by John French
Now that I was awake, I decided I should make coffee. I now wished I had brought a propane tank so I could make it inside. I wasn’t exactly sure if the coffee would attract the bear back or not. He seemed to be long gone though. It didn’t take long to re-kindle the fire with the embers that were still burning from last night. After I got some hot coals started, I placed the metal percolator by the fire. Before long I was enjoying that first cup of coffee, and watching the sun rise over the surrounding hills. It was so peaceful here. I wished I had done this much sooner. As I enjoyed my coffee, I decided that I would spend more time at the camp. Even if I just came up for the weekend it would make a difference. I started to realize it wouldn’t hurt to have someone around to share it with either, but I always had problems finding a woman in my city that didn’t mind spending weekends in the mountains. They didn’t exactly have strip malls in these hills, and the only day spa was the slow moving river by the camper. That reminded me, I had been itching to get some fishing in. I drank another cup of coffee, gathered my fishing gear, and headed over to the river’s edge.
I could see some rises on the other side of the river. Isn’t that how it always goes? Just out of reach, you know? I fished for a while before I finally reeled in an eight inch brookie. Not bad for a slow morning I thought. I didn’t waste time cleaning him out, and pan frying him on the red coals left in the fire pit. It had been a long time since I had trout for breakfast, or at all for that matter. The bear was obviously gone, as he didn’t come back to savor the aroma of my fresh catch slowly cooking. I turned on the radio and found a station that came in pretty clear. There weren’t too many of those here. A little music and another cup of coffee after breakfast would see my early morning come to an end. It was amazing how time seemed to just float by while you were out here. It was as though you couldn’t get as much done as you would back home. I’m sure I was moving slower than normal though, now that I was relaxed.
I didn’t waste any more time. I began cleaning up around the camp, and got the rest of my gear into the camper. I chopped some of the wood that was stacked, and started to sharpen the blade on the scythe. I only managed to cut down half the tall grass I wanted to before I needed to jump in the river to cool off. It was extremely hot out today, and the humidity was almost too much to withstand. A quick dunk in the river was all it took to refresh myself. I was actually ready to cut some more grass just to warm up again. I had completely forgotten how cold the river could be. I cut the rest of the grass down, and tried cutting back some of the bushes. That didn’t work out so well, so I took out the shears and used those. By late afternoon the area was looking more like a homestead than an abandoned camp. I started feeling good about the whole ordeal and decided to take another dunk in the river. Once I was cooled off I rummaged through the cooler to see what I could fix up for a late lunch. Peanut butter and jelly was on today’s menu. While I was eating I looked proudly on today’s accomplishments. That’s when I saw that the camper windows were still shut. Just the screen door was letting in air. I walked into the camper, (which now was acting like an oven), and opened the windows. There was a slight breeze starting to kick up outside, so it would cool off by the time I went to bed. At least that was theory.
I finished my lunch then went swimming one more time before picking up the tools. I spent the remainder of the day fishing until the sun began to fade. I couldn’t resist jumping into the river one more time. I would be cool the rest of the night now. All in all it wasn’t a bad day. Tomorrow I would have to remember to open up the camper in the morning. It was already beginning to get a little chilly out. It’s funny how the mountains vary so widely in temperature. I sat by a small fire for time planning out tomorrow. I would go for a hike, and most likely do a little more fishing. Man, is it great to be on vacation, even if it was mandatory.
It was a little after sunrise when I got out of bed. I didn’t wake to any tremors, but I did hear something snooping around outside. I opened the camper door, and sure enough that big bruin was sniffing around the camp again. “Go on now.” The bear just looked up at me, then understanding my soft words returned back to the woods. He was obviously curious about his new neighbor. I just hoped he wouldn’t do anything to the camper after I left to return home. I went straight to my new morning routine of starting a fire and brewing the morning’s coffee. I turned on the radio for some music and enjoyed another peaceful start to a new day with a fresh cup of coffee. I made a small lunch and day pack for the afternoon, and began to plan where I would go hiking. I chose the rocky peak overlooking the camp. I had climbed it a few times before with my father. It offered a demanding view of the camp and valley below. The other surrounding peaks where heavily wooded, and had always proved to be a tough climb with the thick undergrowth. I sipped the last of my first coffee and deciding to finish the rest later, I slung on my pack and set out for my afternoon destination.
It was already proving to be another hot day. The weather had changed fast. Not two days ago we were still getting raw and cold patterns. It seemed someone had just flipped a switch and presto! Summer is here. The hike up wasn’t so bad, though it was a little tougher than I had remembered it to be. I watched the camp slowly shrink in size over the next couple hours as I ascended the rocky mountain side. It was only late morning when I reached the summit, but I was definitely hungry enough to have lunch. I sat on a large boulder that lay near the top of the peak, and broke out my food and water. The view was great. I always liked having lunch on mountain tops. There was something about having a meal while overlooking other mountains and the valleys below that seemed to just stop time. Almost like nothing else matters, there is only then and there and nothing else exists beyond that point.
The camp seemed so small below me. It looked very clean and well groomed from this vantage point too. I hadn’t done much behind the camper, but after seeing the potential from this point of view I would probably try and clear some more later on. It was actually a good size piece of property. The yard anyway, the property itself was much bigger, but I wasn’t about to start clearing trees. I just needed a good size yard. I stayed on that boulder staring across the surrounding expanse until just after noontime. I figured it was time to dunk myself in the river again then do some more fishing. If I could catch a couple more trout I’d have that for dinner and save the dogs and beans for tomorrow. I started down the mountain side keeping my eyes on what appeared to be an approaching storm in the distance. After an hour I picked up my pace, now realizing that the distant clouds were now racing in fast. I could see flashes of lightning a long ways off, and the long rumble of thunder soon met with my ears. I was across the river from the camp in under an hour. The whole descent took me about only two thirds the time it did going up. At this point sweat was pouring from me like I had a natural spring flowing from my pores. I didn’t take the time to slowly cross as I had done this morning, but rather jumped in to cool my body temp. Even with the approaching storm I couldn’t resist. The heat was just too much.
Shortly after dropping my gear and changing, the wind began to blow harder. I turned the radio back on, and the first thing I heard wasn’t music. It was the local emergency broadcast. Apparently this was a severe storm, and it was coming right over my camp! I took whatever loose items were hanging around and put them in the truck and camper, then warmed the pot of coffee I had this morning as best I could before the rain began falling. There wasn’t even a sprinkle. It just started pouring. Just as I was entering the camper with the coffee pot, something hard hit me from behind. I fell to my knees on the camper floor and set down the coffee pot. Whatever it was, it felt like I had been pegged by a rock. I could feel the welt starting to form. Then I heard more hitting the camper. Hail. Thankfully it was only nickel size. I couldn’t imagine what would have happened if it had been the size of a golf ball.
I sat down at the small table and watched the storm throw its might upon the campsite. I couldn’t help but wonder if the hail had dented the truck bad
ly. I poured a cup of my lukewarm coffee to help pass the time. The hail stopped and the rain began to lighten up, but the wind and lightning continued to play its part strongly. After the lightning passed, the clouds and rain remained overhead. I turned on the radio and found a news station to listen to while I tried to enjoy my rainy afternoon. At least I had gotten out and gone hiking this morning. I was even more happy that I had gotten my work in yesterday before all this. There was always a chance that the rain would stop, and I could still get some fishing in and a fire started before bed. So I wasn’t too worried about planning a cold dinner. Yet, things really didn’t look too promising at this point.
I took a sip of coffee and turned up the radio. They were discussing something that happened in the market today. I tried tuning the station in a little better. I never really cared for the static background sound you get with weak reception. It’s almost as if the radio is trying to subliminally torture you in the back of your mind. I got it tuned as best I could then turn the volume up just a bit more. Something was definitely going on.
The voices crackled slightly as the airwaves were transmitted through the speakers. “As turmoil continues in the Middle East, oil prices found their way to one hundred and thirty-five dollars a barrel. The ongoing struggle for new governments have seen the complete destabilization of the area, and is now threatening the oil enriched regions of Saudi Arabia. This afternoon the president insisted that drilling in the U.S. is not an option, and that our country will continue to seek alternative options and endure. The House is scheduled to meet early next week to discuss the crisis and our future options.”
This was great news I thought as I realized I had to fill up before going home, and had not planned on being robbed at the pumps. I thought about the rising fuel costs, as I listened to other interviews discussing how the potential rising of fuel costs mixed with a large natural disaster could potentially bring our country to a halt. It would have to be big though I thought. Right now I was more worried about the gas bill on the ride home. I decided to take a ride into town now and fill up. I could also solve my possible cold dinner problem by grabbing something to eat in town.
I shut the radio off and poured the rest of my day old coffee down the drain. I grabbed a light jacket and the truck keys as I headed into the rain. I thought it might be a good idea to get as much fuel now as I could. So I took the three five gallon gas cans we had at the camp. At least I would have an extra fifteen gallons at today’s price. I hopped in the truck, turned the keys, and started my journey to town. I decided to keep listening to the news on the way there, so I turned the radio on. It wasn’t long before I couldn’t take the same monotone conclusions anymore. So I found some music and just cranked it.
* * * * *
As I drove into the ghost town I was shocked to actually see the town busy. Maybe everyone came out at night, because it was nearly a ghost town that first time through during daylight hours. I realized what was going on as I passed each gas station. The cars waiting in line at the pumps were long enough to reach out into the road. One gas station had a line that went about fifty yards down main street. The parking lot at the local diner was almost void of cars though. So I pulled my truck in deciding to fill my stomach before my gas tank.
The diner was dimly lit. Maybe they were trying to conserve electricity. I couldn’t help but notice that the few people who were here were just drinking coffee. It made me wonder if the poor souls even had a few extra dollars for a meal to go with that cup of coffee. I was sure most the folks in town were still unemployed. A majority of those people had probably already stopped receiving benefits from the government. As I sat and ordered a hot coffee for myself, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was going to be in the same situation soon. I really had no idea what was happening with my job.
The waitress came out with my dinner. She was about my age and not bad looking I thought. She smiled as she placed my plate in front of me, and I couldn’t help but smile back.
“You new in town?” she said still smiling.
“Kind of, I have a camp not too far from here. I haven’t been here in quite a while though.”
“So what brings you to town tonight? If you’re looking for fun the theater and bowling alley are out of business, and most the bars are too.” She gave me my receipt and stood staring with that smile in anticipation for my answer.
I looked at the receipt then back to her. She was still smiling. It almost made me laugh. I took another sip of my coffee, “I came into town for gas and a hot meal. I guess everyone else had the same idea too.”
“Well, enjoy your meal.” she said. “Maybe I’ll see you around, if you start visiting your camp more.” She turned and headed out to the kitchen.
I couldn’t help but watch her as she walked away. I glanced outside and could see one of the gas stations from my window seat. The lines were still long, so I just took my time eating my meal. I left the money for my dinner on the table when I finished, and placed an extra ten for a tip. “What the heck.” I said knowing very well she probably doesn’t even get tips anymore. I threw my jacket back on and headed out.
“Bye.”
I turned to see the waitress waving at me. Her smile still remained, hiding any problems in her life that she might be burying deep inside. I waved and returned her smile before opening the door to leave. Outside the town sounded busy, and arguments could be heard from the gas station I had been watching from inside. I guess I would avoid that one. I could just imagine how they would treat an outsider in line at their pumps. When I got to the truck I noticed the gas cans in the back had been untied. Someone had obviously checked to see if I had gas in them. I checked the gas cap on the truck, and the ground underneath. No sign of siphoning. I got lucky I suppose. People were obviously worried about hoarding gas now.
It took almost an hour to get gas before I headed out. I watched the attendant come out and close two pumps while I was filling. Gas was definitely going to go up now. The demand and gas frenzy by us all would see to that. As I drove back to camp I kept thinking about what had happened in town. It soon became apparent that the next thing to worry about would be food. I couldn’t help but think about the long term effects. Prior military training had taught me that proper planning prevented piss poor performance. So it was time to prepare. I probably should have seen this earlier, but preparing for something big just seemed crazy at the time. Even now I couldn’t imagine things getting worse. I mean sure, our economy wasn’t the best right now, but could it actually have the potential to come to a screaming halt? Either way I knew I needed to have some kind of plan in place. Even if it was just a short term deal. I wasn’t going to be a casualty if something did happen. Yeah. It was time for a plan.
Chapter Three
Preparing
“It is better to hear the rebuke
of the wise, than for a man
to hear the song of fools.”
- Ecclesiastes 7:5
The next day found me on the river banks fishing. I had always found it easier to think things through while fishing. It was a relaxing way to clear one’s mind. Not to mention it had its benefits of providing a meal as well. My mind wandered to the strange dream I had last night. I was standing in an open field with my father to my right and a small crowd of familiar faces to my left. My father was telling me to prepare for the coming storm, while the crowd was laughing and continuously saying, “What storm?” Then I remembered a time as a child when my father had made preparations for a snow storm in November. Friends of the family had all mocked my father, because we were not even expected to have our first storm until mid December. That January a fierce storm had devastated the region. People were without power and heat for almost three weeks. Some didn’t even have running water. The stores were mobbed and shelves became bare within hours, and so they remained for nearly a month. The majority of folks had very little and had to use supplies sparingly. We on the other hand, were fine due to my father’s early preparations.
He had told me he didn’t predict a big storm. He just wanted to make sure we were going to be in good standings if something did happen. He was right. He was about most things. Not only did we have enough supplies to last a month, but we also had a generator for power and enough food to help friends and neighbors in need.
It was a good lesson learned. Like now, I had no idea what tomorrow was going to bring. However, I wasn’t going to be the one to show up to a store of empty shelves when something did happen. I had to come up with a good sound plan. I wanted to not only be ready for a short term downfall, but I wanted to be prepared in case the gates of hell opened up. I decided I would have a small ration of supplies in my apartment, but I would begin to heavily supply the camp as my base of operations. If things got real bad, I could just come here to weather the storm. I was going to make sure I had six months of supplies. It was just me, so I wouldn’t need to stalk too much. Besides, this would give me an excuse to come to camp more often. Maybe even see that waitress again. A grin formed on my face as I pictured her in my head smiling at me. There was something about her that I couldn’t quite place yet. Her smile and green eyes had given her the look of innocence, yet her red hair told me she meant business. My mind quickly shifted to my present surroundings as my fishing pole nearly doubled over. The large trout on the other end of my line definitely meant business. I fought with him for about five minutes before landing what I knew was going to be a filling lunch.
