The story
By Juliana Carter
The sun had almost disappeared from the
sky on a warm July night. Charlie surveyed his supplies. Comic
books, checker board, and s'mores that his mom had made earlier and
wrapped in wax paper. One bag of chocolate-covered peanuts. One
thermos of milk (his favorite). Oh, and his flashlight. Mom grabbed
her magazine and the fluorescent lantern.
"Ready, Charlie?"
They made their way across the backyard with their supplies, while
Ruby, their sheepdog, ran in and out of their legs, nearly causing
them to drop their bundles.
"Ruby!" Charlie reprimanded her, to which she replied with a big
wag. Ruby was a friendly, silly dog, and almost never got her
feelings hurt.
Once Charlie and his mom deposited their gear into their tent, they
sat back on two chaise lounges, sitting side by side in front of
the tent. Charlie leaned back and looked up at the sky. It was a
beautiful night and he and his mom looked for the constellations.
They saw the Big Dipper and Little Dipper. They saw Orion's Belt.
Charlie wished they lived in the country so he could see even more
stars. He was planning one day to be an astronaut and travel to
Mars and maybe beyond.
"Let's go into our tent," said Charlie.
Earlier that day, Charlie's dad had set up their pop-up tent in the
back corner of the yard. It wasn't very large, but it was just big
enough for the three of them if they squeezed in tight
together.
Mom hung the lantern from the hook in the middle of the tent and
Charlie set about finding a place for his supplies. The tent had
little pouches on the side into which Charlie promptly put his
snacks and thermos. His comic books he placed in a stack next to
his pillow. After he was all set up, Charlie and his mom played
checkers. Charlie played checkers with his dad a lot. Dad taught
Charlie how to win, so Charlie beat his mom three games in a
row.
"I give up, Charlie! You're too good for me."
Charlie laughed with delight, feeling proud of himself.
The two made themselves comfortable in their sleeping bags. All of
a sudden, in burst Ruby, all wags and slobber. The tent was
definitely too small for an 80-pound dog with a big, bushy tail.
The tent was in complete disarray, with Ruby excitedly wagging her
tail and stepping all over them.
"Ruby, you can stay if you lie down," Mom said firmly.
Ruby, for being such a large dog, had the unique ability to be able
to make herself very small when she needed to and curled up just at
the edge of the tent so that she covered the tips of Charlie's
toes. Then, hearing something in the yard, she was off again
looking for her next adventure.
Mom sighed and picked up her magazine. Charlie lay back, but
couldn't quite get comfortable.
"Mom, I need to use the bathroom."
"Do you need me to go with you?"
"Of course not," Charlie said confidently.
Picking up his flashlight, Charlie made his way through the
backyard. The tall grasses in the back corner made him feel as if
he were in the jungle. He imagined that he was a great explorer
searching for long-lost treasure. What was that? He heard a
rustling in the far corner. He wondered if what he'd longed for for
so long had finally happened. A visit from a space alien! Maybe one
had landed in his yard and had come to look for signs of
intelligent life on earth. Charlie braced himself and quickly
thought of just what to say to the extraterrestrial. Out jumped
Ruby. She had been chasing after a very nimble lizard and was happy
to see Charlie out in the yard.
"Ruby!" Charlie exclaimed exasperatedly. She gave Charlie a big
lick on the hand and Charlie laughed at his silly dog.
Charlie made his way to the house and poked his head in the back
door. He spied his father working away at his computer. Tiptoeing
quietly, he tried sneaking up behind him to surprise him.
"Charlie, what are you doing in here?"
"Rats," thought Charlie. Dad always knew when Charlie was trying to
sneak up on him.
"That's because I have eyes in the back of my head," Dad would
say.
Charlie imagined having eyes in the back of his head. How great
would that be! But would you have to put sunglasses on them to keep
the sun out?
After Charlie finished with his bathroom business, he made his way
back to the tent.
"I just about came looking for you," said Mom.
Charlie's mom turned out the lantern and Charlie tried to get
comfortable in his sleeping bag. A little rock kept poking him in
the small of his back. He turned from one side to the other. The
ground was really hard. How did explorers sleep on the hard ice of
the frozen tundra?
"Mom, I think I'm ready to go back in the house."
"Congratulations, Charlie. We've been out 45 minutes longer than
last time!"
The pair made their way through the tall grasses, past the happy
yard gnomes, and past Ruby chasing bugs in the moonlight.
Charlie was very sleepy now.
Mom and Dad tucked him into his bed and kissed him goodnight.
Another successful camping trip.
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