Stories
The Flashlight and the Outhouse
When I was about seven years old, I had an unfortunate incident while camping involving a flashlight and an outhouse.
To make a long story short, I had to pee before going to bed. Being a kid and lacking any common sense, I attempted to unzip my fly and pee while holding the flashlight in my hand.
Well, I fumbled the flashlight ended up in the deep void of the pit toilet.
Fearing I was in deep trouble, I broke down in tears as I walked back to the campsite and prepared to break the news to my parents.
My mom was amused by the incident while my dad traumatized me further by threatening to lower me into the toilet to retrieve the still illuminated flashlight.
I still go camping with my parents every year and three decades later, I am still reminded to not drop the flashlight in the outhouse. I am happy to say that is no longer an issue since I now use a headlamp.
And I will say that I am always sure that it’s snug on my head whenever I use the outhouse!
~Brandon~
We caught a... skunk?
My first camping trip was with my grandparents when I was five years old. They were determined that I should have the "ultimate camping experience." So, we went swimming in a lake, tried (unsuccessfully) to catch our dinner, and then tried (successfully - unfortunately) to catch a "pet."
My Poppa propped a box up on a forked twig, tied a string to the twig and stuck a carrot underneath. Then we snuck back into the tent and waited for our rabbit to come. Finally we heard a noise! There was something in our box!
We pulled the string excitedly, proud that our plan had actually worked. And then we crept up on the box, gently raised the lid, and got sprayed by a skunk. After that moment, the only thing I remember is bathing in tomato juice and have my sisters tease me for smelling bad.
My grandparents were shocked that I begged them to go camping again, and even more shocked that my parents agreed after the fiasco on our first trip. But although it had a pretty stinky ending, my trip is definitely memorable.
~Liz~
© Copyright, 2010 Main Street Magazine/Rain Enterprises
As seen in the May Issue of Main Street Magazine.
Printed in Canada, ISSN: 1920-4299 by Rain Enterprises
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