CAMP AT LAST !

After Bob calmed down, he started looking at the lay of the land and asked some questions about the topography between the parking lot and MY camp ground.  Having retraced my steps just a short time ago, it ocurred to me that the land was almost level with the parking lot and, if any thing, it was a little down hill.  I shot a gaze and the trees which began again on the Western edge of the lot and it was not thick with smaller trees, but quite a few big Pines.  I began to actually wonder if we could drive the car to the camp.  I did not feel up to walking the half mile one way to survey....why not just drive.  If we came to a place where we could go no further, we could either back out or turn around.  Bob then said " Why don't we try to drive in"?   Amazing.  Both of us needed to take a leak, and being sensitive, I went off in a certain direction and Bob followed me!  I was quite sure he wanted to see my thing ...curiosity.  We stopped and I unzipped and turned from his view and started to pee.  That little squirt positioned himself right across from me and he unzipped.  I then was given the highest honor any man can have.  "You have a little Dick'  he said.  I asked him long it should be and he said "At least as long as mine"...No wonder this kid pissed people off, I thought.  We got in the Hudson and began to drive on pine needles,  we dodged every pine tree and it was just amazing to me how innovation can save the day.  We got within fifty feet of "my" camp site.  There was an out cropping of rock that prevented us going any further.  Both of us were jubilant.  We unpacked every thing and Bob helped my set up the tent.  I had bought several ice chests and I put the perishable food in  them.  There were plenty of rocks around and I asked Bob to build a circle of rocks about three feet in diameter as the grate I brought would not span any more than that.  He worked like a man possessed.  After the rocks were in place, I sent him to find fine material to start the fire and I went looking for the larger pieces.  When that was done I asked him to light the pine needles and leaves,  He asked "With what"?  I remembered what I should have brought."   I tried to use the cigarette lighter from the car to start the dried stuff.  I could get it glowing, but never burst into flame.  Bob looked at me and asked;  "Are your glasses bi-focals"?  I told him they were tri-focals, and then I realized what he was thinking.  The Sun was low, but we tried using the glasses. I fumbled around with them and he said for me to give him the glasses.  He got down on his knees and got a little beam going and smoke began to rise from the pine needles.  He told me not to blow on it because exhaled breath was rich on CO2 and fanned air would be better.  I tore a section off a cardboard box and fanned and in about thirty seconds, fire was born.  We nurtured it through Kindergarten to the fifth grade.  The we added twigs and finally small to medium branch sections.  We had a fire !!   The bottom half of the Sun had sunk below the distant range and already, a slight chill could be felt.  We put on our jackets and sat on a log and watched the fire go through its phases.  We both were hungry.  I was dying for a scotch and water.  I decided to be self centered and have one...right in front of Bob.  Maybe he would not know what it was.  I fixed a good one and we just sat and watched the Sun go down.  Bob never asked nor commented on my drink....he already knew from my trip with him to see the drunk puking on the ground and figured I had experience with  Liquor.  I pulled the steaks out of the ice chest and invited Bob to season his to his satisfsction.  I set the salt, pepper, and a little onion salt on a rock and said "Have at it"    He watched what I did and he did the same.  We placed our steaks on the grate and he asked "How long do they cook"?   I asked him how he would like his steak and he said just like mine.  I like medium rare and that's what we did.  I wanted vegetables and a potato with mine, so I assumed he would like the same thing. I brought out my pots and pans and in about 45 minutes, we had a meal.  I got the paper plates and silver ware and we were ready.  Before we ate, I paused, and asked Bob if he would like to thank God for our food.  He said  "Yes, I want to."  I asked him to say the blessing and he told me to bow my head, and Bob prayed:  "Thank you Almighty God for this moment.....Thank you for Mr. Key and his friendship.   Thank you for the Mountains and the sky...the birds of the air and the fowls of the field...Most of all, thank you for Jesus who died on the cross for me and for all who will ask Him into their hearts.  Amen".  I thought of the Scripture.."Out of the mouths of babes, Thou hast ordained strength."  The Sun was down and the last shades of Orange were painting the tops of the Pines.  The forest floor looked almost dark...and I looked foreward to the blanket of stars which was to come shortly, and I wondered what Little Bob would have to say about all of that....(to be continued)