This weekend I went camping with two inner city youths. Their ages are 16 and 17, but don't let those numbers fool you, it only represents the years they have spend on this earth. They actually act much younger. When you hang out with two boys who's favorite conversations are about girls, the many ways to start a camp fire, and dogs that look line Arnold Schwarzenegger you learn a couple of things long the way.
1) Always carry a lead pipe with you. When I picked up the boys on Saturday morning. The younger brother had a 2 foot long, inch and a half diameter section of lead pipe sticking out of his bag. I asked him why he felt he needed to bring it along but couldn't get a straight answer out of him. I can only assume that he was just "being prepared."
2) Teenage boys don't like long car rides. I was a little confused while driving to the first trail head, and this resulted in a 15 minute longer car ride. Along our detour we drove past some people swimming in a creek. The older brother, in a rather load and demanding voice, informed me that he would like to go swimming. I politely informed him that today we were going to hike to a waterfall and tomorrow we could go swimming to witch he replied, "I hate you", in the same loud voice. Que awkward pause and I believe that I now know what it feel like to be a father.
3) Attention Deficit Disorder can be a wonderful thing. About five minutes after my first fatherhood experience, we arrived a the trail head. The both brothers jumped out of the car and were talking gleefully about how they were going to break sticks, and throw rocks into the stream, completely forgetting about the "I hate you" incident that took place only 5 minutes earlier.
4) I, and my dog are getting older. In 10 months, 26 days, and 2 hours, I will turn 30, not that I am counting mind you. My dog is 10 years old. I believe that is about 65 in dog years. After arriving home we both enjoyed an aspirin and a nap.
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