I Forgot That You Existed

4

I always remember Laurence Gonzales' quote, "To survive, you must surrender without giving in, that is to say, fully accept reality in all its horror."

It reminds me to quickly adapt to the situation and dedicate myself to the present moment rather than wallow in denial, because I used to fake my happiness all the time. Whether something happens I'm never expecting or goes beyond my control, I easily get upset. I'm a control freak. So I used to deny that, but yes, it's fine. He's just there; there's nothing to worry about, and it's alright to have a companion sometimes.

After an hour of relaxing and indulging ourselves in idyllic scenery, I decided to get up because my tummy called for it.

             "Hey, Max! "Let's get in." I'm gently tapping his forehead. He's asleep. Poor Max.

              "Oh!" He blinks. Then he slowly pulls himself up while mesmerizing the view.

             "C'mon, that's not going away." I'm teasing.

We entered the tent, and there were two comforters; of course, the one on the right was my father's former property. The tent is simple, 12 square meters in size, with a fluorescent light on top and a zipper cabinet on the side for equipment. This tent is inflatable, so it can also serve as a ship. It's a good thing, and we don't have to volumize anymore because it's not boring.

             "So, what did you get there?" I checked on him as he adjusted his bag. "I have bagels, canned tuna, and salmon." Tootsie Rolls, lots of Double-Mint gums, 2 liters of water, 3 packs of Lay's potato chips, Pringles, and of course, 4 cans of Nescafe deluxe coffee," he says once he takes it out of his bag. "And here, apple pies. "What is America without apple pie?" he added.

"Is it good for three days?" I ask

        "Three days? What?" He's in a normal state of shock, like, "I didn't know that," but "it's always your face."

         "So I brought eggs." I slowly pulled out the dozen eggs placed on the tray. "What is life without eggs?"

           "You're incredible. good thing, and not broken." He said it with a little laugh.

"Plus, authentic Lindy's Famous New York Cheesecake. Geez, I ordered seven; I don't think that'll last long. I also have a loaf of whole-wheat bread, a tailgating Texas barbecue, and tender briskets. Let's get this to cooler. "

Carrying the marinated Texas barbecue sealed in the zip lock, I hastily go out and look for our old gray cooler. "Do you have any pans?" He asked.

            "Do you think I'm nuts? Come here!" He followed me out, and we went to the back to look for it. Various uses can be found here. Max opened the large wooden box, and he made sure to find various life-preserver tools, such as a rope, air pump, life preserver, ax, and paraphernalia that Dad used when doing wilderness exploration.

                "I found it!" I spoke happily while still peeking at the contents of the box. Max approached where I was standing and also glanced at its contents. "A blender? Don't tell me you're going to live here." We both laugh.

                 I picked up the stove and the small gas container. I brought kerosene just in case it ran out. I picked up the plates and cutlery and washed them with a hose attached to a small faucet buried in the ground, like a sprinkler used to sprinkle the weeds. "How come you got a pipe there?" Usisa is Max.

"It's connected to the hydroelectric dam right there!" I pointed to the other mountain not far away. I took the pan and started cooking half of the marinated barbecue. I only brought a kilo because I wasn't expecting a guest. "That's harmful. "It can cause flooding in upstream forests, habitat degradation, and widespread forest loss," says the nature expert. I never thought he would be that well-knowing. I'm in awe.