KEEP IT NATURAL pt. 6

(Just returned to the Wrong Island, chosen as my rightful place of living. After 15 years, I still get confuse between L and R. I also get confused between riders L/R or lookers L/R.. )





Our home at Yosemite National Park was a canvas-covered tent-ish structure.

It was approximately 10' x 10', possibly much smaller, and it housed about 7 of us (me thinks).

It could have been that it was supposed to be for less people, but the close ones got together to hang out to overcome the overflowing flood of stinky teen spirits.
The uncontrollable teens snuck out of their own tents and migrated into the romance nests.





I spent a lot of time outside during the night alone,
sometimes with friends, when I was a teenager.
I enjoyed the serenity.


Where I lived back home in Japan was pretty crowded residential town, but after about mdnight, you seldom saw anyone out.


I usually told my parents that I'm going to McDonald's or Danny's (open 24hrs with Japanized menus)
to get some food, or hang with my friends.

They complained most of the time, but I did what I wanted to do.


The emptiness made me feel like I was the only resident of the town.


I was the phantom of the night.



It was always quiet. The air felt cleaner and more breathable without many cars being on the road near by. And especially in the summer time, the scent of grass, cooler night air gave me strange sense of comfort.

I have always been a night owl, I suppose.





The habit followed me to Yosemite.

Besides, along with the others, I was to excited to sleep.

We were scheduled to be on our separate journeys soon after the Yosemite trip.

The short-term, soon-to-be long distant, and most likely to never continue after the year is over relationships (most of us were from different parts of Japan) were having their own climaxes.


I don't want to raise your expectations, well I suppose I already have,

It wasn't like American Pie band camp of any sort. Kinda, maybe a little.


But if you want hot steamy stories,

I'm sure you can find it through Google.




I remember them making a big deal about the bears at the park.

Rangers and park employees constantly reminded us not to leave any open food in cars or tents.

If you do, you are welcoming bears into your party.

And I don't think BYOB or BYOF were an option.



When I woke up after the first night at the park, people were gathering at the main parking lot.

The bears broke into one of the parked cars by smashing the windows, since there were open packages of Doritos or whatever else left inside the car.

The bear must have been watching the commercials.

The crunch, the flavor, it's tempting.

I wouldn't go as far to actually break into someone's car for it though.




The last night there was definitely memorable.

Toshi, Lolita, Straight-up, Naive, Drama-shots (I think he was there), Champ,
and few others including my romance were in the tent. (Vague memory.. please excuse me if I left you out! )


We talked in the darkness with flashlights, since we were directed by park officials to turn off all the lights in the tent, perhaps not to attract the bears that wander around at night.


I recall talking about dreams, ideals, and whatever else with our naive teenage state of mind.

Too bad that the detail escaped my memory, but the intensity of emotions that I experienced have been unforgettable to this day.






The park rangers and officials constantly reminded us to conceal our food and never let open food packages out while we sleep.


After all the lights went off at the park, we made sure that all our food were put away.


Champ the teddy bear was a big eater.

He had a big bag full of snacks and goodies in his possession.


We told him to put them all away, including several candy bars that were left open and half eaten.

He fell asleep soon after his scheduled snacking with

graceful Snoring Philharmonic Orchestra behind him.
 



We felt safe, and went on our teenage life & love hotline business.




The bath room was in 2 minutes walking distance.

During the night, some of us payed unscheduled visits to the loo.



When it was my turn to go, I stepped outside.

The whole place was dark and serene,
 except the sounds of crickets and other rightful resident of the paradise.


The cool air reminded me of the nights I spent back home.




Around 2 am, just after we were totally relaxed, we heard someone approaching the tent.

All of us froze in an instant.

We loudly whispered to each other frantically.


"Sheeee!"

"Is it the bears??"

"Maybe the ranger patrolling."

"I think it's the bears!! I gotta go pee! What am I gonna do??"

"Hey be quiet!!"


"Tell Champ to stop snoring! Fudge! (non of us were Mormons btw)"

"He's out cold!"

"Wake him up!"

"Be quiet!!"


"No, don't wake him up!"

"Where is he anyways?"


He wasn't actually snoring anymore, and was covered in blankets,
 so we weren't even sure if he was there.




The strange and unidentifiable sound of foot steps slowly passed right near the tent.

The tent was concealed pretty well, and if you open the zipped door to peak, it would attract attention.

So we stayed still without a flinch.



Whether it was the bears or the rangers,
we didn't want them to know we are hanging out wide awake with some of us being in the wrong tent.

The foot steps seemed to fade away from where we were, so we let out a breath.


"Phew....."


Just when one of us were about to say something,

we heard a loud "Bang!!" right by the tent.

Now we really froze as if we had been stared by Medusa.



I thought maybe Champ went to the bathroom,
and he was looking for more food outside along with his fellow bears in his half-awake state.


I looked at the bed where he was sleeping, and saw his foot sticking out the bottom.

Ok, it's not him.

There must be a bear right by our tent, unless one of the rangers is throwing a fit or being a drunkard, which is very unlikely.


One of us caught a sight of open bag next to Champ's bed.

"!!! put that bag away!!"


We heard the drunken ranger, or a bear make another loud "Bang!!"
and there was a sound of the large trash can rolling on the ground, and it was literally 2 feet away from the tent.

There was nothing but a thin fabric which covered the tent between the unknown trash digger and us.


We thought we were next for sure, if it's the bear,
since it must had already smelled the open bag of goodies.


It was very nice of Champ trying to share his bag o' joy with his hungry friends.

The picture of the car with broken windows flashed in front of eyes.


I thought to myself,

"I guess I'm not gonna get to eat potatoes and hang with the cowboys."

The chicks and dudes were holding each other tight, which brought them even closer that night.



Then we heard the sound fading away in the distance...





This experience gave me the best adrenaline rush I have ever gotten just sitting still.

I had gotten such a kick out of it. 

That night turned me into more of a dare-devil.




Thanks to the cleverly placed trash can, I am still here, today, writing this.


I mean we had no idea what kind of bear they are or what they do.

All we knew was that they are strong enough to break car windows and they were hungry like the caterpillars. 



"Phew!"







to be continued....





love,


y


My brain had turned into liquid, probably beer,
after one week of recuperation in the woods.
Or maybe a bear ate it while I was sleeping...


Who knows.





ps.

Thank you for the great time at Yosemite.
This goes to all the wonderful people I spent the precious time there.
I will never forget (although details are fading a bit) you, and the days there.

Stay gold, and keep it naturale!