🌻 THE CLIVE SAGA — CHAPTER 7

Aug 26

2 min read

🌅 Clive’s Corner: Sunset Shift

Header Image

(Clive sitting in his chair, hat tipped low, bandana catching the last light, watching the sky burn orange — the look of a skeleton who’s seen a thousand sunsets and still stops for every one.)

Opening Scene

After a long day in the shop — sanding, cutting, gluing, and listening to Clive’s constant critiques — I stepped outside to catch the sunset. The sky was glowing in that way only Utah can manage, all fire and gold.

Clive didn’t say anything at first. He just stared at the horizon like he was remembering something from a life long gone.

Then he spoke.

Clive’s Commentary

“Kid… that’s one sight that never gets old. After a hard day watchin’ the shop, makin’ sure you don’t lose a finger, explainin’ the correct way to do things so you can make better flutes… watchin’ a sunset like this makes it all worthwhile.”

It was the closest thing to sentiment I’d ever heard from him.

What Actually Happened

Clive had spent the entire day supervising — which for him meant sitting in his chair, pointing out every mistake I made, and reminding me that “a man of his standin’” shouldn’t have to repeat himself.

But when the sun dipped low, he quieted down. He leaned back, bones glowing in the last light, and let the silence settle.

For a moment, he wasn’t a skeleton from 1905. He was just Clive — a tired foreman enjoying the end of a long shift.

And somehow, that made the shop feel complete.

Maker’s Note

Clive’s sunset moments are rare, but they remind me why I keep him around. Beneath the sarcasm, complaints, and frontier attitude, there’s a strange wisdom in him — the kind that comes from a life lived hard and a century spent resting.

He may be loud during the day, but at sunset, he’s all heart.

Author Note

Written by John — maker, mentor, storyteller, and sunset‑watching companion to one surprisingly sentimental skeleton.