The Lighthouse

Sometimes your instincts say more about you than you realize.

Chris Van Allsburg

Design for The Arizona Lighthouse Trust

The Lighthouse

The man stood on the side of the road scanning the horizon with his binoculars. “Damn,”  he muttered to himself, with an air of disbelief. 

“Do you see it Dad,” yelled 11 year old Sammy Stewart from the back seat of the car.

“I see it. It’s right where you said it would be,” replied Jimmy Stewart, and then he added quietly “I hope our plan to get you up there works.”

Eleven year old Sammy had been having dreams for years. They were always about the same thing. A lighthouse on a mesa. He not only dreamed it but drew pictures and painted pictures of a lighthouse on a mesa. Not different lighthouses mind you, the same lighthouse on a mesa in different scenarios. Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall. Lush and green. Sometimes full of life. Sometimes just the lighthouse and keeper's house. Sammy had researched mesas with lighthouses. There really weren’t any according to Google and books. So Sammy searched for pictures of mesas until he found a formation that looked similar to his pictures. One would think Sammy had an obsession but now seeing it for real made Jimmy Stewart, yes that was his real name, wonder what it was his son needed from this place. 

“You should call mom,” said Sammy. 

Jimmy took his phone out and was relieved to see that he had a bar. “Melissa,” he said when his wife answered. “You are not going to believe this. It looks like his paintings.” He paused while she answered. “What do you mean which one? All of them.” He had to hold the phone back from his ear. “Yes, every last one of them. It looks like he painted it onto the sky, that's how real it is. No, I can't explain it,” he paused to listen to Melissa. “He wants to go up to the lighthouse. I am thinking it is what we need to do.” he paused again. “That is what he wants to do.” he listened some more. “If he wants to do it I will find a way. We have planned it out as far as we could. Now we will have to play it out as it happens.” He paused to listen but heard nothing. He looked at this phone. He realized he had lost its signal. 

“That is so cool,” stated Sammy as he gazed out the backseat window towards the lighthouse he could barely see in the distance. “Can we get closer?”

“Of course we can,” replied Jimmy. “We will get as close as we can.”

“I think that would be a good idea.” stated Sammy with confidence. He had been looking forward to this moment ever since he had found the mesa formation picture. Well, if truth be told probably before that. He had always believed in it. “Can we go across the desert?” he inquired. 

“There are lots of tire prints," replied his dad. “I’m sure it is ok.” He had been thinking about this moment as well. He found it hard to believe they had come all this way across the country on the possibility that his son had a connection to a mesa through his dreams. Neither he nor Melissa had quite believed that this would happen. Oh, yes, they encouraged Sammy with his ideas but had accepted that was all they were, ideas. And now faced with seeing it up close and personal he wasn’t sure where he stood on the whole thing. All he knew was that his son had worked hard to find it and that he wasn’t going to deny Sammy his due. 

“There are lots of saguaro trees and rocks,” Sammy observed, “Lots of rocks.”

James nodded and thought,”Lots of rocks.”

After driving for a few miles, and probably many more as Jimmy dodged the plants and rocks they finally arrived near the base of the mesa. 

“Wow,” exclaimed Sammy. “It looks so much like my dreams and the paintings.”

“How did you get them so accurate?” asked Jimmy

“I saw them so many times that it was quite the picture in my mind. From here I don’t think I could have done it better.”  Sammy mused a bit as he stuck his head out the window. “That’s quite high up,” he observed. 

“It is,” replied Jimmy.

“Are we walking from here?” Sammy asked. 

“I’m afraid so,” replied his dad. 

“Then I will get ready,” 

Jimmy turned off the engine. As he stepped out of the Jeep he realized the desert floor was pretty solid. He looked at his footprints and recognized that it was hard. “Hmmm. Hard packed terrain.” He thought to himself. He looked out at the rocks and roots and decided that maybe the wheelchair would be ok for some of the trip over to the Mesa.  He moved to the back of the jeep where he lowered the rack and drove the electric wheelchair off the ramp and moved it up to the side door of the Jeep. His son opened the door and scooted himself sideways into the chair.

“Is this going to work?” Sammy asked as he settled into the chair.

“I think we will try it ,” replied his father. “We won’t get far up the trail from the look of it but at least we can get close. From there I will have to carry you.”

“You brought the rigging, right?” asked Sammy.

“I did,” he replied as walked to the back of the Jeep and picked up the harness outfit he had especially made for this journey. It was light but strong. The harness maker assured him that it would hold Sammy no matter what. 

As Sammy wheeled around behind the Jeep he asked, “are you sure you can carry me up there?”

Jimmy looked at his son. “I have worked out for months to prepare for this. I will be fine.”

Sammy smiled. “Thank Dad.” he wheeled over with his arms stretched out. “I really mean it. Thank you for everything.”

“When you convinced your mother and I of the possibility of a lighthouse we both felt we owed it to you to see that you got here. You are more welcome than I could say.” as he hugged his son back. “Now let’s get started.” 

Sammy pulled his camera out of the pouch attached to the wheelchair. “First a picture.” and with that he snapped a few. He then wheeled over to the base of the mesa

“There’s a sign’” he called out enthusiastically. “Well, sort of. It looks like it is pretty old.”

“I would agree with that," said his father. “The gunshot hole didn’t put it out of its misery.”

Welcome to Lighthouse Mesa

It is illegal to hike off trail. Hiking is allowed only on the designated trail. Movement away from the trail could result in death.

You are at a high elevation and in a hot and arid climate. Please take precautions to look after yourself.

Dehydration and altitude sickness are common causes of medical emergencies. Please consider your health before hiking.

Carry and drink plenty of water. Eat salty snacks.

Watch out for Rattlesnakes. They like to lay in the sunshine on the rocks and path.

Difficulty: Very Challenging—unmaintained with a narrow passage, stone stairs, steep edges, loose rock, scrambling required. Loose rocks may move creating unstable conditions. 

Distance: 2.4 miles (3.9 km) roundtrip

Elevation Change: 227 feet (69 m)

“Rattlesnakes?” questioned Sammy.

“They are the least of our worries. We are going to be fine. We are well prepared for this.”

“Are you sure you want to do this?” asked Sammy.

“Of course,” replied his father. “Now, it is time for the final preparation,” and with that Jimmy backed up to Sammy in the wheelchair. Sammy undid all the necessary straps and using his arms pulled himself up onto his fathers back. Jimmy raised the straps so that Sammy could fasten them and Jimmy did the rest of his own. He picked up the water bottles and fastened them to the straps. He handed Sammy the small backpack which Sammy swung over his shoulder. Jimmy stood up with balance, bent his knees once to test everything and then started walking towards the beginning of the trail. 

“I wish you didn’t have to carry me,” stated Sammy. “I wish I could do this on my own beside you.”

“I know you do but this is how it has to be. Accidents happen and you have to make the best of the situation,” replied Jimmy. “So far in your life you have done almost everything you could to live your life in the best possible way. This is no different. This is going to work out just fine,” he said as he climbed the first 100 feet on the trail. Jimmy had thought his breathing would be laboured but so far so good.

“Do you ever think about what I would be doing if the accident hadn’t happened?” Sammy asked.

Jimmy thought about this for a second after he noticed the rattlesnake slithering off to the side of the path.

“I really haven't given it much thought. I have been too focused on helping you to live your life that nothing else really mattered.”

Neither said anything for a while as Jimmy worked his way up the path. 

Jimmy was walking steadily up the trail. He felt good and was full of good spirits when suddenly the loose rocks under his feet began to give away forcing his legs to start sliding backwards. He let go of his walking stick knowing the wrist wrap would keep it close by. They rode it out for a bit before Jimmy grabbed a passing boulder to balance himself. It stopped the slide.

“Dad, are you okay?” asked Sammy.

Jimmy caught his breath and steadied himself. “Not a problem," he replied. “That was quite the adventure.”

“Are we still going up?” inquired Sammy.

“To the very top,” replied Jimmy as he focused once more on the task at hand. “Are you warm enough?”

Sammy checked his upper body and replied. Everything up here is good.”

His Dad checked Sammy’s legs. “Everything is good down here too.” And with that he began his ascent, a little slower and more aware of the path and his footings. He was glad that Sammy had prepared himself for cooler temperatures as Jimmy noticed the temperature had dropped a couple of degrees as they went higher.

The path narrowed considerably as they went forward. Jimmy was concerned about bumping Sammy on the rock face and the weight shift creating a problem for them. Fortunately his training had helped him with this but he was cautious nevertheless. 

About three fourths of the way to the summit they took a water break and looked out over the horizon.

“It is beautiful up here,” reflected Sammy. “Look at all those Mesas? As far as the eye can see.”

“It certainly is,” agreed Jimmy. He took a quick look up the path. His eyes narrowed as he spied some boulders he was going to have to climb over. He took a couple of minutes to pull his thoughts together and increase his determination. ‘Almost there’ he thought to himself. “Let’s go,” he said to Sammy.

“I am ready when you are,” he chuckled out loud. 

Jimmy raised them over the first couple of boulders. He was scanning the area quickly for weaknesses.  The boulders were littering the path putting a bit of strain on his body. He cleared another boulder when Sammy called out “Snake!”

Jimmy faltered as he attempted to clear the boulder before slamming his knee into the next boulder, sending them down hard onto the rocks. He grunted with pain but quickly turned his thoughts.

“Sammy,” he called out quickly. 

“I am ok Dad. You make a firm pillow." With relief Jimmy started examining his own injuries. Badly bruised arms. A scraped up face. The worst though was his knee. When he tried to put pressure on it flames shot through the joint forcing him back to the ground. 

“Dad, I am going to let myself out of here. That will give you some room to move.” Sammy then undid all the straps holding him in and started pulling his body away from his dad. 

Jimmy groaned as he tested out his legs. He was able to pull his left leg underneath him but doing so created greater pain in his right knee. With a great deal of effort he forced himself to turn over to a sitting position. 

“It doesn’t look good,” observed Sammy. 

“Give me a few minutes,” replied his dad. They sat quietly listening to the wind. The silence was as far from city life as Jimmy had ever been. After a few minutes he tested his knee again. He didn’t want to admit the prospects were not good for going either way. 

Sammy, being ever aware of what was happening around him, inched a bit closer to the next set of rocks so that he could peer over them. He could see green a couple of hundred yards up the path. Trees or grass he wondered. In between were a few small boulders and then beach pebbles. A plan began forming in his mind.

“Can you put any weight on it?” inquired Sammy.

Jimmy tried to lift himself but collapsed to the ground. “Not so far’” he replied, knowing that it would be a while if he was able to walk again.  It was at least sprained, probably worse judging by the swelling happening.

“Dad. I am going to go the rest of the way and get help.”

“Help? No one lives up there. Besides, how are you going to get up there?”

“You need help. I am going to get it. As you have said, if there is a will, there is a way. I have a plan,” and with that he lifted himself up and over the first boulder and disappeared down the other side.

“Jimmy looked at the boulder where his son had disappeared. “Be careful,” he growled before settling back against the rock. 

Sammy had read the terrain correctly. Using his strong arms he pulled and dragged and when necessary slithered his way up the slope. When he looked up he was closer to the top but saw something unsettling on his path, a rattlesnake. Sammy gulped and eyed the snake. “Mr. Snake. I am not here to harm you. You need to move on so I can get help for my dad.” The snake looked at him warily but remained firmly in his spot, his tongue flicking in and out. “Mr. Snake. I will throw a rock at you if I have to. I don’t want to but I will. I need you to move.” The snake eyed Sammy, flicking his tongue a few times before he moved off up the path. Sammy at once began to follow the snake. “Rattlesnakes are not a good sign. I hope he doesn’t have friends,” thought Sammy as he moved himself further up the path. He was conscious of the wear and tear on his body as it was dragged over the rocks. He had checked his legs a couple of times but didn’t notice any blood seeping through his pant legs. Almost there he thought. 

At last Sammy poked his head over the edge of the path to see the top of the lush green mesa. There were many trees and what looked like a garden. Off in the distance was the lighthouse and the keepers house.

He looked at it for a few moments from his on the ground vantage point.  He gaped at it for a while before he heard the voice. 

“I’ve been wondering how long it would take you to get here. What happened to your legs?”

Sammy turned the upper half of his body to focus more on where the voice came from. “You saw me and didn’t help?” asked Sammy. 

“I knew you would get here eventually. What happened to your father?”

“He is hurt down there and needs help. I think he blew his knee out.”

“He can wait. He isn’t going anywhere.”

“I gather that you are not the lighthouse keeper?” stated Sammy.

“Me?” laughed the man who was sitting in the camp chair much to Sammy’s right. Sammy noticed a gun sitting across the man’s lap. “No.” he replied “He’s busy at the moment. Rather indisposed one might say.”

“Who are you then,” asked Sammy. He had a feeling this wasn’t good and that help for his dad wasn't going to be coming.

“I’m just a guy looking for the treasure. That lighthouse keeper got in my way. I know it’s around here somewhere. Come on up here so we can talk some more.” 

Sammy ignored the request. “What treasure are you talking about? In all my reading about mesas, I never read anything about treasure.”  

“You read that in a book right?” the man asked and continued without waiting for a reply. “Those books know nothing about this treasure. I grew up around here. People have been looking for it forever. The natives used this place as a hideout. It is easy to protect. The farming was good. But the rumours around here say they gathered their gold and put it up here for safe keeping,” the man paused.  He waved his gun around a bit. “You need to come on up here.”

Sammy was tired and sore. Although he couldn’t feel his legs he knew they were not in great shape from all the rocks he had to climb over on his way up here. “I think I would like to rest a bit before I do anything else. Thanks.”

The man set his gun down and rose from his chair. He started to walk over to where Sammy was on the ground. Sammy immediately rolled over and pushed himself into a sitting position. He kept his eyes on the man the whole time. 

As the man reached down to lift Sammy he gave a yelp of great pain and reached down towards his ankle where the rattlesnake had bitten him. He hopped around cursing, not realizing where he was, he started flailing his arms wildly before he lost his balance and disappeared over the side of the mesa. 

Sammy sat there in disbelief. His breath had quickened and his pulse was pounding as he tried to make sense of what was happening. “Well now,” he said out loud, “I never thought I would be thankful for a rattlesnake.” It had sat a short ways away from Sammy observing what was going on. It now was slithering away towards the garden.

Suddenly Sammy heard a scrabbling noise behind him. He turned his head to see his dad slowly pulling himself into view.

“Dad! 'What are you doing? I said I would go and get help.”  said Sammy firmly.

His dad breathed a sigh of relief. “I watched you disappear around the bend back there and thought to myself ‘if my son can do it so can I.’ and so I did. But I have done almost all I can do.” He paused to catch his breath with a look of extreme pain on his face. “What happened up here? I saw a body flying over the edge.” 

So Sammy explained what had occured. When he was finished he added. “The lighthouse keeper is up here somewhere. It looks like we may have to look behind closed doors. I have no energy left to do that so it may have to wait a bit.” With that they both laid on the grass and closed their eyes for a while, recapturing their strength. 

As the sun began to move closer to the horizon both Sammy and Jimmy woke to a feast of salted crackers and water from their backpack. Feeling somewhat refreshed Sammy started moving towards the keeper's cottage. Going was slow over the even ground. Sammy lifted himself carefully up the steps and into a sitting position as he reached the door. He took a deep breath and reached for the door knob praying that the door was unlocked. His hand slowly turned and much to his surprise he fell through the open doorway and landed on the floor with a splat. Sammy laid on the floor for a minute as he got his bearings. A small kitchen, a living room and two rooms straight ahead with closed doors. He heard a noise from straight ahead 

Jimmy pulled his body up beside Sammy with sweat running down his face. 

“Dad, you need to relax. You are not looking good.”

“I’m the dad here so I have to try,” he stated firmly.

Sammy reached out and put his hand on his dad’s arm.”You are tired. You must be in a lot of pain . You really need to rest. I’ve got this.” he said quietly.

His dad pulled his walking stick up beside him. “I tried earlier to do this but it didn't help. I was in too much pain for it to work” Sammy looked on with interest as his dad made the efforts to get his left leg under him and then to lift himself to a standing position. He almost made it but then sat back down. 

“Too much pain?” asked Sammy.

“Maybe in a while I can get up on my own but for now it looks like I am destined to remain here.” 

Sammy gave this some thought. “I am going to find the lighthouse keeper. Maybe he can help us.” Sammy started moving off towards the door on the other side of the room..

As he listened carefully he heard no sounds. He hoped the lighthouse keeper was ok. “Hello,” he called out. “Is anyone here?“ Much to his surprise a muffled sound came from the door across the hall from where he was laying. “I’ll be right there,” he called out as he worked his way across the wooden floor. 

Once again Sammy placed himself in a sitting position. This time he leaned his body against the door frame as he reached and opened the door. It swung inward revealing a small room with a bed on the other side of it. Lying on the bed was a well tanned older man whose hands and feet were tied together as well as to the bed. He looked at Sammy with surprise on his face. 

“I am glad to see you,” reflected Sammy as he began to move across the floor. The man could only look at him with a sense of wonder. As he reached the bed Sammy felt around in his pocket until he found his pocket knife. “Always be prepared,” he said, quoting his dad. “Always have a knife, is one of Gibbs’ rules,” he said smiling.  Sammy opened the knife and reached up to cut the ropes around the man's wrists. 

Immediately the man’s hands flew to his face to remove the tape.

“The man who put me here? Did you see him?” he asked quickly.

“He won’t be causing anymore trouble,” Sammy replied. “First a rattlesnake and then, due to carelessness, a quick flight.” The man looked carefully at Sammy and then nodded as he reached for the rope around his ankles. 

“May I borrow your knife,” he asked as Sammy handed it over. The man cut his last ropes and swung his feet over the side of the bed. “To whom do I owe the honour of my rescue?” he inquired.

Sammy sat leaning on the floor leaning on the side of the bed. “Sammy Stewart,” he intoned. “My dad is hurt and could use some help.”

“Well then I’d better help him,” the man replied as Sammy spied the name tag attached to the man’s shirt. Will Johnstone. “Where might your father be?” inquired Will.

“He is out by the door, Mr. Johnstone,” replied Sammy.

Will looked a bit confused about Sammy knowing his name until he figured out that he used the name tag.

“Well Sammy, we need to get you to a more comfortable spot. Mind if I pick you up?”

“No sir,” replied Sammy. “I could use a bit of a quiet time.” and with that Will lifted Sammy and moved him to the couch in the living quarters. On the path he noticed Jimmy who was asleep in the doorway.

“Your dad snores,” stated the lighthouse keeper. 

“That’s nothing,” replied Sammy with a grin.

“Will you be okay here?” Will inquired.

“Just a glass of water and I will be fine,” replied Sammy.

After Will was reassured that Sammy would be okay he ducked out to move James.

Sammy looked around the room. He had never been in a lighthouse keepers house before. White the walls had maps on them; they weren’t the usual maps of water. Instead they listed, from what Sammy could see from where he sat, the surrounding mesas. Some were marked with check marks while others had an x near them. Sammy wondered if this supported the strange man’s theory about treasures.

Soon Will returned with James. 

“Just set me up on a chair and I will be fine,” said James.

After Will placed him in the chair and fetched him some ice they discussed what had happened on the way up. Sammy told most of the story with James putting in parts. When they were finished telling the story

Will turned to Sammy and said, “What you did back there for your dad, that took some real courage, some real inner strength. And what happened with that mad man shows you are made from strong stuff.” He turned to James. “You should be so proud of him. 

“I can’t tell you how proud I am of him,” replied James. 

“I did what I did for my dad. Anyone would have.” said Sammy with some humility.

“You saw what needed to be done and did it. That takes some real thinking and with your disability a lot of inner strength.” 

“I had some help,” reflected Sammy.

“What? That rattlesnake? He helped you?” 

“They way he looked at me on the trail and then headed off in this direction sure seems like it. And then the cliff was right there,” opined Sammy. 

Will looked at him carefully. “It is more than that Sammy. Those other things were helpful but what happened before that and after that are what is important here.” 

James looked at Sammy. “You have always been strong but I think even more so that you may have grown up some today.”

Sammy thought about this for a minute. “Why did I have dreams about this lighthouse?” wondered Sammy.

“Why do you think you had dreams and painted pictures and other assorted interests?” asked his father.

“I don’t know,” started Sammy with some trepidation. “Because I could. I guess. I need something to believe in and see. This lighthouse called to me. It was something that would get me past my accident and into a different way of looking at life.”

James looked at his son. “I believe that will do for now.”

“I still don’t understand why that man thought there was a treasure. It seems like an odd place to hide something.

Will smiled. “Rumours, innuendo, much like you, a need to be something more than what he was doing. He believed in old tales about Natives hiding their gold up here. I can see why. It is easy to defend. No one can attack without coming up that path. But those were simply rumours. There are no treasures. They would have been discovered when this place was built.. And the treasure? Oh he had it but never saw it.” 

“He had it?” asked a wide eyed Sammy. He whispered. “Because he never really was looking for it.”

“That’s right. He was looking for a literal reward instead of an appreciative one.”

Sammy reflected on this for a minute before asking, “So why is this lighthouse on a mesa? It’s far from the nearest water that might need a lighthouse.”

Will smiled a rather broad smile. “Let me ask you a question. Why would anyone care if there is a lighthouse here?”

Sammy thought about this for a minute before replying, ”Because it shouldn’t be here.” 

Will answered with, “For some yes that is true.” 

Sammy thought about it for a minute. “But that’s not the answer is it?” he pointed out 

The lighthouse keeper looked at the boy carefully and then asked, “Why do you think there is a lighthouse on this Mesa?

He thought about this for a long time. Sammy whispered, “Because someone built it.” 

Will laughed. “Yes. a true answer.” When everyone looked confused he explained.  “On one hand it is a rich man’s idea of a joke with some truth built into the story. He built it partially as protection for small airplanes that fly at night so they don’t run into a mesa. He had lost one of his business partners that way and was determined to solve the problem. But also he simply liked the idea of the lighthouse being on a mesa. It was weird. It was wonderful. It was unique. And besides he had the money to do it so he did. 

“Sammy,” said his dad gently. “Sometimes son, what we have and what we see clashes with what reality is. While we look for meaning by asking why it was built and why it is here, often we overlook a more true meaning that has nothing to do with why and everything to do with wonder. This lighthouse on this mesa made you dream and read, and paint and research with fervor. It caught your imagination and made you look at things in a number of different ways. It is your meaning ascribed to this that is important. It is the work you have done to get here that makes it real. Not everyone gets to see this. You have. And that in itself is special.

And with that the lighthouse keeper smiled.