Once upon a time, when Papa was just a little boy,
his family went on a variety of vacations, often camping in a variety of tents at Sequoia and Yosemite, motoring out to Catalina Island in Dada's boat; but one of the most vividly remembered vacations was adventuring in the big camper from Southern California all the way up to Canada. It was a massive camper on a massive old truck that couldn't go very fast, the whole thing old and creaky. Old, but very tricky, this big camper, as almost everything turned into a bed, so you could sleep up to almost 32 people in the big camper. There was a bathroom, that the children were not supposed to use (unless it was really, really serious), and even a shower, that the children were never allowed to use. But while Mama and Dada sat up front, the kids had exquisite liberty in the big camper.
Donna and Dougie sat at the "dining room table" (which turned into a bed) and played battleship, and Pammy colored in coloring books or made drawings. They could also read without getting car sick (probably since they weren't actually in a car). Or the three argued, and fought, and called out: "Mama! Do you know what he's doing now!" or "She keeps hitting me!" or "She keeps repeating everything I say!" Or they stared out the windows. It was fascinating to watch all the varied land types in California go by, all very slowly.They stopped at rest stops often, to stretch their legs, and conserve the tank beneath the very unused big camper toilet, and pick up snacks, and read the lore inscribed on various monuments and "you are here" maps.Probably the funniest thing the kids did, and the most fun, was the practice of waving at oncoming traffic from the over-the-cab bed. They children would like on their tummies and look through the big big forward-facing window. As cars approached from the opposite direction, all three children would frantically wave at the oncoming car, and as they were very visible high up in the air, everyone returned the wave. The kids did not tell their parents what they were doing, and so the adults just naturally assumed that the oncoming people were waving at them.As each car passed Mama and Dada would exclaim: "Wow! Everyone sure is friendly today!"
The children stifled their shaking laughter with delight, unable to believe what a wonderful trick it was.When Papa grew up he remembered this incident so well he even included it one of the first short stories he poured himself into: Interstate Chimes.Whenever the kids got too rambunctious above his head, Dada would roll his knuckles on the ceiling of the cab and yell at them to cut it out. Children are to be seen and not heard, even if you can't see them. If they were REALLY making a lot of noise he would bang his fist on the ceiling.What Dougie loved to do the most while traveling, was read. Mainly novels, or true stories, and on vacations, surprisingly, he even picked up comic books (which he usually considered too simplistic to enjoy). He would read for half and hour, and then stare out the window at the passing landscape for ten or fifteen minutes, and then get lost in his book again. From the earliest age everyone thought he was weird for reading so much.Along for the ride were ChaCha the Chihuahua and her son Taco (half Chihuahua and half Cockapoo, which is half Cocker Spaniel and half Poodle). And periodically, as was their habit, Dada would make a face at the dogs, who would instantly attempt to viciously attack him. ChaCha was content to bark vociferously, but Taco rushed at Dada like a crazed beast, just nearly sinking his teeth into Dada's arm before Mama hauled him back. It must have been a technique for keeping Dada awake on the road, since Red Bull had not yet been invented.Dougie was going to sleep one night in a high narrow bed about six feet up in the air and he had the curtains open on the tiny slit of a window, because the light of the rest stop comforted him. Dada told him to close the curtains, or he might see a man's face looking in at him. Dougie closed the curtains, and then he couldn't get to sleep because he kept expecting the shadow of the man who would any time soon be attempting to look in the window at Dougie.They trudged all the way up into Canada, ferried over to Vancouver Island, and then began the slow roll home. At least heading south is easier since you're heading toward the bottom of the map.It was probably the most exhaustive vacation the family ever undertook.All Stories © 2009 Douglas Christian Larsen
important - FIGHT THE FLU WITH HERBS - important
