911. I got an operator and nervously described what I'd been told.

I wasn't able to complete the call, but I had their attention and gave them some basic information. A start.

Dawn felt a scary vibe from the woman and the situation. Good to be suspicious in retrospect.

When I came back down the hill, I knew that at some point the 911 operator would call me back. We started to steam out of the trail, we were probably in 1.5 miles or so.
I was walking so fast over the rock and dirt with a great sense of urgency and insecurity, but at the same time--my footing was very sure and strong even without paying that much attention to where I was going.

Dawn had seen the man's legs lying there. I hadn't.

"Pressure.....coming down on me, coming down on me..." Dawn's Queen ringtone. Appropriate.

Just past the ruins again I was able to get back on the phone with 911 and they were sending rescuers and police into the trail. We were to meet them on their way in.

As we came near to the end of the trail, we saw uniforms and atv's, badges and guns, a backboard.

We stopped and talked with the Park Ranger, and African man of stature who was clearly disturbed, but cleanly focused. He asked us a few questions then asked us to wait at the visitor center.

We waited. And got curious. Reflected, wondered.

Eventually we wandered out to get more to drink from the car, and Dawn, who has handled situations like this and worse before in her residence life career, began asking questions.

"We're 80 percent sure its a suicide," said the sherriff's department investigator.

Why here? it's certainly beautiful...isolated. I puzzled over the location--right along the trail. Maybe he wanted to be found. Maybe it as a special spot for him--from his youth, with a love he'd lost...


And I wonder why I want to know.