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Prepared For Just Any Old Thing, by Louie in Ohio
I guess that I have always been a “Prepper”.
Fifty years ago I joined the Boy Scouts. Of course most of us know the Scout Motto, Be Prepared. Lord Robert Baden-Powell, the founder of the scouting movement was once asked, “Prepared for what?” His answer… “Just any old thing.”
My Scoutmaster, Mr. Garrison, told us that we needed to keep our backpack packed and ready to go, that some evening he would send out the word and we must report ready for a camp out. There would be a time limit and we must get there under our own power (no parents driving us).
At first this was mentioned at our weekly scout troop meetings frequently, and then less and less often.
But then one afternoon in December the word came down…We were to meet at Mr. Garrison’s house in 30 minutes, packed for an overnight camp out. Don’t be late…no parents driving.
As I pedaled my bicycle up Mr. G.’s driveway I saw him standing there looking at his watch. He waved me by and said to go behind his house. I saw several scouts from our troop and joined the members from my patrol (the Ravens) and waited while a couple more scouts arrived. A short while later Mr. G. joined us.
We were it. No one else would be allowed on this camp out.
The patrol leaders met with Mr. G. and were given directions. Set up camp by patrols and find out what food we had brought. Our USGI pup tent shelter halves were stacked nearby.
Our camp was soon ready, the food collected and the Patrol Leader was reporting back. A couple of the patrols had little or no food. One patrol had enough for themselves. The Ravens had more than enough for the six of us.
A patrol leaders’ council was held. Would the two patrols that were prepared share with the others? I had no vote as Assistant Patrol Leader of the Ravens because our Patrol Leader, Paul, was there.
They all voted to share our food. Dinner would be meager, breakfast sparse, and lunch almost non-existent. That’s okay…after all its only one day; we’ll all be home for dinner tomorrow.
After dinner we played Capture the Flag until time to retire. As I snuggled into my old Army surplus down sleeping bag I felt a contentment, I was in my element.
Morning soon came, and with it a strange quiet. Although we were in the field behind the Scoutmaster’s house there were still several neighbors nearby and we should be hearing noise. My tent companion awoke and we started talking about how warm it must be outside since it was very warm inside the tent.
The tent was warm because we had about eight inches of light fluffy snow insulating our tent. Voices soon convinced us to come out and join the others by the campfire.
Breakfast was prepared and shared, clean-up and other chores were gotten out of the way. A hike had been planned and soon we set out.
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