CHAPTER EIGHT

It takes only a short time and they are back at camp with the canoe on shore and the gear unloaded. They never did drink those beers they brought with so they opened them now. After their dinner, Bill had taken time to set up the fire pit with twigs and logs. He stuffed some newspapers into the pile and lit a match. It wasn't long before they had a nice fire going. He goes to the car and returns with a small bag.

"What you got there,?" asks Joe.

Bill sits down and sharpens two sticks that he had found.

"S'mores, Joe! Got to have S'mores when you go camping"

"Is that right? What is a S'more Bill?"

"Graham crackers, marshmallows and a chocolate bar! You eat one and you want s'more!" He threads 3 marshmallows on each stick and hands one to Joe.

"Here you go, hold it near the fire and toast them, then you put it on the cracker with a chocolate bar. Really good, partner!"

Well, Joe thinks, you wanted to know what would be next, looks like a sugar coma. He holds his marshmallows near the flame, watching them char to a coal black, one of them bursting into flames, then finally falling off the stick into the pit.

"Joe! Your supposed to turn them, just get a golden brown. Here, let me load you up again." He puts more on the stick and hands it to Joe, who watches it more carefully this time. Bill gives him two crackers with a chocolate bar and shows him how to put the marshmallows between them.

"Now eat it!" Bill bites into his with relish. Joe looks at his and wishes it would fall into the pit with the others. Bill is already loading more marshmallows on his stick to make s'more. He offers more to Joe, who shakes his head no.

"Thanks Bill, this will do me just fine. I'm still full from supper."

He watches as Bill devours another one and starts a third batch. Joe just nibbles at his, hoping Bill turns away so he can toss it in the fire or somewhere. Finally finished with his s'mores, Bill turns to get his beer behind him on the table. Joe quickly tosses the s'more over his shoulder into the dark. Bill turns back and notices Joe's s'more is gone.

"Told you they were good, didn't I? Want me to make you another one?"

"No thanks, Bill, I'm good."

They sit drinking their beers and enjoying the fire. It's nearly 11:00 p.m. and Joe is having a hard time keeping his eyes open. Between getting up at four, the lake, sun, and fresh air, he is just wiped out. And now the beers are relaxing him completely. He's more than ready to call it a night and Bill is looking tired too.

"We'll bank this fire Joe, then turn in. We want to get an early start on fishing in the morning. We can have our fish for lunch then."

"What time do we get up? You got an alarm clock?"

"Yep, in here Joe, in here!" he says tapping his head.

After visiting the tree's, they get into the tents and undress, slipping into the sleeping bags.

Ohh, Joe is thinking, this is great, the mattress is soft, the sleeping bag is comfortably warm. He stretches to get rid of some kinks and says,

""Night Bill, see you.. ..in.." He's out like a light before his head hit's the pillow. Bill follows suit, just seconds behind.

"Joe! Joe! Wake up, buddy! Time to go fishing. Wake up! You going to sleep all day?"

Joe struggles to gain conciseness, raising up, trying to figure out why Bill is in his apartment and hollering about fishing. Must be dreaming, he thinks, laying back down on his side to resume sleeping.

"Joe! Get up, coffee's ready. Let's move it!"

Joe slowly opens his eyes and finds himself looking directly into the eyes of some sort of small animal. He stares at it, and it stares at Joe. Neither of them moving a muscle or blink. The animal is chewing something and twitching his nose. Joe bolts upright, startling the animal and himself. Both staring wide eyed at the other.

"Hey, Joe! You made a friend!" comments Bill from the open tent flap.

"You can play with the bunny later, now we got to get moving. Coffee's on the picnic table, and I'm starting the eggs, hope you like 'em scrambled."

If you're talking brains, mine already are. He's still not sure he's not dreaming.

Bill turns and heads for the table, the rabbit scurrying out of the tent behind him. Now he remembers he is not in his apartment, but on some crazy adventure with Buffalo Bill.

Good grief, morning already? Seems like they just went to bed. He looks bleary eyed at his watch, 3:30. Must have forgotten to wind it, and it stopped. He pulls on his clothes, finds his socks and boots, grabs his warm jacket, lights a cigarette, tossing the spent match in the fire pit and goes in search of a tree.

Bill takes the coffee pot off the camp stove and places a black fry pan on it to heat up. He has some bacon that he lays in it, and it begins to brown nicely. He looks around trying to find Joe, but doesn't see him anywhere. He knows he's up, he saw him leave the tent a few minutes ago, slightly staggering towards the trees. He wait's a few more minutes, turning the bacon in the pan. Still no Joe. Bill calls his name a couple of times, but no answer. Maybe he got lost, these city boys have no sense of direction, he thinks. He turns the pan on low, checks to see the bacon is ok, and heads off on the path he last saw him.

"Joe? Where are you? Joe?" He hope's he didn't fall down again, like yesterday. He continues to call and look for him. Finally he thinks he see's him by one of the trees. He calls again, but there is no answer or movement. Now what? wonders Bill, maybe he found that bunny again.

"Joe?" he walks over by him. Joe is leaning on his arm which is braced on the tree, sound asleep. He's heard of people sleeping standing up, he's just never seen it before. He taps him on the shoulder, no response. He taps again, firmer this time and calling his name. Finally Joe opens his eyes, and looks at Bill like he's not quite sure who he is.

"Oh, 'morning Bill, I found a tree," he says with a yawn.

"I see that, Joe, want to come back for breakfast? If you're done with that tree, that is."

Joe looks at the tree like he's not remembering why he wanted it in the first place, then recalls.

"All done Bill, lets go eat." He looks around trying to decide which way is the camp. Bill watches and just shakes his head. He turns Joe around and points.

"This way." They head back to camp to the smell of frying bacon. At least it's not garlic nut butter sandwiches.

Bill resumes cooking breakfast while Joe pours himself a cup of coffee. Looking into the cup he's thinking if this doesn't wake me up, nothing will. Boy, it's dark today, maybe it's going to rain. He checks the sky, but it's really too dark to see anything. Shouldn't the sun be up by now?

"What time you got Bill, I think my watch stopped." He removes it to wind and reset it. Bill looks at his and tells Joe it's 3:55.

"In the morning?" He looks at Bill, confused. "What are we doing up at this time in the morning?"

"Having breakfast and going fishing, what do you think?"

Think? I don't know what to think. I'm so sleep deprived right now I can't think. Stick me in a room with a bright light and I'll confess to anything as long as I can go to sleep after. I'll even share with the bunny as long as he stays on his own side of the bed.

"How can we fish, Bill? You can't even see the lake. The bats are probably still out there."

"Don't worry about the bats, Joe. They'll be long gone before we get out there. They don't like daylight."

Apparently, neither does Bill.

Bill tells him to sit, and hands him a plate of bacon and eggs. Joe does not usually eat breakfast, a cup of coffee and a smoke gets him going. But today, he actually feels hungry and the food smells great. He digs in, trying not to think what this day may hold in store for him.