When a raging fire swept through their popular Hitching Post Restaurant in Hedley at about 2 am October 23,2018, it was only by leaping from the second floor into smoke and darkness that Bill Carmichael and Trisha Mills escaped the inferno. Since that catastrophic life altering night, they have battled to reconstruct virtually every aspect of their existence, including their health. There have been many questions concerning their recovery and whether they have plans to rebuild.

Last week I invited Bill and Trisha to our home for coffee and Linda’s freshly baked matrimonial cake. I recalled that in a conversation with them in February, although they were in wheelchairs and living with pain, I had been impressed by their courage and optimism. They both expressed a powerful resolve to regain the capacity to walk. Bill talked about again being able to drive. Having known individuals who threw up their hands in the face of seemingly insurmountable circumstances, I wondered if Bill and Trisha were still as hopeful as they had been.

When they arrived we were pleased to note they were walking, albeit cautiously, each using a walking stick for balance. Our first questions concerned the state of their physical recovery. “I’m finished my physio sessions and I walk in nature to improve my balance,” Bill said. “I’ve lost a lot of muscle in my legs. I need 2 more operations on my knees, plus another to fuse one ankle. Then there will be a further 6 months of recovery.” I detected no hint of lament or complaint.

“We’ve come a long way physically, but we’re not there yet,” Trisha added. “I have 2 plates in my back. I had significant nerve damage and my feet feel cold, plus there is tingling. I go for physio once a month and do exercises on my own.” With evident delight she added, “the screw is gone from my heel and I can put weight on it now.”

Bill and Trisha are currently living in a small seasonal trailer. I wondered how she can do exercises in such cramped quarters. “We are learning to make do with what we have,” she said.

“When the restaurant burned,” Bill explained, “we lost the possessions closest to us, including family pictures and momentos. We’ve learned we really don’t need a lot of belongings. We feel there is benefit in a simpler life.”

It was evident they had discussed this at considerable length. It wasn’t just a means of consoling themselves. “Not having what we had isn’t a big thing,” Trisha agreed. “It has clarified what is really important to us. What is of real value is being alive, having health, mobility, family and friends. In the past we took these too much for granted. Moving forward, we don’t want to clutter our lives.”

Our conversation turned to whether the Hitching Post will rise from the ashes. “People are telling us they hope we’ll start over, and we want to,” Bill said. “The way our bodies are working will determine that. We can’t put a date on it.”

“We talk about the future pretty much every day,” Trisha added. “We understand very clearly that to operate a busy restaurant, our mobility will need to increase significantly. Even so, we are looking for ideas that could make it possible.”

“People are giving us suggestions,” Bill said. “We’ve talked about having more efficient equipment. We’ll need a better dishwasher.”

To this time they have received only a partial payout from their insurance company and there have been snags in their negotiations. “Until recently, our thinking was clouded by the heavy doses of drugs we were given to combat pain. Now we are better able to understand the company’s written communications to us, and we realize there are inaccuracies.” Receiving the full payout will be important in any future plans.

Since the fire I’ve been asked repeatedly, either in person or on my blogsite, “Do you think they will rebuild the Hitching Post?” When I say it will depend on Bill and Trisha’s health, especially their mobility, the questioner is invariably disappointed. What we all desire is an answer that includes the word “yes.” Bill and Trisha live with this uncertainty every day. From the beginning the odds have been against them, but I’m convinced that if mere mortals can produce this miracle, they having the thinking, resolve and patience to get it done.