The boys all gathered around monday noon at the chuch parking lot.
Most of them alone as their parents went about their way to work.
Brent's Mom stayed, Steven checked every one in as instructed,
Name Emergency Phone ETC.but Brent's mom stayed.
Rodney said "Steve go and tell her that the driver is late",
"I had enough I'm not going too"
" You want your 5 bucks "! Tell her or the gigs up. "
Steve slowly went to Mrs Moyers car to tell her that the driver was late.
She said " That's all right I'll wait." Steve gulped as he walked away,
Rodney saw his face and said " don't you give up, he turned an asked who wants a soda?"
All the boys said " me ". And Rodney trotted to the bait store.
Entering the place he bought 7 root beers and motioning to Lenny indicated he was on.
Rodney walked boldly across the lot with a sack full of root beer telling everyone to play it cool.
I got soda an I saw the driver at the bait shop.
He's coming. No sooner than he announced it ,Lenny strolled up his hair tucked up and his hat
pulled down around his head. "Everyone on?" All the boys' who weren't , climbed aboard.
He grabbed Steve by the collar and said " don't want to fuck things up". 'Last chance for Camp",
Lenny bellowed. As he started the church bus He jammed the bus in 1st and the bus lurched forward,
Then they left the parking lot everyone on board. " Oh Shit " Steve yelled as they left the lot.
"Rodney you said we weren't going to steal the bus ".
" Plans change !" ,as they pulled into the street they headed for the back of the high school ,
Rodney told them that everyone was to bail out and follow the tracks to Ton and Tanks
and he and Josh would catch up.
He got everyone out and rode back to the church to park the bus.
Lenny got out and said "What a trip little brother, I hope one day you will lead a greater cause".
" Thanks, Lenny I mean, who else would help a bunch of kids borrow a church bus?"
Josh, got out and Lenny handed him the key, You too man, I mean every great mind needs a
friend, someone to keep him pointed in the right direction. Josh ran off to get the key on the hook
before his old man got home. " Hey Lenny come to the camp fire tonight,"
"maybe in a couple of nights "Lenny said " after you get settled ." I mean you guys aren't
going anywhere are you? And he walked back to the bait shop like nothing ever happened.
Rodney, spun around like he was free, like he had pulled off the greatest caper in the last 20 years.
They would talk about him at school the next 50 years, he made his way to the camp and to a huge bunch of hoots and hollars. Rodney walked up to the camp and, said "
We got away with it so far,Now we have to keep it together".
The boys looked at eachother and agreed on that fact, today was a triumph.
Then they turned to neccesity. Thomas said " I don't know if my parents are gone."
It's cold food tonight, tuna, crackers, chips.
No fire that night, They all revelled in a dark camp.
They huddled close in the old tack shed / bunk house amidst the cases of bottles,
they had worked so hard for. A single flashlight glowed then faded and was out....
"Ton, you think we got away with it?" " Time will tell Rodney ", Goodnight.,.....
Goodnight Thomas.
Rodney lie awake that night too much aware of his life and the days events.
Goodnight Mom, I pray for you , he fell asleep just after midnight.........
