Crossing the Columbia River at Biggs, on Highway 97, there is a large county park sandwiched between the road and the river. This is just as the Maryhill Grade begins to climb up toward Goldendale. I do not remember the official name of this park (Maryhill?) but our family knows it as “Retainer Park.” It was the scene of a near-miraculous event.
Coming up to interview in Yakima, in April of 1991, our gang stopped at the park to rest weary bods and stretch limbs. I think we even has a snack lunch there. Packing up, we continued on our way reaching Yakima without incident. On the way, however, nine year old Becca meekly stated, "I think I just did something bad." Asked as to what she meant, Becca admitted to not having her retainer with her. The last time anyone could remember it was when she took it out to eat for lunch. GULP! Was it still at Maryhill Park? We decided to give it up for lost and check the park on our return home a week later. Long odds were against our finding it.
Interviewing (successfully as it turns out) completed and the area scouted out as to schools, homes, etc.,we departed that Friday for a return to Davis. Pulling up to the park at Maryhill, we scouted around until we found the exact table we had eaten at. No retainer! Meanwhile, a park custodian was driving the huge tractor lawnmower around near to us drawing closer and closer. We decided that we were out of luck and the retainer was lost forever. Moving away, to escape the approaching mower, suddenly Dan (eyeball man !) spotted the cherished item, laying in a small dip between the asphalt pad of the table and the grass. It was merely five feet away from immolation under the approaching lawnmower blades! He scooped it up on the run and triumphantly deposited the item in the palm of the errant owner. It was truly a miracle that we even found it and also found it so shortly before it would be destroyed forever! In all the years since, we have called that park “Retainer Park” in honor of the miracle of 1991.
9-8-2010
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