CHAPTER TWO

It was Friday night, and Joe was packing for the camping trip. Bill was picking him up at 5 A.M. the next morning. I guess the wild life in the woods gets up when the wild life in LA is going to bed, he thinks. I don't even know what to take with me. Well, let's see, I have jeans and some t-shirts, underwear and 2 pairs socks…a good shirt and pants, should we decide to go out to eat, a tie? Well maybe, just in case. Doesn't take much room. Sunglasses, shaving kit, tooth brush & paste, he looks around trying to see if there is anything else, when the phone rings. He reaches for it and lights a cigarette at the same time. Oh, cigarettes and matches.

"Hello?"

"Hi Joe, just me. How you coming with the packing? Got everything you need?"

"Well, yeah, I think so. Got some jeans, and t-shirts, and socks and underwear…"

"How many pairs of socks, Joe?"

"Two," he replies, checking his case.

"Two? What you going to do when your feet get wet?"

"Why are my feet getting wet?" asks Joe, actually puzzled.

"I don't know, maybe you'll step in a puddle or something. You're doing pretty good though, I thought for sure you'd have dress clothes, or maybe even a tie." Bill laughs at his own joke.

"Uh, no, of course not." He removes the dress clothes and the tie from the case. "I wouldn't do that."

"Bring a jacket, it gets cool at night. A warm jacket, not a sports jacket."

"Right, OK, I've got a shaving kit, and tooth brush…"

"A shaving kit? Joe, who are you trying to impress? The bears? You don't need to shave, we're roughing it, remember?"

"Bears? There's going to be bears?"

"Well sure Joe, that's where they live, you know, in the woods. And the raccoons and skunks, maybe some deer if we're lucky."

Joe's thinking, if we were lucky, there would be an earthquake about now, and we wouldn't have to go.

"What you got for shoes?"

He looks at his feet and is about to say, loafers, when Bill says,

" You know, you have to have some good shoes, and hiking boots, too."

"What are the hiking boots for? I thought we were going to fish and relax in the canoe."

"Boy, you really are new to this, aren't you?"

"I've got some tennis shoes, but no boots."

Bill asks him his size, and says his oldest boy has a pair that will fit him.

"What do we sleep in, Bill? What should I bring?"

"We sleep in sleeping bags, Joe, I told you that."

"Oh, right." One pair pajamas go into the bottom of the case.

"I have the steaks, they're frozen and will keep better, is that OK?"

"Just fine Joe, good idea. I've got the cooler ready and picked us up some beer, too."

Good I hope you bought plenty, I might need it to get through the weekend alive. He is really starting to have second and third thoughts about this.

"Well I guess that about covers it. I have the canoe on top of the car and all but the food is loaded too. Eileen went to the deli and got us some good stuff. Got eggs for breakfast and we will catch our dinner. This is going to be great, Joe. You'll never forget this experience, I guarantee that!"

That's what I'm afraid of, thinks Joe.

"OK, partner, I'll see you at 5 A.M. sharp!"

"I'll be ready," just like a guy on death row, just come and get me.