In a quick, efficient, manner he gave me his name, Richard, and mentioned that we were just slightly behind schedule. He then took my bag and showed me to the rear limousine door.

As he closed the door behind me I began to wonder at how out of place he looked: The perfectly tailored uniform covering his sturdy build seemed in conflict with the way he wore his circular wire rim glasses on the tip of his nose. He looked as if he might be more at home wearing worn out, faded blue jeans, reading a book.

Without another word we were on our way.

I had taken the bottle of Pinot Noir and the glass from the plane, so another glass kept me company for the first part of what I was to discover was a road trip. - I was on vacation and I wasn't driving, okay?

From Tucson we traveled west on state route 86. Now if you've never driven through a `forest' of saguaro cactus I strongly recommend that you do. The experience is one which is not likely to be forgotten. I'd seen many forests in my youth, but nothing which compares to a forest of saguaro.

The experience of seeing saguaro isn't just the cactus itself, although I've never seen any other cactus display so much character. The saguaro is an individual, no matter how many of them may be occupying any given area. And this `area' is selective. Their extensive root systems prevent close neighbors. So great is their need for the quick intake of the rare rains that they send out their roots up to a distance of some fifteen to thirty feet from their bases. Furthermore, these root systems are so dense they will choke out any weaker cactus who is unfortunate enough to have started its' life within the stronger one's territory. This need for great amounts of water is immediately apparent as you can only gawk at their immense size.

Described as lean juggernauts, they tower over the passing vehicle to an average height of fifteen feet. And while some have been known to reach upwards to a height of thirty, most are not balanced well enough to reach this height and fall over under their own weight. As a counter to this imbalance, the taller saguaros grow `arms.' And though these tend to grow upwards, I remember seeing one with an arm that was growing downwards as if in counterpoint to another of its "upward" arms. That particular Saguaro reminded me of a Spanish dancer. Richard later told me that by the time they reach their full growth they are hundreds of years old, ancient beings, by human standards.

No, the real experience is of seeing nothing but those towering sentinels surrounding you on both sides of the roadway as you drive along. Within the same moment of impression, these juggernauts are both individuals and a community; individuals who respect the space and concentration of their neighbors, a community of similar appearances and interests. They stand in silent communion, arms raised in exultation, awaiting the coming of the sun or the moon.

I felt as if I had entered into another plane of existence, or had been transported onto another world, where I was the intruder into their Holy Congregation.

This sense of me as the `alien' intruder was the oddest feeling I have ever experienced in my life, one that I'll never forget. I was so affected by the experience I found it difficult to talk to Richard when he finally spoke to me.

When he called back to ask if I'd like to stop for a hamburger, I couldn't remember the last time I'd had one. While I sat there without answering and not really thinking about it, he pulled up under the canopy of a nearly run down Dairy Queen and turned off the engine.

"My treat," he said, and jumped out of the limousine.

That helped to snap me out of the daze I was in. I began to chuckle on the inside. This was not your usual `invisible' limousine driver. As a matter of fact, none of the people I had encountered during the transport were exactly the run-of-the-mill type. Even the stewardess displayed a certain amount of character in her determination not to allow me to get close: by maintaining a very human honesty, humor, and graciousness about her professionalism.

That's when the little bell went off in my head.

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