2/5/2022
Continuing south on Hwy. 4, Vicktor had to pay attention as his goal was nearing gratification. As his turnoff, known as Nahanni Butte Road appeared, a dilemma stared at him directly: fuel. With some calculations and time constraints looming, Vicktor had 2 choices: forget Tungsten or play a wild card disguised as a Canadian Law. With major luck on his side, a few miles down that road was a grampa and his granddaughter fishing on a remote lake. Vicktor spotted them off in the distance and saw that they carried gas for their boat. VP figured he needed 5 gallons to get to Tungsten and back and then 50 miles to get to Watson Lake and a gas station. He explained his situation to Grampa Tom and offered $5/ gallon for 1 of his 5-gallon containers. Hesitant at first, Tom figured that anyone from the states driving an Alaskan car into the NWT to see a closed down mining town wasn’t worth arguing with. He agreed because Canadian law says he had to sell it. After pouring the fuel into the gangsta’ 300, Vicktor gave Tom a choice: payment in Canadian or American dollars or Russian rubles. Tom received $25 Canadian and his granddaughter was given 5,000 Russian rubles in various denominations. They also had a story to tell for life. A “hit man” from the lower US was in the NWT with a “stolen” gangster car from Alaska. He just got back from Kamchatka after he knocked off a Russkie spy. A little embellishment can go a long way. So down that last gravel road to the mine that carried the name of the element it sought: Tungsten. Set in an exquisite valley with a commanding view of mountains and a complex-complex in the middle of nowhere, the town was currently abandoned. The price of Tungsten had dropped, and everyone was laid off. Good. Vicktor was actually trespassing on private property, and no one was around to kick him out. A small company town contained a big Natatorium heated by geothermal heat. With 1 last look, VP left for Watson Lake and had 4 days to get home.
Torked Truth 