Camping trip is fun for great indoorsman

“Because I Said So” column for The Commercial Appeal

Oct. 27, 2011

My 10-year-old son enjoys the occasional slice of toast for breakfast. I recently had to stop him at breakfast when we were down to our last. “Don’t take that bread, Joshua, I need that for lunches,” I said. And then I watched, aghast, as he turned and tossed the slice back into the pantry on top of the bread bag. We had a talk about that.

I tell you this, not to embarrass him. Not only. But I want you to understand that, though he may at times live like an animal, he is not so wild, and I want you to understand my trepidation when it was time for our first Boy Scout camping trip last weekend. He was very excited about the trip in the weeks leading up to it. Joshua, however, is the great indoorsman. He appreciates his sofa and his iPod and his remote control. He’s fond of his bedroom with its four solid walls and soft mattress.

And he comes by it honestly. I haven’t been camping in 15 years.

The first basic need a father wants to provide for his child is shelter and, to this end, I did what our forefathers must have done when they set off for the untamed western territories, I put a notice on Facebook that I needed to borrow a two-man tent.

Tent in hand, I wanted to make sure I could set it up all by myself. Not that Joshua would be unwilling to help but, well, you remember the bread in the pantry?

Having set it up in the backyard the day before our trip, I called him out to see where he’d be spending the following night. His reaction: “Where’s the rest of it?” He got his sarcasm badge … (read more)