“Fools Rush In”
Listen to this chapter, “On the Slope.”
Hours later, dozens of carefree kids were at Pine Cove. Some had sleds, others pulled toboggans, and a few brave souls were trying their luck on skis. At the moment, Ken and Eddy were trying to persuade Sandra and Julie to muster up enough courage to take the half-mile toboggan ride down the hillside. Steve and Carolyn piled onto a little sled which made its way down the hillside, she displaying all the charms she could, and he trying his best to resist her and failing every minute. Jim Donaldson and JoAnn were on skis, racing down a clear mountain slope, the chilly wind blowing through long blonde wisps of hair that had escaped from under her wool cap. Ella and Cynthia were just taking a walk by themselves. Sledding, they thought, was too juvenile. And as for skiing, well, uh, they’d just rather take a walk.
Whoops! There goes Ken and Sandra and Julie and Eddy down the hill on a toboggan. Finally got up enough courage, eh, girls? Minutes later, at the bottom of the slope where the toboggan had overturned before coming to a complete halt, Sandra and Julie, red-faced and breathless, brushed the snow off themselves.
After regaining his composure, Eddy announced, “Wow, that was fun! Let’s try it again.”
“No, thank you,” spoke Ken from where he still sat in the snow. “You kids can, but I think I’ve had enough for one day.”
“What did you have in mind?” asked Sandra. “Going back to the camp so we can go ice skating on Strawberry Creek?”
“Yeah!” put in Julie. “That’s a swell idea!”
“Well,” said Ken, “not exactly. I was thinking maybe the four of us could take a little drive. We could walk back to camp first—it’s not too far—and maybe you girls could fix us a lunch. And, if Mr. Marcos would let us, we could go up to Crystal Falls for a couple hours. Maybe Steve and Carolyn would like to go along, too.”
“Man, where does he get all the bright ideas?” Eddy said.
“Well,” continued Ken, “if it’s okay with you girls, then let’s take the toboggan back and go find Mr. Marcos.”
“Fine with me,” said Sandra.
“Sure,” agreed Julie.
When they reached the top of the hill, Mr. Marcos informed them he had made no other plans for the afternoon. They could go to Crystal Falls on the condition that a responsible adult went along. At that, Ken and Sandra looked at each other. Then Julie had a thought.
“Mr. Marcos,” she said, “didn’t I see Paul and Donna Mott’s car in the camp this morning?”
“Why, yes,” said Mr. Marcos. “They drove up after breakfast this morning. Why?”
Julie looked at Ken, and Ken looked at Sandra; and they both looked back at Julie. They knew what she had in mind. Paul and Donna were a young married couple who also belonged to the RYC, as the Senior Youth Division ranged from ages 18 to 25. They were a lot of fun to be with, and they were adults, weren’t they?
At that moment, who should happen by but Paul and Donna! Before Julie could answer Mr. Marcos, Ken turned to Paul and Donna with, “Say, how would you two like to go with us for a picnic this afternoon up to Crystal Falls?”
Paul and Donna looked at each other for a moment. Then Paul said, “About what time, do you know?”
“Just as soon as the girls can fix a lunch. We should be back before dark.” He looked at Mr. Marcos, who looked at Paul and Donna as if to say, “Okay, Ken, it’s up to them.”
“Well,” said Paul, looking at Donna, “how about it, honey?”
“Fine with me if you want to,” she replied.
“Okay,” Paul said to Ken and the others, “it’s a deal!”
With Donna, Sandra, Julie, and Carolyn all helping, it did not take long to fix a little lunch. They rode up to Crystal Falls in the Motts’ station wagon. Paul, Sandra, and Ken, who drove, sat in the front seat. Eddy, Julie, and Donna rode in the middle seat; Steve and Carolyn rode in the back.
The group spent a very pleasant afternoon together. They found a delightful spot in the Crystal Falls Park with a magnificent view of the falls. Beside the table where they sat, a babbling brook made its way downstream. Although the altitude here was higher than Pine Cove, because of some climatic difference, the water here was flowing freely.
Once in a while, a squirrel would timidly venture quite close to the table to see if anyone had dropped any crumbs. But soon the lunch, which the girls had thrown together in such a hurry, disappeared. It had been delicious, and the scenery here was absolutely beautiful. What more could a fellow ask for than this?
For a long while, all was pleasantly silent, the only sound being that of the icy water plunging over the cliff. Paul and Donna were reliving the first precious moments of their honeymoon as they had stood side by side at Niagara. To Ken and Sandra, it seemed like one of those storybook lands where their story would end, “…and they lived happily ever after.” They possessed a mutual feeling of togetherness that only two can share. To Steve and Carolyn, it was just a background for making out. To Eddy and Julie, who were both art-minded, it was an inspiration for them to want to portray their innermost thoughts on canvas or a sheet of music paper. But all good things must end, and the afternoon passed quickly. Paul was the one to break the silence.
“It’s almost five o’clock,” he announced grimly. So, reluctantly, the kids stirred from their places and piled into the car.
< Dawn of a New Day | Campfire >