A Hunting We Shall Go: Wendel

"He called a few minutes ago. They are changing his tire now. He's not happy because the rims don't match. I think he said they are putting the new tire on his old rim." She shrugs.

"Must be a full service truck that came out. That will cost a small fortune. Guess the Blakes don't care. Carol says they are all on generous allowances from the estate. Wendel's mother controls it to some extent. Did Frank give any idea about how long he'll be?"

"He said within an hour."

"We should be on the road again by one, then. I see Wendel has David over there eating. He looks in rough shape but a little soberer. I hope he hasn't got any booze open in his Jimmy. I didn't see any. Where's Kitten?"

"I haven't seen her. I guess she's still in Carol's trailer. I'll ask Carol." Carol is sitting at the same picnic table with Wendel and David, but a ways apart from them. Mike follows Marlene over to the table. Wayne joins them and asks Mike, "What's the situation?" Mike shrugs as Marlene speaks to Carol.

"Where's Kitten?"

"Sulking in the trailer. She wants her rifle back and Frank has it. I suspect he won't give it back to her until tomorrow."

Mike says, "I think that would be best, if she wants to continue with us. Is she saying she wants to go home?"

"No! She wants to go hunting."

They all sit down and chat about the Blakes. It comes to light that Wendel and Carol are living together in a common law relationship and have for nine years. Carol has eighteen year- old twin boys by her first marriage and managed to get a divorce about five years ago. Wendel has never been married. He was a bachelor working on a career with Zellers when she met him. She was just starting in the accounting department and they moved in together shortly after dating. About the time her divorce was finalized, his father died. His mother moved in with them within a year. She really doesn't have much use for the other siblings and considers Wendel and Carol's place as home. It appears that Wendel will inherit the family fortune and control the estate estimated to be over two hundred million, after his mother is gone. She's in her eighties, but in fairly good health. She leans heavily on Wendel to control his brother and sisters, as it is. They have never gotten around to marrying but find the common law relationship comfortable and are in no hurry to marry. Mike wonders if there might be other reasons, like maybe one of them is seeing someone else on the side, or at least, one of them is not so sure of their union.

As they finish their discussion they notice that Frank has pulled up out by the entrance. After a brief deliberation with him it is decided that they will push on. Shirley is told in no uncertain terms that her rifle will stay with the Butterworths until morning and any more problems that occur because of them will result in them being told to go elsewhere. With that understanding they once again resume their trip north.

Mike is the last to pull out behind Wayne. They are strung out as they started with Frank in the lead. It is a beautiful day as they wind along highway that clings to cliffs overlooking the Fraser River. They pass through Boston Bar and the snow sheds till they reach Lytton. Then they follow the Thompson River north to Spences Bridge. They pull over here around four for a washroom stop. Mike and Frank discuss whether they will make Clinton before dark. They are certainly going to be a long time after dark before they make the campground.

They climb into the high dry country and Cache Creek. Wayne has to stop and put air in one of the boat trailer tires, but the rest of the party move on as Mike explains the situation to Frank on the two-way. Wayne and Mike catch up before Clinton and the sun is setting as they head north for 100 Mile House.

Around nine they pull into William's Lake and park in a shopping mall parking lot. Frank explains to the drivers that they go north about twenty miles to McLeese Lake and about five miles north of there is the turnoff onto forest road. It's ten miles over to Twan Creek and about five miles farther to the forest camp where they will be hunting. He asks if they want to go in tonight or wait for sunrise. The drivers unanimously agree to wait but David says he has to check with Kitten and the others agree they better discuss it with the rest of the party. By nine thirty it's decided. They go in the morning. Since the mall has closed there shouldn't be any problem sleeping where they are.

Mike comes back to their home on wheels and finds Marlene has coffee on. She's in the bedroom picking up some spilled boxes so he helps himself to coffee and relaxes. Shortly she joins him. "We're staying the night?"

"That was the decision."

"How did Kitten take it?"

"David didn't say, but I can guess." He grins ruefully.

Wayne comes to the door and knocks. Mike calls out, "Come in, Wayne. Coffee?" He nods and says, "Thanks." when handed a cup. He sits down at the table with them. "Have you heard the ruckus?"

"What's going on now?"

"David and Kitten have dropped their trailer and gone to find the local watering hole. Frank is a little upset with them, to say the least." They chat about the day's activities and Marlene wants to know more about how they met. Wayne explains that he used to work in Penticton at the Zellers store and he met Mike a year ago when him and Len brought goods to their store from the Orient. The goods had come into Vancouver harbor and thence by CPX to Penticton. He had signed for some goods that were not unloaded and Mike spotted them in Calgary. He brought them back in his tractor without saying anything and turned them over to Wayne. Since then they have been the best of friends. "He saved my ass, pardon the expression. He's one all right guy."

Marlene rubs noses with Mike and says, "I think so too, but maybe I'm prejudice."

"I got to get home and hit the sack. Early morning tomorrow if I know Frank. Bet David and Kitten are in for a shock. We'll probably be pulling out about the time they're pulling in." He gets up and puts his cup in the sink. "See you in the morning."

After he leaves Marlene nuzzles her head below Mikes ear and nibbles at his neck. She whispers in his ear, "Are we going to make babies tonight?"

Mike puts his hand on her leg and rubs lightly, "Are you going to try and stop me?" He winks at her seated beside him at the table.

"Not a bit. Would you like me to make a token protest?"

He slides his hand between her thighs and looks her direct in the eyes, "It might be more proper, little girl."

"O.K. I'll scream."

He rubs her panties as she moves her legs apart to give him room. "How loud can you scream, little girl?"

She moves her hips against his hand and makes a quiet little noise, "Eeek!"

"That's it?"

"Was I too loud?"

"Just right."

He leads her by the hand to the bedroom.

Sunday morning they are awakened by a thump on the side of the trailer. Frank's voice comes loud and clear, "Rise and shine, it's moving time in one hour. You hear me?"

Mike reaches out and thumps the wall with his fist, as he calls, "Got your message, loud and clear." He turns to Marlene who is awake and yawning, "You still here? Thought you'd have coffee on by now."

She kicks him, saying, "You get up and make the coffee... ouch, my toe! Is your leg made out of wood?"

Mike leers and says, "That wasn't my leg, darling."

Marlene laughs and says, "It's probably just a piss hard on. Go to the bathroom."

Mike rolls closer and grabs her around the waist, burying his face between her breasts. He blows and lets the air escape to make a bubbling sound. She slaps at him and laughs as he goes lower and does the same thing on her stomach. Giggling, she tries to push his head away only to push it lower and he does the same thing again in her groin. She throws covers and spreads her legs, hollering, "Oh Mike, not that! You know that drives me crazy! Stop! Oh please stop, ...or I'll never want you to stop."

Mike laughs and starts working his way back up her belly with his tongue, shaking his head as he covers her body with his, until he reaches a point between her breasts. His hand finds her sex and lightly plays with the hair and vaginal lips. She lets out a low moan.

"Mike, oh Mike! Only you do that to me. You always have. Your touch excites me and I'm gushing lubricant already. Just with the lightest touch I'm soaked."

Mike rolls off her and lets his hand wander over her black bush and beyond. "My darling wife, most beautiful lady in all Abbotsford, your body is a field of contrasts. This stark black triangle of yours stands out so bold against your ivory skin, the redness of the depths of your womanhood cries out to me for attention but I have to take time for the auburn areolae around each nipple so tawny and firm." He touches and fondles each item as he enunciates them. "Your body has always captivated me. Is it any wonder I always have and always will return to thee?"

"Can the chatter and fill my cavity, dentist!"

"Your wish is my command."

Within the hour they are ready to go. Marlene takes some snacks up to the Jimmy for them to munch on for breakfast as they roll out of the parking lot in the rising sun. She pours coffee and says, "Does my little man need some nourishment?"

"If you expect me to keep up this pace every night, I do." Mike grins and takes the coffee she hands him. He puts it into the cup-holder and she hands him a donut. "Mmmmm, jelly centers, my favorite!"

"It wouldn't matter what I handed you to eat, it would be your favorite, you nut. You always say that."

"When I'm hungry any food tastes great."

"You could have got up and ate if you wanted to. I didn't start it this morning. It was you and your piss hard on. ...But it was nice."

"Nice! Is that all you can say? Nice!?"

"It was fulfilling. How's that?"

"Yeah, it was nice."

After filling their extra water containers at a truck stop the convoy moves quickly to McLeese Lake and beyond to the forest road. Scrub cedars on rocky ridges give way to dense forest and small lakes dot the scenery as they work their way west on a dirt road. So far they are lucky and have not encountered any snow. The air is rarefied and dry, quite hot in the open and cooler in lush valleys. Since leaving the pavement and civilization behind the signs of wildlife has been everywhere. Birds wheel in the thin blue skies and the flash of game occurs with some frequency, especially near the lakes and marshes. They seem to know it's Sunday and the hunt won't begin until tomorrow morning.

As they wind their way down a ridge it is apparent that a watercourse lies ahead and the road veers to the south along Twan Creek. Side roads occur occasionally that lead to other parts of this managed area known as the Cariboo but they push on south.

Jostling and bouncing, Mike says to Marlene, "I hope everything is fairly secure back there in the trailer. Your going to have a mess to climb through if this road gets much worse."

"I put everything down that I thought might fall down. It shouldn't be too bad."

They are running parallel along a ridge and in haze ahead Mike can see a small lake and marshes with forest coming down to it's edge in places. They come into a clearing and he sees trailers ahead. "I think we've made it."

He can see a pair of portable toilets and Frank had backed in near them and a shelter with picnic tables. He grins to himself and thinks someone in the advance group must have held the spot for him. He follows Wayne across the clearing and stops for Wayne to back into a spot next to the Cope's. The Fergusons are on the other side of the Copes. Back by the entryway the two Blakes have parked side by side. Mike swings in a circle and backs in by Wayne. He sees that the Browns have their fifth wheel near Frank's and suspects they are the ones who held the spot for him. On the other side of the outhouses and shelter are the Mierycks and the Curries, then the entrance and the Blakes.

In the gap between Mike and the Blakes is a downslope with scrub cedars and a distant view of the lake and some marsh. Ruefully Mike says to Marlene, "This is what one gets for taking up the last position and helping out. We get the spot farthest from the shelter and cans. Oh well, it's only for two weeks." He climbs out and pulls some blocking from the rear deck of the 4X4. He puts it down by the hookup and steps back to survey by eye the lay of the land and trailer. "Not bad side to side.", he mutters as he takes a short piece of 2X8 back and places it behind the trailer wheels on the down side. Marlene has come around to watch and he tells her to let him know when the wheels are up on the wood. He returns to the vehicle and backs a foot or two. Marlene waves him ahead a few inches and signals to stop.

Mike jumps out and checks the bubble level on the trailer tongue. Side to side, right on! He throws some blocking under the tongue and starts cranking the screw jack down. As the jack lifts the trailer off the ball, he disconnects the wiring plug then pulls the Jimmy ahead. He climbs out and goes to adjust the screw jack for level front to back. He drops the front about eight inches and the bubble comes to the center. He takes some blocking around to put in front of and behind the wheels to stabilize the setup. Satisfied, he unlocks and opens the trailer. Half the cupboard doors are open and items have spilled out all over the trailer. Marlene crowds in behind him and says, "Not bad. I thought it might be much worse. It won't take me any time to pick this up. At least nothing spilled out of their containers."

Of course she was wrong. In the bathtub she found clean towels mixed with spilled shampoo and in the bedroom a bottle of her 'Charley' cologne broke off it's top in a fall and spilled half the contents by the bed. She rescued the rest and put it into a small empty plastic bottle that had once contained juice.

At least their spare bottles of water are safe in the back of the 4X4. Mike backs around by the trailer and sits them under the edge of it. He shuts the vehicle down and watches Wayne finish pulling out from under his camper. He has parked his boat and trailer off to the side and hooks up to it again. Then he comes around and lowers his camper. Since Mike has parked with his two side doors near Wayne's camper door, they confer on how they might set up one canopy for both entries. They work it out and start cutting a few saplings to prop up the tarp. In half an hour a large covered shelter joins the two units. Out comes some lawn furniture and they settle back with some of Marlene's coffee to watch the other campers at work setting up.

Marlene is opening windows to air out the bedroom. Wayne sniffs at the air under the canopy and says, "Wow! Is she camping with us or going dancing?"

Mike grins and says, "Just a broken bottle of her cologne.

Marlene calls out the window, "Mike, can you put me up a clothes line? I've got these towels all washed out."

Wayne grins and says, "What a slave driver!"

"Yeah, but this slave gets perks!" Mike goes to put her up a line. Wayne drifts around to the other campers. He helps John Cope get his boat down from off the top of his fifth wheel, then strolls on up towards the shelter where half a dozen of the party have collected. Mike invites Marlene to come with him to the shelter. She has finished putting out the towels to dry so she goes with him. They stroll across the open area to the picnic tables set up under a roof and open on three sides. One whole end is a giant natural rock fireplace. Sitting at one of the tables are the Browns and Emily Ashton. At the next table are the Butterworths and Philip Ashton. Emily is excitedly explaining to the Browns about the problems they had with David and Kitten Blake on the way up. The Curries wander over from their pickup camper and stand listening. Wayne is up studying the fireplace.

Marlene and Mike take a third table and the Curries come over to join them. John says, "Looks like you got last choice of spots, Mike. I see you're stuck way down on the end."

"It's not so bad. Wayne and I fixed up our own shelter down there between us and I have lots of room to park the Jimmy. Have you been up here before?"

"Yes. This is our third year. We had a much smaller party last year. Frank and Sheila; Wendel and Carol; Peggy and John Cope; Marilyn and I; and what was that other couples' names, ...uh Jack and ...uh, I'm not sure of her name. She was the one who ran that daycare center. Anyway, he was in the warehouse before Wayne came from the Okanagan. I think he went to the Calgary store."

Marilyn says, "Elisabeth. Everyone called her Beth, except you. You called her Lizzie, remember?"

"Oh yes. How could I forget? Dear Lizzie. Well, anyway, I don't recall ever hearing of the party being as large as this year's. Someone said we have fourteen hunters in the group, including a woman. David Blake's wife apparently has a hunting license. That's another new thing for us. Don't think there's ever been one of those before.

Marlene murmurs, "Speak of the devil..." and nods towards the Blakes' trailers where Kitten and David are coming towards the shelter. They have wine glasses in hand and are laughing together.

Mike speaks to them as they arrive to be sociable, "Got the trailer all level and set up already?"

David: "It's level enough where we parked. We always look for a fairly flat spot and just park it. Wendel's fiddling around with his, but hell, that cuts into some serious drinking time." He tips his glass in Mike's direction in salute then takes a long draft.

Emily has fallen silent. She and the Browns are watching the Blakes. Frank speaks up. "When everyone has had lunch I suggest we maybe get in some fishing this afternoon. I realize with a group this large that I'll not be able do as in previous years. For instance, last year we almost all were employees in the same store so I was looked upon to take a leadership role in camp. Many this year are not employees. We will have to organize to get things done. There are camp chores like cooking, do we all want to eat here together or in our own units; latrine duties, someone has to disinfect and clean the washrooms daily as well as treat them with lime. David, could you get your brother and his wife? John, maybe you could get Barry and Henny and Mike, would you ask the Copes to join us." Mike and John nod at each other as they go in opposite directions. He hears David telling his wife to get Carol and Wendel. She says, "You do it." and he goes out of earshot.

Mike brings the Copes back with him and sees Marlene coming across the open ground from by the entrance with Carol and Wendel. David and Kitten are still arguing.

When they have all found seats, Frank again takes the lead and explains why he's asked them to come together. They organize themselves by majority vote to pass responsibility for the latrines around clockwise from the shelter, so the Butterworths have first day, then the Browns, etc. They then break up into two groups, the hunters and the camp cooks. In these groups they decide how they will arrange the hunting, and camp chores.

In the hunter's group, Mike asks who all have Moose permits. Frank, Marvin Nickols, Barry Mieryck, Dave Ferguson and Wayne all have them. Mike suggests that either they hunt together or one with each group going out. It's decided they will pair up with another hunter to increase their chances of spotting a moose. Wayne pairs off with Mike. Frank and Philip pair up; Marvin Nickols teams up with his partner, John Cope. Barry and John Currie form a forth set and Dave Ferguson asks Wendel to join him. This leaves David, Kitten, Randolf and Fred Brown. Fred says he will hunt with Frank and Philip. Randy Brown asks to join Wendel and Dave. They agree. David says he and Kitten will hunt together. So they end up with six hunting parties and everyone agrees to go out early Monday morning.