living in the moment

living in the moment

fiction
edward w pritchard

As soon as Mr.Summers Ford truck stopped the boys were living in the moment. Scattering in a few minutes they had explored and charted the camp ground and River bank for their merit badge projects and curiosity. Tents were up and a fire was started and Mr. Cox the teacher was still deep in thought about his new boss, the woman Principal who had been coming into his class once a week for the last two months to observe and take notes, and now and then make a suggestion. Twice teacher of the year Mr. Cox didn't like her intervention.

Mr. Rodrigez was an insurance salesman who didn't like his job and wasn't doing well at it. While the boys got their fishing gear ready for tomorrow morning he looked at his electronic schedule for Monday a couple of times. Mr. Owens worked at the local hardware, business was bad and he was afraid that after Christmas he would be laid off again; his wife wouldn't like that.

Billy Rodrigez and Roger Town were lost for two hours after supper and a massive manhunt of the five adults located them about dark. Sitting around a worn Indian blanket, light a hissing Coleman lantern, and bright half moon, and planet Jupiter in the East sky; the five men relaxed, sipped Coors light beer topped with Napoleon brandy and bluffed and folded at Poker until about one AM the mosquitoes drove them to their sleeping bags.