My eyes skim over the words, bold black strokes on white paper. The simplicity of a book seems to match this place, this cabin in the middle of the forest. The constant hum of the generator reminds us our light is only here on sufferance. The cords snaking thru the cabin attest to the narrow point of entry, the one cord lighting the whole place, running up to the generator. As I read, the lights above me suddenly die. A collective sigh arises from the kitchen, where some of the group is making dinner. Undeterred, they grab an oil lantern, and the cooking continues on propane fueled elements. I put down my book; dinner is nearly ready anyways. It is my turn to do the dishes, so dinner prep is not expected of me. This suits me fine, as my idea of dinner is a hot can of beans, maybe even with stale bread.
We sit down at the table, eyes flickering in the oil light. Dinner is plain fare, beets and onion sauteed in dill, served on quinoa. I tap my bare foot against the floor as I eat. We walked a long way down to the lake today, some two miles there, and then two miles back in the dusk, going on dark. My feet need a break, a chance to rest without the confines of shoes. Dinner is good. My muscles cry out for meat, but the vegetarians in the group are well pleased.
Suddenly, an exclaimation from the kitchen. a light is called for, a flashlight shines on the ground. One girl triumphantly holds up a wine glass, paper clapped to it’s opening. She brings the cup near the table, and a light is shone on it.
“…just saw it by his foot in the kitchen, and we caught it! What kind of spider is this?”
I look up, and see the flashlight shining thru the glass, throwing the shadow large and crawly on her arm. I figure the light for exaggerating the size, as it must. the shadow is the size of a small bird.
“Huh, it looks like one of those brown recluse.” one guy informs us. Our american counterparts lean back a little. I look around at them.
“It that bad?” I ask.
“Well, they aren’t bad, what with the catching of flies and all. But they are deadly poison.” another girl casually mentions.
This is just after I learned that there were rattlesnakes here, but they have all bedded down for the winter already. Did I mention it has been unseasonably warm here lately?
I crane my neck to catch glimpse of this spider, so I can identify it. I see a body with it’s legs drawn up, legs tapping against the side of the glass. the thing is fully as large as a toonie, and it doesn’t even have it’s legs out. I draw my bare feet up onto the bench seat. The girl holding the glass heads out the front door, and flings the spider out into the garden.
I pick up the lantern, and make my way to the living room, lantern held low. There, my closed toe slippers rest. Too bad for my hot aching feet, it is time for toe protection. I have to go out to the generator, and try to reset the breaker. This seems lie a bad time for bare feet, all of a sudden.
I walk up the steps thru the garden, lantern held high. My eyes scan the trees for the bright flicker of animal eyes. No bears seem to be around. They are like the ghosts of the forest. The bear dog sees them, and barks at them on and off thru the night. I see their scat all around the property in a big circle. We never do seem to catch sight of them directly, however.
A quick press of the reset button, and the lights below flicker back to life.
Life goes on.
Wherever you are, Be There 