The Huge Favor

   The Huge Favor

Suzanne Marsh

Carol stood next to the worn wooden fence, watching the scene between her son and her neighbor, Greg. Being a single mother, was so difficult and now Bobby was a Cub Scout he would need to learn about camping. Carol hated the great outdoors, the bugs, the snakes not to mention the poison ivy. Carol, sighed:

“Greg, I hate to ask for a favor but Bobby is working on a badge for Cub Scouts, he is

required to go on a camping trip. I don’t know any men that would consider it.”

Greg, looked up at Carol from his position as he continued to pull weeds from his garden:

“Sure, Carol, I can take him camping. Have him ready to go Friday night around six.

He will need a sleeping bag, and survival kit.”

“Thank you, Greg, I know Bobby will be fine with you there.”

“Ah, Carol, my friend Jack is going also, it will be a male thing only.”

“That is great Greg, Bobby needs that badly.”

Carol, transversed the Greg’s lawn, returning to her home. She was so glad that Bobby was going to have male companionship for a few days instead of hers.

Friday night arrived, with Carol making sure that Bobby had everything, socks, under ware, jeans, shirts, sleeping bag, first aide kit. She hoped she had not forgotten anything. She and Bobby began to carry items over to Greg’s. Greg began to think this whole camping trip idea was not a good idea. Greg sighed and began to load the car:

“Carol, where is his knapsack? That is all he should need for a weekend. A suitcase is

something you don’t take camping.”

Carol, thought of the knapsack she had purchased for Bobby, it had his school materials.

“I’ll be right back Greg; Bobby has a knapsack he uses for school.”

She grabbed the suitcase and ran back toward her home. She quickly put everything in the knapsack, running back to Greg’s. She handed him the knapsack panting:

“I hope this is satisfactory. I had no idea he would need one.”

Greg, smiled:

“Yeah, he does, it is easier to carry. We are going to be camping near Mulvany Point. We

will return on Sunday evening somewhere around eight o’clock.”

Once the tents, were loaded and Jack had arrived, they pulled out of the stone driveway. Carol, smiled and waved goodbye to Bobby. She turned on her heel and headed home once again.

Greg, carefully watched Bobby in the rear-view mirror as he drove out of the city and into the calm beauty of the countryside. He thought: ‘that kid looks miserable, maybe I should ask him what is wrong.’ Just then Greg was cut off and completely forgot about Bobby. Once they reached Mulvany Point, he slowed the car down. There were several campsites available, they choose one next to Mulvany Lake. Greg and Jack began to unpack the car:

“Hey Bob, do you know how to put up a tent?” Bobby, had no clue:

“No sir, but I can learn.” Greg smiled at him as he began to show him how to put up a tent.

“Now, the thing to remember is to place the stakes in the ground so they will stay otherwise.

the tent won’t stay up. I’ll show you how.”

Bobby was not happy about camping, he had gone just to keep peace with his mother. Bobby pulled out his cell phone becoming engrossed in a game. Greg stopped the putting up the tent:

“Hold it Bobby, is your tent secure? Are the stakes properly placed?”

“I guess.”

“Don’t cop an attitude with me.”

Greg strode over to the tent; he pushed on the ropes anchoring the ropes to the stakes. Suddenly one gave way and the tent collapsed. Bobby, stalked off without a word. Jack was puzzled by his actions as was Greg.

“Hey, Greg, I thought the kid needed to earn his camping badge.”

“Yeah, he is but somehow I don’t think he is pleased to be here.”

“I get the same impression.”

Several hours later Bobby returned to the campsite. He was itching, Greg felt his stomach sink, poison ivy no doubt. Bobby looked miserable;

“What do I put on this whatever it is?”

“Bobby, that is poison ivy, put some cortisone on it. When will the itching stop?”

“In a few days.”

Bobby, was becoming more miserable on Saturday:

“Hey, when are we going hiking, I found a cool path yesterday.”

“Fine show us where the path is.”

Bobby, lead the way, as they began their trek into the forest. The lush green of the moss was like a carpet, the sky was cloudy but that was fine, there was no rain in sight. The path led them to Mount

Casper. Greg and Jack took a few moments to confer:

“Okay, Greg, what is in this for you?”

“I feel sort of sorry for Bobby, there is no man in his life. I am thinking about asking Carol

out on a date.”

“Well, I’ll be a blue nosed gopher, why you old bachelor, that is great!”

Bobby, watched as the two men picked up the pace, storm clouds were beginning to form over Mount Casper, like a large black carpet. Bobby, Greg and Jack continued up the mountain when there was loud crack of thunder, a bolt of lightning, then rain came down in torrents. Bobby watched Greg and Jack as they tried to find something large enough to shelter the three of them. Finally, they found a cave, they hurriedly entered. They exited almost as quickly, when a huge black bear made its presence known. A bolt of lightning struck a tree just as Jack grabbed Bobby and pushed him out of the way.

They finally found an old line shack where they could hold up until the rain subsided. Once the rain stopped, they carefully made their way back to their campsite. Greg and Jack began packing up the gear:

“Bobby, do you think you can take your tent down?”

“Yeah, sure.”

“Okay you start while I take the other two tents down and Jack starts to pack the car.”

Forty five minutes later, their adventure complete, they headed toward home. Bobby, sat quietly in the back of the Chevy S10 pickup truck. Happy to be going home but not wanting to either. Bobby, broke his silence:

“Greg, do you think we could go camping again? I really enjoyed it.”

“Yeah, Bobby we can go on another camping trip.”

Bobby was content with the answer. Once they arrived home, Bobby went to find Carol. Carol came over and thanked both men for making Bobby so happy. Once Carol was out of earshot Jack gave Greg one of those looks:

“Well, Greg, are you ever going to ask the woman out? Bobby, I think, could use a little

more man time.”

Greg, thought for a moment before he replied:

“What was supposed to be a favor for Bobby sure turned out to be a nuisance but I still

think it was an adventure to say the very least.