The Saturday Boy Novel (Chap. 10 & 11)

CHAPTER TEN – A HUNTING TRIP IS PLANNED

 

 

WHAT WILL my father say, when he sees me today? I finally got a haircut. Mom said it was nice. I still asked, "Did I have to?"

 

As usual she won the argument. It really wasn't an argument, just a discussion. My father says it's good to speak your mind.

 

"Is Saturday the only time we can get together?" I asked last week.

 

"Yes."

 

"How come?"

 

"That's what the court agreement says." That’s all he said. I think he feels bad about us not going out more often.

 

Some kids don't go anywhere with their fathers. So I guess I'm lucky. Lately certain thoughts snuck into my mind.

 

It would be really neat if mom and dad got back together. Lately I've been laying awake thinking about it.            

 

He liked my new haircut right off. Even though I was a bit ticked off. Said I looked shorter. "Lost 2 inches, eh?" he teased. "Hair, hair, I mean, Har …Har."

 

I didn't think it was funny, at all.

 

Mom was surprised when she saw me control myself. She kept waiting for my mouth to get in gear. But it didn't.

 

I really astonished her. I held my temper in, even smiled at my father. My big ears almost flapped together. They were wondering what was going on too.

 

Jeans, sneakers and my favorite sweatshirt helped me be ready for the day. Father continues making a contest out of surprising me with our outings. And part of the game is being ready for new adventures.

 

And today I was ready.

 

It was such a nice day for November. I didn't have to be too brilliant to figure out what to wear.

 

I gave my father his usual hug. I didn't feel shy anymore. After all, I knew he loved me. Why else would he take me to these different places?

 

"Hi," my face beamed.

 

"Thanks, Jay. I needed that."

 

He's been calling me Jay a lot lately. I like it better than Jason. First stop, his house. It was part of to-day's plan. He made homemade soup, with corn, some kind of meat, rice and a mixture of vegetables, nice and hot too.

 

As usual I made a sloppy soup mess. The spoon was too big for my mouth and when my lip burned, the soup spilled. I put in a handful of crackers to cool things down.

 

Sometimes when I eat and talk, I make a real mess. Like right now. How come I'm so sloppy?

 

"What are you nervous about?" father asked.

 

How could a kid as smart as me do something so silly? I watched my father. Was he laughing at me? No. Just watching. He said, "Bring the bowl closer to your chest. You'll find it helps," he said.

 

I bet he was laughing inside, though.

 

He passed me a napkin. I liked that. I was beginning to have lots of good feelings for this man who had been gone for so long.

 

Is it okay to forgive someone who hurt you so much? It must be.

 

I needed to be with my dad so badly. My stomach got upset just thinking about him not being around.

 

Well his surprise today was something else. We were going to take the truck and “scout-the-woods” as he called it.

 

If everything worked out we were going hunting next Saturday! Mom wouldn't let. No way. She's afraid of guns...and death. She thinks young boys shouldn’t see an animal being shot, and killed.

 

How could I convince her I'm now grown? I keep saying that to myself. Right now, everything seems to be going too good. Maybe I don't want to grow older. I don't want these good times to change.

 

Before I could think about it some more, father simply said, "I asked your mother and she said it was OK." Just like that. Here I am stewing and it’s already worked out.

 

I couldn't help myself. I looked him right in the eye and asked, "Really?" His grin was so wide I could almost count his fillings.

 

And I finally did it. I said, "Thanks Dad. Thanks a lot.”

 

His eyes bugged out when I called him Dad for the first time. He came forward and gave me a father-son hug. My heart said it was time to forgive him for all the hurting he brought into my life. "FRENCH FRIES!"

 

I had to wait until next week for the actual hunting trip. But today was turning out to be pretty good. We loaded up with heavy clothes because we were going to the Cobequid Hills, to check things out.

 

"It might get cold out there," dad said.

 

And dad...it's nice to call him Dad now...wanted me to wear his spare orange hunting cap and jacket. Even though we weren't going hunting we still had to follow safety rules in the woods.

 

Other hunters were already there and we had to be careful.

 

We zipped along the highway, my feet snug in a pair of dad's boots with an extra pair of socks to fill up the empty spaces.

 

I watched as Cobequid Bay filled with water, eating up the shoreline as the tide came in. An orange tint to the grass reminded me winter was on the way. The sun’s reflection even made it sparkle.

 

But I know it will be covered soon when the snow arrives. I prefer to think of it as simply going away, to sleep. People always say, "I wish the warm summer was here. We've had enough winter." And summer returns. Then green grass re-appears.

 

Like magic.

 

It all makes sense. "French Fries." I ask if I could steer.

 

"Okay, but not until we get off the pavement," dad says.

 

I'm glad he's my dad again.

 

I lean over and steer down the gravel road. We don't go very fast. My dad is careful, making sure there are no other cars or trucks.

 

We stopped at the Portapique dump to chuck some of dad's garbage. I threw both bags directly into the flames. He said, “Don’t get too close to the edge.”

 

I asked "Why?" Before I could get an answer, I heard a loud POP!

 

Dad pulled me away just as a large chunk of beer bottle glass landed where I stood a few moments before. “Another one of life’s lessons,” I said.

 

Soon after we turned north of Bass River, four miles ahead, left, then right at the first bridge. It was very bumpy heading into hilly country and my dad did all the driving. I said I'd help later.

 

When we stopped, he said, “This is where we'll come next week. Years ago I found so many deer tracks and shot one just over that ridge.”

 

I found a walking stick and ran ahead. It was a race to the little hill. Dad won, but he didn't beat me by much. His legs were longer and easily jumped over fallen branches.

 

He taught me how to take a compass reading. It sounded simple, and we walked around testing my new knowledge. But we had to hurry, evening light was fading, and we must be getting back soon.

 

We checked for clumps of deer sign. “Yes they still like this spot,” dad said.

 

"How come time passes so quickly when a person is having fun?" I asked.

Using the compass I led the way back to our car. We shuffled down a steep hill and jumped over a little creek. "OK to wash my face in that water?" I asked.

 

"Yes," dad said. "Don’t drink it though."

 

I lay on my belly and washed the moisture over my face. It felt cool.

 

My dad was watching. I knew what he was thinking. “He’s a changed boy. He's gaining confidence.” And I was. I heard my mother say that to him on the phone last week. And I'm smart enough to realize I'm not afraid of things, as I used to be.

 

Hopefully dad may come and live with us. I keep wondering if he's afraid to try again.

 

We found more deer tracks and some interesting hunting spots. I'm already thinking about next week. But, right now I'm sleepy. Must be all the fresh air...must be.

 

I have to close my eyes just a little while sitting on the front seat.

 

Yes, I know I love my dad again.

 

 

 

CHAPTER ELEVEN – A WORTHWHILE EXPERIENCE  

 

 

IT WAS going to be a weekend to end all weekends. Dad phoned me to get my opinion on what we should bring.

 

We talked and planned. And planned and talked. Beans, wieners, soup, and marshmallows were part of our menu.

 

I didn't care what kind of food we brought. I could eat almost anything. Just thinking about our hunting overnight coming up was almost like a dream.

 

"You still there?" dad's voice drifted through the telephone wires.

 

"Yes." I was awake after all.

 

Mom helped me pack. But she looked sad. "Come on mom, don't worry, I'll be OK." I didn't know why she kept looking at me like that. Is mom jealous of dad? I mean, about how we're getting along so well.

 

Maybe she can come too. My mind rattled on.

 

I gave her an extra big hug. "I love you, mom," I said. It seemed like a long time before she let go.

 

I'm glad I didn't know then about dad's plans. She was brave. And I knew she loved me. I found out later, how much.

 

Mom packed my favorite homemade cookies, peanut butter. There was a dozen to split between dad and I. I could say it easily now. "Dad!"

 

His name kept humming through my brain. Father. My father. Dad and I are going on a camping and hunting trop together.

 

It's a good thing mom helped me pack. I would have forgotten important things like my toothbrush and fresh underwear.

 

"Why do we brush our teeth in the woods? And who has time to change their underwear during a great hunting trip? Eh, mom?"

 

She just couldn't stop smiling at her young man going on his first hunting trip.

 

And I won’t be leaking in my pants. That was an important part of growing up. Dad said, "Control your bladder by not drinking anything before bedtime." He worried about me wetting my sleeping bag.

 

Dad said it would be cold if I did. So he said how I could help myself.

 

He was right, too. I always had two whole glasses before bedtime. No wonder, I thought. So now I don't drink anything after eight o'clock. New rules really helped me.

 

Things are different now. Everything is going so good. Maybe mom and dad...I better not think of that right now. There is too much else on my mind.

 

Better get my jacket; dad might be waiting. "Mom! Dad's here! And he's got a truck!" Good, he wasn’t late getting off work. It was our first time leaving on a Friday night, so we could hunt as much as possible on Saturday.

 

She barely got my jacket thrown over my shoulders before I rushed out the door. "No backpack or sleeping bag, son?" She asked quietly.

 

Back into the house like a storm. I grabbed them out of mom’s hands then dashed to the truck.

 

I waved back forgetting to kiss her goodbye. Hey I'm grown up now. Sorry mom. Well maybe a hug would have been all right. She threw a wave at me. My fingers waggled back.

 

Dad had a ½ ton pick-up. His gear was on the back, along with a lot of other camping stuff.

 

We could see the sky beginning to close its eyes, as if a blanket began to cover the earth. But the sun still peeked from the edge of horizon. As we headed for Bass River 25 miles away, I feel quite mature.

 

I’m not a wimp anymore.

 

I’m not afraid anymore.

 

I am now ready to try sleeping in a tent for the very first time. Perhaps fire a gun too. Maybe dad would even let me shoot a deer, and why not? I was developing into a savvy outdoor person.

 

We drove into the Cobequid hills slowly climbing an old dirt road. It was eerie listening to gravel being kicked out by our truck tires. I didn't believe it could be so dark without streetlights to show us the way.

 

Although my fears are under my T-shirt they still try to get out.

 

But I won't let them.

 

The wind howled. And every tree was shaking. It was cold. "Are there coyotes up here, dad?" I asked.

 

"Yes, son, lots. You'll hear them causing quite a ruckus tonight."

 

My heart almost turned to stone. "Coyotes," I breathed.

 

We turned off into a narrow road where tree branches slapped noisily against the truck. Good thing our windows were up. One of those branches could easily yank my arm hard.

 

I knew this was the same road we came up last Saturday. At night it sure looked different. Thankfully, dad knew his way around.

 

As we drove, dad explained, "We'll be hearing all kinds of noises. Don't be afraid, son."

 

I never really listened before when he explained about how nighttime belonged to the forest. Or, when humans were asleep, animals came out.

 

I was all-ears now. I could imagine from what dad was repeating, deer hooves clattering across this rocky road. Maybe a fox sniffing at my feet or a Hooty owl keeping me awake. Shivers chased up and down my spine.

 

It wasn't long before we came to the clearing where we planned to camp. As usual dad had it all figured out. We put up the two-man pup tent in the back of our pick-up truck.

 

"We'll try this for your first time out," he said. "That way the raccoons won't get into our tent and bother you."

 

“Sounds good to me,” I muttered.

 

Since the wind was so strong and very cold, we pointed the tent door at the cab. Then dad took his double camping mattress and placed it inside the tent, covering it with two furniture blankets.

 

"To keep the chill from our backs."

 

When dad turned off the truck lights, I began to shake, but warmed up when he gave me a light jacket to wear under my hunting coat. And he made me wear my red hat.

 

"Covering your head keeps precious body heat in," dad said. "Now, lets try a little hike, before we turn in. It will help you appreciate the beauty of the land."

 

I saw the Milky Way, the Big Dipper, Cassiopeia and a million other stars. No, there must be a billion.

 

“And an airplane,” Dad explained, "You can tell which direction it's going by the lights. Green for the front moving forward and red for the back."

 

I didn't feel like going any farther. It was time to jump into my sleeping bag.

 

Besides I wanted to get up early for hunting. This was only Friday night. I still had tomorrow ahead of me.

 

This time was the most dad and I were together, all at once. I didn't know it wasn't going to last either.

 

We changed into our sleeping clothes then crawled into cold sleeping bags. It didn't take long to warm up. He said how proud he was of me. Before going to sleep he said how much this trip meant to him. And he said he loved me...me...

 

Then he kissed me on the forehead.

 

I started to cry like a baby. But I didn't care. I told him I would always love him. And I said I was sorry for being so angry, before.

 

“It’s okay,” he said.

 

I think he was crying too. I snuggled up close before I went to sleep.

 

Morning came so quickly I could hardly believe it. Before long we had on fresh clothes, built a fire, slurped hot soup and began our hunting.

 

Dad showed me his .270 rifle and to stay by his side, not in front. We walked for hours, stopping often to rest and enjoy the woods.

 

It was a night and a day I'll never forget, dad and I.

 

I didn't want to go home Saturday night. I wanted to stay with dad forever, even longer.

 

But I had to go home. Mom needed me too.