Kickapoo Kicks!

[Kev Allison]

“Good.” He said smiling, to him Mattie deserved the best memories and after all everyone deserved that at least. He was a great believe in making the memories while you could because there was no use in saying next week because there weren’t any guarantees in life. He saw it in his work and in the military, no guarantee that next would be there to make that memory.

Kev was more than glad for her help in trying to get the poles and the tarp to match up and stay where they should do. Honestly he was glad that this was just to be done once if it stayed up because it felt like he was all ham hands in trying to keep everything where it needed to be. It was fun hearing her laughing through it all as he learned to laugh when everything was almost done and it went back about ten steps in two seconds flat.

Koda as well seemed to find it all just as entertaining which only made him laugh more though once it was done. The gear put away and the stove and lantern set out it seemed like a pretty great attempt at camping. He just hoped there wasnt much of a breeze or he was sure things might topple over again.

“Ooh free time huh.” He said grinning, “Well all sorts of things sound like fun, do we need to catch our own dinner? Find water? Go searching for berries in the woods?” Kev knew he was being insane but it but it was all good fun, water came from the tap that wasnt too far away, food they had and if he had to catch them dinner it was likely in a can from a store. Not exactly handy for hunting things.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, right, the funny berries, we can find those then start seeing flying skunks and purple squirrels!" She laughed and stood, glancing at the river a few yards away. "We could try fishing, but we'd have to use sticks, yarn and safety pins." That hadn't worked as a kid, there was no reason to think it would now! Might be fun to try, but she didn't have yarn.

"Hmmm...could try the free-style golf again, swimming, rafting, but we'd have to build the raft first." She laughed. "Well, hike, make a tree swing...there are all sorts of things, and I don't have a preference, as long as it doesn't involve operating machinery..."

She held up her beer, grinning, then looked at Koda and shook her head. "And no digging up critters of any sort!"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

“Now that would make camping very interesting, they do exist though. Enough people say it, like the spiders that are the size of cars in the forest or the ghost that peeps out behind a tree.” He said grinning, yes better not to terrify people before they start camping he thought for a second. “Fishing sounds fun, ever tried spear fishing, a sharp stick and a good aim... and a lot of luck?” He asked her though he had tried it he had never succeeded in that endeavour.

“Swimming last time... it was cold.” He said chuckling as he nodded about the raft. “Oh no operating machinery of any kind for you or me either.” He said as he held up his own beer. “Now a tree swing could be interesting too if you wanted to attempt that? She or he who dares right?” Kev said chuckling though after beer making a tree swing, sane adulthood maybe not but then where was the fun in safe or safe ish.

“Sorry Koda that’s us told... no digging up critters. Our plans are busted.” He said with a sigh before grinning mat Mattie as he took another drink of the beer.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Spear fishing?" Mattie raised an eyebrow as she contemplated that, then she shrugged. "Well, we could catch our own dinner, right, and in the mean time, the water sounds tempting, it's warm enough out."

Hopping off the table, she looked at him. "So, you can find appropriate sticks, you're the spear expert, right, and I'll change real quick." After all, long jeans weren't great for wading! "You can show me how to whittle a point, then we can try our hand." She grinned. "At worst, we'll have to resort to fresh water hot dogs for dinner, right?"

With a laugh, she headed for the tent.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev grinned at her and nodded, “Yeah I mean what’s the worst that could happen. The fish live to fight another day or we spike our own feet.” He said though he hoped that didnt happen for the sake of coming out of the stream alive in the first place.

“Stick hunting, I’m on it.” He said grinning, “Yeah it will be fun trust me, if not we can just swim and after that at least we get hotdogs right? Not like we are going to go hungry just let’s not set those hotdogs free into the water just yet.” He joked as he made off into the tree line to try and find two spear shaped sticks.

It was tougher than it looked as he spend about five minutes trying to find something as he came back with two relatively straight sticks. Kev found a cutlery knife as he placed it on the table as he waited for Mattie. “Guess you just sharpen the end into a point kind of like a pencil just without the lead part.” Kev said grinning as he rolled up his jeans to the knees, not exactly the classic look of the centaury but he had spare clothes to change into as he tried to sharpen his own stick to a point though it was slow going.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"You think?" Frowning, Mattie stuck her head out of the tent flap. "I thought this was your specialty? You said that!" Or something!

Rolling her eyes, she disappeared back into the tent then emerged a few moments later in a loose 'K-911 Dog Trials 2015' tee shirt and cut-off jeans that were of modest length...she wasn't the sort to show her butt cheeks. She was wearing Teva sandals in a dark color that made her untanned legs look more pale than they were already -- sunbathing wasn't a luxury she could indulge in.

"So, if you don't know what we're doing, we might have to rely on Koda's skill." Grinning, she sat beside him and looked at his handiwork. "Fortunately, I brought some kibble! That doesn't look too bad. If I was a fish I'd be trembling in my...fins! Oh, heck, I'd be laughing my gills off at us!"

Mattie Chappel,

[Kev Allison]

“I do think and it is sort of, never said I got great results I just know how.” He teased though really if they even managed to catch a fish it would be great result. Mostly because he knew the fish would hear them coming a mile away.

When Mattie emerged from the tent Kev smiled at the modest length shorts and T shirt. “Need to update the shirt, 2017 winners and expert camper.” Kev added grinning at her, Kev didnt manage to get out much to see the sun so his legs were just as pale. The fun of office work, when you felt like you were cooking under the lighting system it didnt do much for a tan.

Just a pretty none air conditioned work day. “I’m sure Koda can help us out.” Kev said laughing as he held out a stick for Mattie as she mentioned the laughing my gills off. “Hey we look good doing thing, if I was a fish I probably forget to stay away from the stick.” He joked, “All we need now are big hats with corks around the edges.” He added chuckling.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"Oh, man, I forgot my cork hat! Dang it!" Mattie laughed as she headed to the shallow river. The water here was clear, reflecting the sky and showing the rocks below the surface, and the effect was beautiful and peaceful.

"Look, there's a few fish in there." Mattie grinned, watching little fishies, the size of sardines darting around. They were far too small to spear and even if they could catch them there was nothing to actually eat.

"I wonder if they're looking at us and thinking, 'Oh, look, people. Toes to nibble on!' Come on and add your toes, we might catch a few that way!"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev chuckled and shrugged. “Oh well just have to do without it.” He said grinning as he watched Mattie in the water. “Jeez is it cold?” He muttered though honestly to be able to see the rocks below the surface clearly. It was a treat to day the least, the great outdoors where everything was just so much more beautiful than the city. Unless you knew where to look that was.

Looking to where Mattie saw the fish Kev chuckled. “I’ll give you one hundred dollars if you can catch one of those.” He offered grinning though really a sardine sized fish, yeah it was a good job they brought food with them he thought.

Kev wondered into the water as he grinned at her. “Yeah my feet might scare them away more than help.” He joked though it felt nice to have his feet in the water. “Oh you can do that, have fish eat your toes... people pay for it. Never sure what I thought about that because what if they have a good appetite that day? I’d want to keep my feet.” Kev said not really sure why people wanted fish to eat their toes but still, it if wasnt strange then it wasnt a beauty regime and that was something he didnt know much about.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

"I think that would tickle too much," Mattie observed with a grin, "and it really shouldn't be a problem if you don't get piranhas to do it!" Her grin widened. "Is it piranhas, or piranhi? Piranhieses?"

Laughing, she sludged farther into the water, followed by Koda, who was happily splashing around. There certainly wasn't going to be any fishing going on here!

"I don't see any murky water coming up around your feet, so that's a good thing." She stuck her tongue out at him. "You have washed them this year, right? We don't need the EPA getting on us for pollution and fishicide."

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

“My vote goes for Piranhieses!” Kev said with a laugh as he nodded, “Yeah I’d rather keep my toes than have to go fish for them, those Piranhieses might bite off more than they can handle and I’d hate to be labelled a toe fisher.” He saig with a grin.

Following Mattie further into the water he was enjoying watching the two of them there, Koda happily splashing around and Mattie laughing. It was one of those perfect life moments he thought and sure if they didnt catch any fish that was fine with him. After all sneaking up on them was completely out of the question not that there would be much sneaking.

“Yeah you think?” Kev asked as he stuck his tongue out back at her as he laughed. “Only the second time this year, first one was earlier this year.” He said as he dug his feet in a little to kick up some of the river bed dirt. “See can’t escape the EPA but pollution and fishicide... wait for it they’ll all be jumping up in a minute to get away from the murky water.” He joked grinning as he took a few more steps into the water.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

Mattie laughed as dirt mingled into the clear water. "Hey, you know, kill 'em that way and we can just scoop 'em off the surface!"

She enjoyed Kev, he sparked the playful kid in her that had been hiding from the ugly truth of the reality of life, made it safe to laugh again ans she knew she'd forever be grateful for that.

"Look! Gold!" Bending down, she snatched up a hunk of pyrite from the bed of the stream and held it up to the sun, letting the light glitter off the layers of stone.

"My dad had my sister and I really convinced that this was gold," she explained with a smile, "we'd collect piles of it, then he'd say we had to leave it because we were in a National Park. We just weren't meant to get rich!"

She laughed as she tossed the rock back into the water.

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

“Ooh sure, nice thinking we can have a feast then not sure what they would taste like though. Old feet maybe not a great taste.” He joked grinning at her. It was fun to be back to acting like a kid without the cares of the adult life that waited outside of their chosen camping spot.

It was nice to just get out of his head and enjoy life so far. Kev smirked when he saw her snatch up the hunk of pyrite from the bed of the stream. It was a pretty rock but not exactly the golden nugget he figure she was after in there.

“They did?” He said chuckling, “You seem to have had a great time as a kid.” He said watching her toss the rock back into the water. “Hey you can’t just throw away good gold? Honestly.” He said as he splashed some of the water toward her grinning. So sure he was teasing and knew it wasnt really gold but hey if that what your parents told you it was what you believed. Gold or not it didnt matter, the memories were gold enough.

Mattie Chappel

[Mattie Chappel]

“They did?” He said chuckling, “You seem to have had a great time as a kid.”

"Yeah, yeah, we did." Mattie's look was distant, but there was a slight smile on her lips.

“Hey you can’t just throw away good gold? Honestly.”

"Well, it's all been devalued anyway, right?" Her smile widened as she looked at him. "I mean, people all want platinum now, so gold..." Reaching down, she retrieved the rock, a silly, sentimental gesture, but she was going to keep it, as a momento.

"Our folks were great, so much fun." Shrugging, she swished her legs around in the water, making any fishing impossible, not that it was possible to begin with. "It was something I hoped to share..."

Letting out a breath, she paused, then shook her head. "Moving forward...and more," she reached into the stream and brought up another piece of pyrite, "gold for you." She held it to him. "What are you going to get with it?"

Kev Allison,

[Kev Allison]

Kev noticed the distant look but she still had the slight smile on her lips which meant that it wasnt at all bad memories she was thinking of. He half wished that he could have done the camping, running around and generally being a kid thing but then his mother wasnt really the sort to allow that. How he was related to his family was beyond him at times.

He couldnt help but laugh when Mattie mentioned it being devalued. “Afraid so but you never know, it’s all about what you believe and like always gold will make a come back.” He said with a grin watching her with the rock.

Kev listened as he already knew about her family though at least she had memories which was great. Time with a loved one matter more than anything else and time spent well was worth any weight in gold no matter what was going on. “Forward is good but always remember.” He said as he ran his fingers over the pyrite and grinned.

“Hmmm very good question, now I could always go for the mansion and a holiday or maybe a vault to keep all this gold in... but I’d more than happily settle for a dinner with you. If you have free time and you’re not just here for the gold of course.” He teased laughing a little, “How about you, what would you by with your gold?”

Mattie Chappel