Darned if there isn’t another log to throw on the fire.

Just wait until the world kicks around the tale of the North Dakota family reunion in a dirty ditch with a few tumbleweeds as a backdrop. This one, however, bet your boots, is a true story.

The border between the United States and Canada has been closed for several months because of coronavirus concerns. Citizens from either country are not allowed to cross, other than a few exceptions for the transport of necessary goods.

The enforced closure stopped countless Americans from enjoying a Canadian vacation this year. No fishing trips to the pristine north. No family vacation pictures with Canada’s scenic wonders as a backdrop.

Submitted Photo Members of the Korslien and Mosser families of Minot held a family reunion in a ditch marking the closed border between the U.S. and Canada. On the opposite side of the ditch, in Canada, were family members from Estevan, Sask.

In the U.S., particularly in near-border shopping communities like Minot, no vehicles bearing Canadian license plates have been seen for months at hotels, restaurants or shopping centers. What was previously the world’s friendliest border between two very friendly countries now, sadly, divides families and friends.

Enter some ingenuity. Call it ditch diplomacy.

There was an odd scene near here last Sunday, a gathering of people seated several yards apart in lawn chairs, in a remote ditch. Between them ran the U.S./Canada border. Behind them were uniformed officers tasked with making sure no one stepped over the border or violated the six-foot social distancing guidelines enacted during the coronavirus pandemic. It was an ingenious family reunion, North Dakota-style.

No masked bandits showed up, none that you could tell anyway given the current mask mandates. Just uniformed border enforcement making sure everything was on the up and up. Danged if they weren’t friendly too.

The entire affair required some advance planning.

“My brother-in-law, Randy Graham of Estevan, coordinated with the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the Border Patrol,” said Chad Mosser, Minot. “It’s my wife’s sister that lives in Estevan.”

Mosser’s wife’s sister is Melanie Graham, the daughter of Marlyn and Virginia Korslien of Minot. She’s close to her parents with whom, in the past, has frequently exchanged cross-border visits. Unfortunately, the coronavirus-inspired border closure put an end to the Korslien family hugs and handshakes.

“It’s been pretty tough on her,” explained Mosser. “And if you can’t do something you just want to do it more. That’s human nature.”

Putting their 10-gallon hats together, Mosser and Randy Graham devised a plan to circumvent the border closure. Well, sort of.

“If we have someplace to meet within talking distance of one another and still be inside the law, why can’t you?” said Mosser. “Melanie wanted to see her whole family, her dad in particular who has had some health issues.”

A friend heard about what was in the works and, very frontier-like, was determined to help. Darned if he didn’t scout out a likely meeting spot, a remote and seldom traveled road with a U.S./Canada border marker in the middle of the adjacent ditch. The next step was to load up the lawn chairs and go!

“It was quite a deal,” laughed Milton Korslien of Minot, brother of Marlyn. “It was great. We had the border between us. We had to stay on the U.S. side. It was crazy, that’s for sure!”

So there, in a dirty ditch, was a Korslien family reunion, seated in lawn chairs on either side of the border. You can’t make this stuff up.

“It really was quite a nice affair,” remarked Mosser. “We got to visit and still did social distancing and all, us on one side and them on the other.”

There they were, not at high noon on the dusty street of Western legend, but rather in a cruddy ditch under the watchful eye of the friendly and understanding Royal Canadian Mounted Police. On one side of the border was Marlyn and Virginia Korslien, his brothers Richard and Milton, Chad and Larissa Mosser, daughter of Marlyn and Virginia, and their daughters, Brooklyn and Brenley. On the Canadian side was Randy and Melanie Graham and their daughter, Rikki.

“Three of the four granddaughters were there. One of Melanie’s daughters is a nurse in Saskatoon and had to work,” said Milton “Uncle Milt” Korslien.

The long sought-after and unforgettable family reunion in the ditch lasted about two hours. Then it was time to fold up the lawn chairs, exchange waves, and return to homes on either side of the border.

“The worst part was we couldn’t give each other a hug,” said Mosser. “But it was great to see somebody not on a screen or a phone call.”

No doubt about it, quite a tale from the plains of old fashioned North Dakota. And the rest of the world may never look down at ditches the same way again.