As we meandered the road in our 1939 Ford Mom and Dad talked. The cupboard at home was bare. The night before mom had fixed the last of the meat for dinner. The family was on the way deep into the mountains to do a little hunting. We live in remote Idaho but we drove even deeper into the forest because it wasn't hunting season, but it was time to fill the larder.
The old truck was very cold. Dad drove, Mom was in the passenger seat and my little brother on her lap, My sister and I were squished in between. The rain was sheeting down with thunder so loud we little ones cried. The lightening was so close that dad told us to not touch any metal in the truck in case we were struck by the lightening.
We were creeping along the road, very slowly. Once I peaked over my brother out the side window. The road was so narrow I couldn't see the side of the road beneath us. I was terrified.
It had been dark for a long time. I was exhausted. Finally there was an old abandoned shack off a side road. There was no stove, no source of heat, there wasn't even a door. There were, however, a few holes in the floor. We each laid out our sleeping bags where we wanted. I remember choosing to lay so I could see the door. I was terrified a bear would come in the door.
Finally my exhaustion won out over fear and I fell asleep. I woke up once in the middle of the night, there was a scratching sound in the far corner. I eventually plucked up my courage and peaked over the edge of my sleeping bag. I saw to little eyes with a sort of red glint, a rat! I knew that look. I threw my shoe and it was gone. I slept the rest of the night.
The opening with no door faced east. I woke early, whether from the discomfort of sleeping on the hard floor or from the shivers of being chilled all night. I woke just before the sun rose. Even at the age of 4 I knew the special moment of that day. I was the only one awake as I watched the sun peak over the mountain view out the open doorway. Slowly the sunshine mark moved across the floor. I noticed a waterfall across the ravine. The memory of the waterfall in the morning mist is the most beautiful memory I have.
The old truck was very cold. Dad drove, Mom was in the passenger seat and my little brother on her lap, My sister and I were squished in between. The rain was sheeting down with thunder so loud we little ones cried. The lightening was so close that dad told us to not touch any metal in the truck in case we were struck by the lightening.
We were creeping along the road, very slowly. Once I peaked over my brother out the side window. The road was so narrow I couldn't see the side of the road beneath us. I was terrified.
It had been dark for a long time. I was exhausted. Finally there was an old abandoned shack off a side road. There was no stove, no source of heat, there wasn't even a door. There were, however, a few holes in the floor. We each laid out our sleeping bags where we wanted. I remember choosing to lay so I could see the door. I was terrified a bear would come in the door.
Finally my exhaustion won out over fear and I fell asleep. I woke up once in the middle of the night, there was a scratching sound in the far corner. I eventually plucked up my courage and peaked over the edge of my sleeping bag. I saw to little eyes with a sort of red glint, a rat! I knew that look. I threw my shoe and it was gone. I slept the rest of the night.
The opening with no door faced east. I woke early, whether from the discomfort of sleeping on the hard floor or from the shivers of being chilled all night. I woke just before the sun rose. Even at the age of 4 I knew the special moment of that day. I was the only one awake as I watched the sun peak over the mountain view out the open doorway. Slowly the sunshine mark moved across the floor. I noticed a waterfall across the ravine. The memory of the waterfall in the morning mist is the most beautiful memory I have.
