part nine

     Soon we are being schooled about the next leg of the adventure. They hand out five fireproof jump suits, which are gladly donned by the semi naked, and helmets. We listen as we are told the fourth revised plan of where we will actually end up tonight and what to do in case of a helicopter crash. "There are two toggle switches located in the center of the dashboard, flip those down. Then below them you will see two more switches with red lights above them, flip those down also. These turn off the fuel pumps. The side windows can be unlatched and kicked out. Remain in the cabin until all the moving propeller parts have stopped ..... unless it is on fire, in which case you try to get out as fast as possible."   ( -:   OK then, lets have a go at it, yeepee.

     Of course in reality we now play the 'hurry up and wait' game. It is 'us' and 'them', and they have our back packs, and we are thirsty again and hungry!  We have been ordered to stay together in sight at all times .... over here. Ruby braves the protocol and ventures into their territory to retrieve her backpack, which has her lip salve in it. She even takes on the roll of 'Oliver Twist' and asks for 'water... please'. Before being shooed away from their debriefing, she is handed one of the rangers  personal, half full nalgene bottles. A hole in the 'procedure' has been discovered, they do not have water for sixteen very thirsty victims.

     I see Matt soaking it all in, he seems stoked. "That will be me in two years, mom." He is a eighteen year old EMT on his way to Paramedic school next Spring. Yes I can see him joining the rescue unit of some national park... right up his alley.  Ruby is doing a homey break dance move in her oversized jumpsuit sporting her cap bill to the side. Cedar squeezes horizontally under a ledge the size of a coffin to get out of the rain. We wait..... and wait.

     An hour later we are drinking ice cold gator-aide and crystal bottled water. A tiny police helicopter lands and drops off a blue ice chest. 'Yeah, the BEER is here' Not. But how welcoming is this drink. 'Drink up my friends, for this is probably the most expensive drink you will ever experience in your lifetime'  How much does a helicopter delivered gator-aide cost anyway?