▁interest ▁hover ing ▁over ▁them ▁from ▁his ▁own ▁mess y ▁divor ce ... a ▁separate ▁cust ody ▁battle ▁and ▁trial ▁over ▁me , ▁and ▁where ▁I ▁was ▁to ▁go ." ▁ ▁The ▁divor ce ▁drama ▁was ▁broken ▁up ▁by ▁vis its ▁to ▁a ▁farm ▁in ▁C ath cart , ▁Washington , ▁where ▁Dam ski ' s ▁grand father ▁had ▁a ▁cabin . ▁Know ing ▁he ▁had ▁a ▁wild ▁stre ak , ▁Dam ski ' s ▁uncle ▁George ▁had ▁provided ▁a ▁place ▁for ▁his ▁grand father ▁Bill ▁( R uth ie ' s ▁father ) ▁to ▁relax ▁and ▁live ▁out ▁his ▁life . ▁Jon - Hen ri ▁and ▁his ▁older ▁brother , ▁Joe , ▁visited ▁him . ▁" He ▁taught ▁us ▁how ▁to ▁trail , ▁fish , ▁walk ▁in ▁the ▁woods ▁and ▁generally ▁enjoy ▁commun ing ▁with ▁nature   ... ▁Wood burn ing ▁ash ▁from ▁the ▁st ove ▁per me ated ▁grand pa ' s ▁clothes . ▁One ▁wh iff ▁of ▁that ▁sm ell ▁today , ▁and ▁I ▁still ▁think ▁of ▁his ▁st ove ▁and ▁how ▁we ▁used ▁to ▁heat ▁water ▁on ▁it ▁for ▁our ▁bath ." ▁ ▁At ▁eight ▁years ▁old , ▁Dam ski ▁was ▁given ▁a ▁choice ▁of ▁which ▁parent ▁to ▁live ▁with , ▁and ▁chose ▁to ▁live ▁with ▁his ▁father . ▁He ▁later ▁re called ▁the ▁pain ful ▁letter ▁he ▁had ▁to ▁submit ▁to ▁the ▁court ▁( and ▁which ▁rep or ters ▁would ▁write ▁about ). ▁His ▁father ' s ▁law y ers ▁had ▁co ached ▁him ▁on ▁what ▁to ▁write