By Hal Walter
Years ago, when Ed and Martha Quillen were conspiring to start a magazine called Colorado Central, we met for a greasy hamburger at a saloon called Susie’s in Westcliffe. As I recall it was a slightly chilly day, and afterward we were standing outside in the street with Ed gesturing his speech with both arms and a cigarette in one hand.
That was about when I saw the black beast trotting right down the middle of the near-deserted street through the one-block downtown district. As the canine critter drew near, its eyes bright and tongue lolling from side to side, Ed became aware that I was being distracted, and was watching something moving behind him. He turned as the animal passed and stood silent with both arms frozen outward in exclamation. The smoke curled up from the cigarette as the animal just trotted on by.
“Excuse me, but that was a wolf?” Ed turned and said with a tone that was both statement and question at once.