If you have read Hostile Lookout, then you are familiar with Jean Paxton, Tony Spencer's best friend. They have been close friends for a few years, closer since the death of Tony's wife Sue. In the book, Jean lives in Mountainair and works at the Forest Service Research Greenhouse in Flagstaff.
Jean was inspired by a friend of mine, Jan Huntsberger. Jan also lived in Mountainair and worked at the Forest Service Greenhouse. Jan and I met while working at Pots-n-Plants Nursery in Flagstaff. I still remember a water fight we had inside the store! Jan and I were not necessarily best friends, like Jean and Tony, but we got along well. FYI, we never stole a couch out of a doctor's trash bin!
When I worked for the U.S.G.S. the second year, Jan would let me park my Jeep (mine was red as opposed to Tony's orange one) at her house, to save me the expense of having to buy a parking permit to park at Northern Arizona University. At the end of our week long shift, my co-worker would drop me and my stuff off at Jan's, and then he would continue on to Flag' to unload equipment and pick up his own car. It also saved me about ten miles on my round trip drive to Pine (roughly 120 miles).
Jan never shot anybody for me, nor would she cook dinner for me! But a good friend all the same. On occassion, we would sit on the picnic table in her front yard and discuss various things over a beer. She has since moved on to Idaho.
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