by John French
I headed back to camp and started a fire. The trout was too big for the pan, so I took out the grill we had always kept for the fire pit. I burned down the fire into red hot coals, then kept the flames small while my lunch cooked just above. The smell was enough to make anyone drool. Which is probably why I soon caught sight of my fat nosy neighbor. The bear was sitting on the other side of the river watching me. I banged a couple pots together and yelled towards him. He didn’t move away as fast this time, but he took off just the same. Maybe he was starting to size me up, or maybe he felt something coming too and was planning to stock up on my inventory. Either way, I was going to buy bear spray when I got back home. I was going to bring my rifle along next time too.
After lunch I started to organize the camp a little better. I decided to build a small shed for the tools and gear. I cleared the rest of the tall grass behind the trailer. I would plant a garden there if ever needed. I began to make a list of supplies I would need for a long stay, and materials for making the camp a little more suitable for such a stay. I needed to rebuild the outhouse this fall, but it was still good for now and the camper also had a small bathroom for emergencies. The shower in the camper would suffice. I still needed to check the heater and stove, so I was going to have to bring a tank of propane next time.
I turned on the radio after I was done. It was evening now, and the cool mountain air began to fill the camp. It seemed like it was going to be a fair night this evening. I was covered in sweat from the day’s labor, so I jumped into the river and changed into dry clean clothes. I realized I was going to have to figure a way to clean my clothes if I stayed for any long periods of time. A small wash tub and board would be in order. A chuckle rose from me as I pondered on whether you could even buy a washboard anymore. The radio echoed through the camp while I enjoyed dinner. The radio reminded me that I needed batteries, and lots of them. That wasn’t the best solution so I made plans to purchase a wind up radio for the camp. Something that would run off either batteries or a dynamo, in which case I would be covered in any situation. That is unless the radio stations were taken off the air. I laughed at the mere fact that I had even thought about something as crazy as that. Who knows though, it didn’t have to be a disaster. They could just lose their jobs too. Again I laughed. Well, at least I was finding humor in my worse case scenarios.
My laughter stopped when the emergency broadcast system came on.
The radio beeped for what seemed an eternity before relaying some useful information. “The National Weather Service has issued a severe…” oh great here we go again. I looked up at the blue sky then felt the bump that still marked my back from the last attack. That hail storm was like receiving an air strike from Mother Nature. By the sounds of it the camp was about to receive another one. Only they didn’t mention hail this time. Maybe I would get lucky and the system would pass on by. I brewed up a pot of hot coffee ahead of time though. Just in case.
I spent another hour by the fire before I noticed any clouds coming in. It was getting late out anyway, so I put out the fire and used what daylight was left to pack away the gear I had laying about. When I picked up the coffee pot I felt the first drop of rain. Still, the wind wasn’t picking up yet. Maybe the brunt of the system would indeed pass me by. I lit a candle and sat at the table to have another cup of hot coffee. I took out a piece of paper and pen to jot down some of the ideas I had for the camp. I began to feel the weight of my tiredness pushing down on me. Not even the coffee could keep my eyes open. I got my bed ready then blew out the candle. I laid in bed for awhile with my thoughts until sleep finally found me.
I woke to the heavy drops of rain pounding the camper’s roof. Darkness filled the camper, and I looked to my watch for the time. It was only one in the morning. There was no thunder or sign of lightning outside. The storm must have gone around me, unless I slept through it. I rolled over and closed my eyes again. Tomorrow I was going to make more plans for preparing the camp, and then enjoy my last evening before I headed home the following morning. I was going to head out early to make sure I was back at a decent time. The thought of going back to work in a couple days now seemed somewhat dreadful after spending the last few days here. I was looking forward to spending more time at the camp this summer. I was determined to make this camp a permanent part of my life.
When I opened my eyes again, they met with the morning light that filled the camper. I heard a rustling outside and didn’t even bother to look out the window. “Git!” I shouted. I heard the bear as he crashed into the undergrowth in the woods on the other side of camp. I shook my head and smiled. My smile soon turned to frown though when I realized that bear was going to probably wreck the camper while I was away. Then again, he hadn’t touched it before I came. An idea suddenly flashed through my head. I was going to make a scare crow. Sounded crazy, but it just might work.
I started a small fire for coals so I could make fresh coffee. Afterwards I went right to work fashioning a new campmate. I used a pair of jeans I had in the truck and a tee shirt. I stuffed them with the grass I had cut when I first came up. When the coffee was ready, I had a cup then went right back to work. I mounted the figure on a one inch pole I fashioned from a sapling I cut down. I decided to place my hat on his head and just buy a new one when I got home. Now for the genius part. I tied three cans to a thin rope from each arm to act like bells. They clanged together even in a slight breeze. That would be the part I hoped would confuse the bear. Maybe he would think it was me hitting pots together. It was worth a try anyway.
I was going to wake up early the next morning to see if the scarecrow startled him any. I wouldn’t have to wait that long though. I started cooking the hotdogs and beans at lunch. The aroma must have found favor with that old bruin, because I saw him standing near the camp after I had gone in the camper to get a drink. I watched him from the window. He was standing there staring at my new camping buddy. I guess he wasn’t sure what to think. It looked like he was about to walk closer to the camp when the wind kicked up. The cans rang in a horrible symphony, and the bear jumped around and moved briskly back into the woods. Well it worked for now. I figured sooner or later he would figure it out though. Until then the camp would be safe.
After lunch I marked out where I wanted to put a shed for the gear, and then marked out a spot for a second smaller shed. The smaller one I was going to have to be raised off the ground like a small tower. I would use that for food while I was staying here. That way I didn’t have to worry about a bear trying to get into the camper or my truck. I figured just because it hasn’t happened yet, doesn’t mean it won’t in the future. I worked a little more on the list I had started last night, then decided to just fish the rest of the day.
The day went by fast. Probably because I wasn’t looking forward to the drive back. I finished the dogs and beans that night, and most all my other provisions. I burned the fire a little later than usual as well. I wanted to ensure I enjoyed my last fire. No coffee tonight. Just the fire and some cold drinks from the cooler. The ice I bought hadn’t lasted more than two days, so I had been keeping things cool by filling the cooler with the cold river water and changing it regularly. Not a bad idea, but I don’t think it would be safe for meats. I was lucky the hotdogs didn’t make me sick. I figured they were precooked anyway though. After a nice night by the fire I put out the flames and packed it in for the night. Once again I found myself just lying in bed with my thoughts running crazy in my head. It seemed everything was flashing through my mind. The camp, the week, tomorrow, my job, the waitress, the bear, the walking outside the camper. The walking outside the camper. What was that? Something was walking around, and it wasn’t the bear. It almost sounded like a human slowly walking by. One slow crunch on the gravel slowly followed by another.
I quietly sat up and grabbed a flashlight. I kept my movements slow and deliberate as I moved to look out the window. The moon was half full and gave a little light. There was a shadow moving around where my truck was parked
. It was tall too. I apparently had company. I wondered if it was someone trying to siphon my tank. Then I realized how far in the woods I was. That’s when I really wished I had brought my rifle. I had no defenses, and could already see myself listed as a missing person. Then the real horror struck. That’s if anyone was missing me to begin with! Maybe Ryan would report. No, he would just assume I quit and wasn’t answering his calls. Yep, I was screwed. The hell with it I thought. I decided to show aggression up front. Maybe that would temporarily scare whoever it was off long enough for me to get in the truck and the heck away from here.
I moved slowly to the door and opened it without a sound. The shadow was still by the truck, but was now moving in my direction. Here we go. It’s now or never. I yelled at the top of my lungs, “You want trouble!”, and turned on the flashlight. There standing in the beam of light, obviously not registering what I had said, was a large bull moose. He obviously wasn’t out to seek my demise, but I still wasn’t sure what his intentions were with my truck. He stared at the light a while longer while I just gazed in amazement and relief. Then he headed in the direction of town. I closed the door and shook my head. “Never a dull moment.” I laid back down and closed my eyes. I couldn’t believe my camp was raided by a moose. I fell asleep fast after that. That night I dreamt of a moose ramming my truck, and bears eating my scarecrow. I was definitely going to need that rifle, as well as psychiatric help in the morning.
When I woke up I took a look around the camp. No bear. Maybe the scarecrow had worked. I began to pack the truck for the long ride home. After I locked up the camper I took one more look over the week’s labor. Not bad, I thought to myself. I reluctantly got in the truck and drove away towards town. I planned on stopping at the diner for my morning’s coffee. The ride into town was quiet as I hadn’t turned the radio on. I just enjoyed the last views of the countryside. I was going to have to figure out a new budget in order to buy supplies for the camp, and to purchase gas to get there. That was going to be the hard part now. Maybe it was time to downsize to a small pickup truck.
When I got into town I couldn’t help but notice it was silent again. Not like the other night during the crazed dash for the pumps. I stopped in at the diner for my coffee. The waitress I had seen the night before wasn’t working that morning. There were only a couple more people there, so I just had my coffee and went my way. I couldn’t help but think that the diner would be out of business before I came back. I hadn’t seen many people there the times I had came in. Maybe they got most there business in the afternoon. I stopped by one of the gas stations to grab another coffee then hit the road. Before long I found myself on the highway and back into the city limits. The trees were few now and the buildings plenty. I wasn’t so happy about having to readjust to the noise.
I didn’t even bother putting stuff away when I got into my apartment. I just threw my gear down and laid on the couch turning on the news. The news was full of the chaos and distrust at the pumps this weekend. The government was expected to release half of our emergency stockpile on Monday to try and ease the tensions. There was even talk of eliminating the fuel taxes until the price of oil eased to more moderate prices. I could see that this whirlwind wasn’t going to stop anytime soon though. Prices were already too high for everyone. I could just sense there was a bad storm brewing, and I was sure that everyone else felt it too.
I couldn’t believe how exhausted I was from the past week. It was like it all caught up to me at once. I know I got plenty of sleep while I was at camp, but I guess I just wasn’t use to the fresh air and labor anymore. I ended up turning in early and didn’t get out of bed until Monday morning. That’s when I guess it really started. The whole turmoil. The beginning of the end. At least for me that is. It started well enough with a cup of coffee and a bagel. The morning ended with a termination at work due to the place shutting its doors. I guess I should have seen that coming, but I did have my suspicions during my week at camp. At least I got paid for that week. I didn’t waste time applying for unemployment. It was when I arrived at the unemployment office that I understood how messed up things were. There were just so many people there all trying to save their homes and feed their families. After a couple of hours I decided to apply online and save myself the torture of standing in the summer heat.
The city was different today. There were no friendly faces to be seen anywhere. Everyone seemed depressed and upset. I stopped by a café to grab a cup of coffee before going home. While there I overheard someone on their cell venting about how the barrel just topped at one-hundred and eighty dollars. I almost vomited when I heard him. There was no way oil was at that price, he must be mistaken. As soon as I entered my apartment I turned on the news to verify what I had heard. I almost fell to the floor when I saw the price floating around a hundred and seventy-nine a barrel. What was going on? I quickly took care of my business online then took off to trade in my truck. I was able to find a small pick-up of a lot less value, and the dealership insisted on an even trade. I didn‘t get the best deal in town, but I didn’t have to worry so much about fuel now. Anyways, at this moment the bigger trucks were definitely worth less because of the energy costs. So I didn’t let the barter get to me.
As days went by things just got worse everywhere. I had my benefits for now, but it was barely enough to survive on. Jobs? Forget it. Businesses were shutting down, not hiring. Everything was messed up. It really was a jungle out there. I spent my days looking for employment and continuing preparations for the camp. I had gone up a few times and things were looking good. I had seen that waitress a couple more times too. That was always worth the trip up. The last time I was at the diner, she sat down and had coffee with me. It was amazing how much we had in common, even though we came from two different worlds.
The days slowly crept into weeks, and soon the crisp cold air of fall descended upon us. I made a trip to the camp one more time to lock things down for the winter. I hadn’t built the shed or food storehouse yet, but the material was all there under a tarp. I would have to get right to it when spring came. The camper was now full of supplies, and ready to be used as a long term refuge. Maybe I had gone a little overboard with all this, but at least I had a place to live with provisions if I lost my apartment. I stopped into the diner on my way back for one last coffee and to tell her I’d be out of town until spring. I finally got her name.
Chapter Four
Falling Apart
“All these things are the beginning
of sorrows”
- St. Matthew 24:8
It had been a long winter, and spring was finally at our doorsteps. My unemployment benefits along with hundreds of thousands of other desolate workers had been loss. Already I had been dipping into the food storage I had prepared the summer before, but was careful not to place a sizable dent. The whole matter at hand was now maddening, and the smell of our failures and those of our elected officials now fragranced the air with fear and worry. Crime was rising with the diminishing of our law-enforcement. Most of the officers still on duty were merely volunteers still working short hours in order to keep their neighborhoods safe. I had already pawned off just about everything I owned, and in many cases in trade for food or gas. I learned quickly that gas was kept in cans secured inside at night, and only placed in the vehicle’s tank when needed. Siphoning had to be the number one crime now with prices over seven dollars a gallon. I should have invested in oil years ago, as the barrel was at an unprecedented high of two-hundred a barrel. It was just too much to bear. Families were now moving in together to support one another. I had none left, and had no trusted friends, so I now found myself thinking of alternative actions. Unbelievably, the banks were still open. You could still freely take your money, but warnings were already on the rise of accounts being frozen. We had saved our banks once, but inevitably they were going to fail regardless.
I decided it was time to withdraw my life’s savings before it was too late. I had enough to live off for the next two y
ears. I would only be able to cover food and property taxes at the camp, but things would be stabilized by then. I was just going to have to start over. The plan was the best one I could think of, as I knew I couldn’t afford to rent my apartment for another six months. I was in need of security, time, and the tranquility only the camp could offer. I wasted no time in withdrawing my savings, a third of which I invested in gold and silver that I would keep on hand. The dollar was already sorely weakened, and I was sure it was going to get a lot worse before the market adjusted.
With my last month’s rent paid, and with what belongings and provisions I had left, I set out on the road towards the camp. I didn’t pay much attention to the dealings in the city as I left. I couldn’t bring myself to suffer the images any longer. I just wanted to get away, and had no plans of ever returning. I was going to establish a new life in the country. A more fruitful and peaceful life filled with restored promises. At least that’s what was going through my head. Truth be told you can run, but you definitely can’t hide forever. And as I was to find out, you can’t hide from a global disaster. Especially when the disaster is not only made by, but also fed daily by man.
