We went for a walk

One Saturday afternoon we went for a walk around a lake. A city boy in his shiny shoes and I. He looked around. We didn't talk. We walked around swimming area. "Last time, when I went to swim here, there was a big, healthy looking human shit swimming toward me. I can not come to swim here anymore. I always see that shit."*
We crossed a little bridge. There is a clean, clear water coming to the lake. Water is coming from the forest. Behind the bridge is camping area. People live in the tents or RV's. Some are sitting at the tables, some make little fires, some have a lunch. The birds are singing. It's peaceful and quiet here. "What are they doing all day long?" he asks. With the camping under the tent it is this way: first night you can not sleep, everything pinches you and you keep sweeping a dirt and more you sweep, more is coming in. Second day you wear shorts or sweatpants, adjust loose pegs, cook a breakfast and watch what other people are doing. Than you loosen up and ask where you can buy milk and many other little things you have forgotten to pack. Your wife drives to the store and makes purchases. She returns, you have a lunch and after lunch you take out your bikes. Next week you all feel comfortable, sleep better and many things are not important anymore. You go for swim and for bike rides, you are getting brown and you feel good. Second week you go for hikes, enroll into bird watching and you make friends. You have to explain new neighbors, where they can buy milk, vegetables and who sells delicious peaches. The third week you begin to count the days, for long time you walk barefoot, small twigs or rocks do not bother you anymore - and you do not want so much to return back to civilization.

*When I told this story to somebody, he said, that the shit must be from Hazelton. How did he now it?

Copyright (c) Marie Neumann
Translation from Czech
Pottsville, January? 2011