Page 41 of Sass in the Grass

“It was nice. Now, Mike, Kathy, what about the camp?”

“They may not have it next year. The taxes went up, prices on everything so high, it’s all making it hard to do, unless they charge a lot more, and you know, most of the folks that come can’t afford more.”

Jovian felt awful, as he thought they were pocketing all the money. He’d never considered taxes. “Well, that’s not good.”

“Were you really going to come again?” Kathy asked hopefully.

“I hadn’t planned on it, but…maybe it would be fun, but…other people like you guys really like it.”

“They might find a way,” Kathy said. “I mean, I save up all my days off for this month.”

“Month and two weeks. I can’t take all that time off, but like a lot of others, I’m close enough to come on my days off once my vacation is over.”

“Me too,” Mike said. “I’ll be heading back to Denver once my three weeks are up, but I’ll be back on weekends.”

Jovian suddenly feared Mike and Alan being gone. “Kathy?”

“I’m here for the whole thing. I have been working at my library for over ten years, so I have a lot of time off due that I save all year.”

“Well, at least one person who doesn’t hate me will be here.”

“No one hates you, Jovian. And they’re going to like you better, once you get over yourself a little,” Alan said. “And besides, there’s another one.”

“Who?”

“Coach Dix.”

Smiling, he said, “Oh. Oh, right.”

Alan said, “Now, you’re getting the hang of making a fire, or you will, before we’re done with you. That’s a big one. Then you can boil water and stuff. Did you watch how to make the filter for the water that Coach made?”

“What do you think?”

“Right. We’ll work on that tomorrow.”

He fell asleep that evening morose from not seeing Dixon all day, and from the news of the camp’s troubles. Usually, he didn’t care about anyone’s troubles, but for some reason, thinking the camp might not be around for people who liked it, and those who needed it, well, it bothered him.

He went so far as to have the thought pass through his head, people that needed it, likehehad.

When Jovian woke, he didn’t have time to worry about it, however, because Alan was there, telling him excitedly, “The signup is up in the Mess Hall.”

“Signup?”

“For the advanced survival courses. He’s got two, and they’re filling fast.”

“Of course they are! They all want him and he’s mine! I need to shower and dress!”

“Just get some clothes on and come on! You don’t stink.”

“No face cream, no hair product? You really want to make sure I’m as boring looking as you are.”

“Jovian…never mind. Just come on!”

Jovian got on some jeans and his ruined sneakers before heading out with Alan and rushing to the Mess Hall.

There was a line of people in front of the signup sheets. “There’s no way it won’t be full!”

“Let me distract them,” Alan said, and went over to the people in the lines, telling them, “Hey, guys, Coach is outside right now, and he needs a few volunteers.”

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