Camping Advenure*

Story Submitted by Natalie:

George and I had been together for a little bit when he suggested the idea of going out camping.  I liked the idea, as it had been years since I had last spent the night in the wilderness.  He said that he had a great place and told me to pack for a couple of nights.

He picked me up the morning of the camping trip, and I was so excited.  He drove me to the campsite... which was his suburban backyard.

"Are you kidding me?" I asked him.

He said, "Well, we'll be back in the woods a little ways."

His property went back a little bit until it hit a highway.  How adventurous!  I know, I know, I shouldn't be ungrateful.  It's less where you are and more who you're with, right?  At least, that's what I tried to tell myself.

The trouble really began when George tried to light a fire.  Emphasis on "tried," because he couldn't do it.  He rubbed sticks, crushed leaves, and even consulted his smartphone for tips.  No dice.  He told me to wait a moment, ran into his house, came out with a match, and it wouldn't light.

"Mother fucker!" he shouted and kicked the pile of leaves and dirt right into my face.  I shouted and he apologized and offered to bring me inside to clean me up.  I insisted on going inside myself and so I did.  I found a dish towel and spent about 15 minutes cleaning myself up and freeing the dirt from my eyes.

When I made it back to the "campsite," he asked me which towel I had used.  I told him, and he said, "Shit!" and ran inside the house.  I remained behind, and when he came back out, he wasn't happy.

"That was my mother's favorite dish towel," he said, "You'd better hope that the stain comes out of it, or she's going to make me pay for it, and then I'll make you pay for it."

It took a moment for George's charm to wash over me, and after I had let it do its work, I told him, "I'm going to go change.  Be right back."

I shouldered my bag, went inside his house as if to change, but instead left by the front door with the intent to not return.

An hour later, he called to ask me where I was.  I told him that I had gone home and that he would probably have a better time without me there to stress him out.

He replied, "Yeah.  You're probably right," and hung up.