“A helicopter virgin. Well, you’re in for a thrill, honey.”
“Watch it, bhaai!”
Again the merry laugh as he escorted her into the left-hand seat and made sure she was buckled in.
The ride was a real joy. The cabin heater kept the chill air at bay as they roared aloft. Headsets with boom mics made it easy to hear him as he pointed out the features of the ranch.
He let her look her fill, but she didn’t know if she’d ever get enough. The green prairie stretched smoothly to the hills. The mountains broke from the grassland as if someone had drawn a line on the ground and said, “start them here.” It was an abrupt and visceral shock. Only as they flew closer did the illusion start to break; secluded valleys intruded deep into the hills with small rivers sliding between sheer headlands.
“I lo
