"What We Do" by David Inserra
– “You guys are crazy.”
I tried to make him understand what was happening.
David Inserra lives on Hilton Head Island, South Carolina with his wife Ellen Titus and their dog, Mindy. David’s most recent work appears in the PSPP release, Sooner or Later. He is a member of the Island Writers Network and works at the local Unitarian Church. David’s first novel, a speculative thriller titled “In Your Own Backyard,” is currently being queried to agents. He is also a musician who has written over 400 songs, most being about his wife. Visit davidinserra.weebly.com.
Author’s Talk
David Inserra
When you first view the canyon from the South Rim, you can’t believe what you see. The Colorado River has created a landscape like no other on Earth. If you use enough imagination you feel that you can almost touch the horizon. It is something unreal calling to you.
Viewing the canyon from the rim is one thing. Hiking to the floor of the canyon is something else. A blistering sun pounds you, and dryness sucks the moisture from your body. But as long as you remember your water, you can safely enjoy the surrounding beauty. An amazing assortment of flowering cacti, with spiny needles and colors full of life, thrive on this arid land. And then there are the animals. Countless species, including lizards, snakes, deer, bison, and birds, call the canyon home. All making this a memorable visual experience.
My Foot Dangling over Plateau Point Canyon, 1987.
Most people who venture into the canyon come prepared. But others ignore the posted warnings and end up in a hazardous situation. As you heard in the story, after meeting ‘Phin’, our hike took a frightening turn. It took all day for us to get this young woman out of the canyon and get her to the medical facilities. That night as my cousin Paul and I discussed our original plan to spend the week exploring the canyon, we both decided that we had enough. The next morning we hopped into the car and headed west. On our way out of town, we made a quick stop at McDonald’s. There, we bumped into ‘Phin’ and her family. She seemed none the worse for wear and the family thanked us for saving her life. The next stop was Las Vegas. After attending an unmemorable show, and getting a warning for jaywalking across the strip, we continued to Southern California. There, we let the adventures at Disneyland and Universal Studios fill the rest of our vacation.
This story is dedicated to my cousin Paul’s wonderful spirit and his love. We have shared many memorable exploits in this life. Knowing that we did the right thing this day in the canyon has stuck with us all of these years.
It is an honor to once again be a part of the Personal Story Publication Project and to appear in this volume with other great writers. Thank you to Randell and his team for making this possible.—David Inserra
