Page 21 - ContrastFall1987-1988

Then it rained. It rained like a godsend and cooled the air. The
whole forest was awake, dripping and green and the trees were wet

and dark as I walked. The leaves smelled fresh and the water beaded
on my poncho and it was the kind of thing that made you feel that you

are the only one in the world. That everything around you was there
for your benefit.

I walked, tripping over my thoughts like the rocks on the trail.

The Sun was still above the horizon but the forest was black as winter

just before dawn. Slightly nervous that it was almost too dark to see,

and since I had no idea where to camp, I kept going. Then, where

the trail sloped down by a stream there was a small wooden shelter

with one side completely open to a fire. The whole draw was filled

with rich wood smoke, and I felt warm inside, like when I was small

and COmingin the house late after sled riding, wet and tired. There

was a young couple living there and as I approached I could see their

smiling faces in the orange light. He was tall and skinny with black

har.r that curled over his shoulders. .
She was dark and beautiful and

had bigger arms than he did.

Jack and Christine were engaged and decided to live together in

the woods to see if they could really spend their lives together for

better or for worse. They were restless from being there for days and
Were glad to see me.

Their camp was modest and uncluttered. A stack of cleanly
sawed logs were next to the fire along with a pile of kindling covered

With plastic bags. They had suspended a collapsible bucket from a

tree to catch rain water for washing. There were logs around the fire

With smoothly carved flat spots for sitting, and a structure of lashed
sticks they were using to dry clothes and pots was next to the shelter.

All of the dead leaves and twigs had been cleared from their camp.