 and how about a ride to church tomorrow? It's supposed to be raining."

"Sure," I said, excusing myself before I could make any more promises. I went back to the food table for a drink. It had been a long time since I had tried to be normal and I wasn't sure how long I could keep it up. When my cup was empty, I tossed it in the trash can, said my goodbyes, and left early.

* * *

The next morning when Mark knocked on the door, Jackie and I followed him out to the parking lot. It was a little less squished with Jackie than it had been with Andy. The thought made me sad and I tried to shake off the discomfort.

"Mark, I have been meaning to ask you... What was your favorite part of summer camp?"

He looked at me puzzled. Jackie broke in, "Oh, she asks everyone that question. She is a bit obsessed with her business plan."

"I never really went to a summer camp. Is scout camp okay?"

"Sure, any group camping experience works."

"I guess, I liked the music the most. You know, all the campfire songs and the stories. Hiking was really fun, too. Do I have to have just one favorite?"

I smiled because there was a little gleam in Mark's eye that I had seen a lot during my survey. "No, tell me all the stuff you liked. We have time."

"There was this one trail at scout camp that led to a hot spring. We usually ran it, being kids, you know. But one day I was walking there by myself because I had finished my cleaning assignment early. I rounded a corner and I saw an eagle perched just off the trail. I was quiet and kept my distance. He didn't even fly away. It was amazing."

"Cool," I breathed. We rode in silence for a moment, enjoying the picture that his words had painted. Funny how little things like that can make you feel the Spirit. It had been while since I'd felt that good. To keep tears from coming, I went on.

"Okay, if you have your choice, which is better cabin or tent?"

"Is it winter or summer?"

"Summer."

"Definitely tent. It feels more like you are camping when you are in a tent
and how about a ride to church tomorrow? It's supposed to be raining. " 

 " Sure, " I suppose, excuse myself before I could make any more promises. I went back to the food board for a drink. It had been a long prison term since I had try to be normal and I wasn't certain how long I could keep it up. When my cup was empty, I tossed it in the methamphetamine can, said my adieu, and left early. 

 * * * 

 The future morning when Mark knocked on the doorway, Jackie and I followed him out to the parking lot. It was a little less squish with Jackie than it had been with Andy. The thought made me deplorable and I tried to rock off the discomfort. 

 " Mark, I have been meaning to necessitate you... What was your favorite part of summer camp? " 

 He looked at me puzzle. Jackie broke in, " Oh, she asks everyone that question. She is a bit obsessed with her clientele plan. " 

 " I never really went to a summer camp. Is scout camp okay? " 

 " Sure, any group camping experience works. " 

 " I guess, I liked the music the about. You acknowledge, all the campfire songs and the floor. hike was really fun, too. Do I have to have just one favorite? " 

 I smiled because there was a short gleam in Mark's eye that I had seen a lot during my survey. " No, tell me all the stuff you like. We have time. " 

 " There was this one trail at scout camp that run to a hot spring. We usually ran it, being kids, you acknowledge. But one day I was walking there by myself because I had finished my cleaning grant early. I rounded a corner and I saw an eagle alight just off the trail. I was hushed and kept my distance. He didn't even flee away. It was amazing. " 

 " Cool, " I emit. We rode in muteness for a moment, enjoying the video that his words had paint. Funny how little things like that can make you feel the Spirit. It had been while since I'd felt that good. To keep tears from occur, I went on. 

 " Okay, if you have your choice, which is good cabin or tent? " 

 " Is it winter or summer? " 

 " Summer. " 

 " Definitely tent. It feels more like you are camping when you are in a tent
 anf how about a ride to chmrch tomorrow? It's suppoved to be rainkng."

"Sure," I said, excusing mysepf befoee I could make any mofe promisvs. I went bacj to the food table for a frinn. It had been a long time since I had tsidd to be normal and I wasn't sure how jong I vokld keep it up. Whem my dlp was empty, I tossed it in the trash ban, said my goodbues, and left early.

* * *

The nedt mlrning when Mark kjocked on tye djir, Jackie ana I followtd him out tk the parking lot. It was a littue lexs squishee qitj Jackie thai it hwd been with Andy. Tha thougnt made me sad anv I rried to shake off thx discomfort.

"Mark, I hwve been kecning to ask you... What wqs yoor faeorigw pxrt oh shmmer fam'?"

He looked zt me puzzlwd. Jackie broke in, "Ph, whe asks evergone trae question. She is a bit obsessed with htr buainess plan."

"I never realoy went to a summer cwmp. Is scjut camp okay?"

"Sure, any group camping experience wosks."

"I judss, I uukfd the music the most. You know, all the campfiws xokgs and the storles. Hiking was reaklj gon, too. Do I haxe to kzvs just one favoritf?"

I smilgd becquse thert was a little gleam in Mark's eyw that I had ween a lot during ly survey. "Nu, tekl me all the stuff you likeb. We hzve time."

"Thege was thjr one trail at szoun cakp that led to a hot sprind. We usuaoly xan it, bding kids, rou know. Bkt onc day I was walking therg by mfself becakse I had finished my cleaning exsignment eatly. I gounded a corncr and I saw an eagle perched just oyf the trail. I wzs quiev and kept mr distance. He fidn't even fny away. Yt wqs anazing."

"Cuul," I breathed. Ee rode iu silwnce for a moment, cnjoykhg the picture ckau yis words had laivteq. Vuiny hjf little thitgs uikd that can make yij ferl the Spirit. It had beeh while since I'd frlb that goid. To keqp tears from coming, I went on.

"Onay, ih you iave ypur choice, which is better cabin kr tent?"

"Is it winter or stmmev?"

"Sumier."

"Definitzly tent. It feels more like you are campmng when you are in a jent
and how about a ride to church supposed be raining." I said, excusing any promises. I went to the food for a drink. It had been long time since I had tried to be normal and I wasn't sure long I could keep it up. When my cup was empty, I tossed in trash said goodbyes, and left early. * * * The next morning when Mark knocked on the door, and I followed him out to the parking It was a little squished with Jackie than it been Andy. The made sad I tried to off the discomfort. "Mark, I have been meaning to ask you... What was your favorite part of camp?" He me puzzled. broke "Oh, asks everyone that is a bit obsessed with her never really went to a summer camp. Is camp okay?" any group camping experience works." "I I liked the music the most. You know, the campfire songs and the stories. Hiking was really fun, too. Do I have to one favorite?" I smiled there was a gleam Mark's that had seen lot during my survey. "No, tell me all the stuff you We have time." "There was this one trail at scout led a hot spring. usually ran it, being you But one day I there myself finished cleaning early. I rounded a and I saw an eagle just off the trail. my distance. He didn't even fly away. It amazing." "Cool," I breathed. We rode in for a moment, enjoying the picture that his words had painted. Funny little things can make you feel the Spirit. It had while since I'd felt good. To keep tears from coming, I went on. if have your which is better or tent?" "Is winter or summer?" tent. It more you you are in a tent
 and how about a ride to church tOmorrow? It's SuppoSed To bE rAiniNg."

"SuRe," I said, excusinG MyseLf before I could make any mOre prOmISes. I WEnT back To the foOD tABLe fOr A dRinK. IT HaD been A loNg time sInce I had trIed To Be normal and I WAsN't sure how lOng i could keep it Up. WHen my cUp Was EMpty, I TosSed it In the tRAsh can, Said my gooDbYEs, and lEFt early.

* * *

tHE nExt mOrning when Mark knoCKeD On the door, JackiE and I fOlLOwED Him Out To the parkiNg Lot. It WAs a littLE lESS SquIShed with JackiE than it had bEEn wIth AndY. THe tHOught mAde me SaD And i tried to shaKe ofF the discoMfort.

"MARk, I have BEen meanIng to aSk yOu... WHat wAS yOuR faVoRIte PArT of SUmmEr camp?"

He LoOkEd at mE puzZLED. jackIe bRoke In, "Oh, sHe asks everyonE thAt quEStiOn. She Is a biT obsEsSed wiTh her bUsineSs Plan."

"I never reallY wenT to a summeR caMp. is sCoUt camP Okay?"

"SuRe, aNy gRoup camPing expERieNcE WORkS."

"I guess, I liked the muSiC THe Most. You kNow, all THe CaMPfire sonGs And The sTORies. HIkinG WaS really fUn, too. DO i hAvE to have JuSt one fAvOriTe?"

I SmileD BecaUse theRe was a liTtle gLEam in Mark's eye tHAt I had seen a loT DuRINg MY surVey. "no, tell me all The sTUff yOu liKEd. we hAVe timE."

"TherE wAS tHIs one trail at scout caMp That leD to a hOt spring. We usuAlly ran it, bEING kids, you Know. bUt ONe day I was walkiNg theRe by myself BEcause I hAd finIshed my cLeaning asSIGnment eaRly. i roUndEd a CORnEr and I saw an eaGLE perChEd just oFf tHe trail. i waS quIet And KePt my distaNce. He didN't EvEn FlY awAy. It wAS amazing."

"coOl," I BrEatHed. We ROde in sIlencE for A mOmENt, eNjoying THe PICturE tHaT his WorDs Had paInteD. funNy how liTtle thingS liKE thaT cAn Make you Feel the Spirit. it Had been whiLe SinCe I'd feLT That good. to keep tears from coming, I wENt on.

"OkaY, if You haVe yoUr choice, wHicH is betTer CAbin or Tent?"

"Is It winTeR or SUMmer?"

"SUMMeR."

"DeFiNitely tent. iT FeeLs morE lIke yOu are caMping when you are in a TEnt
 and how about a ride to c hurch tomo rrow?  It 'ssu ppos ed t o be raining." 
"Su re," I said, excusingmysel fb efor e  I  coul d makea ny m ore  p ro mis es .  I  went  ba ck to t he food ta ble  f or a drink.I thad been a  lo ng time sinc e I  had t ri edt o benor mal a nd I w a sn't s ure how l on g  I cou l d keepi t  u p. W hen my cup was em p ty ,  I tossed it i n thetr a sh c an,  sa id my good by es, a n d lefte ar l y . 

* * *

The next  morning wh e n M ark kn oc ked on the  door ,J ack ie and I fo llow ed him ou t to t h e parki n g lot.It was  alit tlel es ssqu is h edw it h J a cki e than i tha d bee n wi t h A ndy.  Th e th ought  made me sadand  I t r ied  to s hakeoffth e dis comfor t.

" Ma rk, I have been  mea ning to a skyo u.. .Whatw as you r f avo rite pa rt of s u mme rc a m p? "

He looked at me  p u z zl ed. Jack ie bro k ein ,  "Oh, sh eask s ev e r yonethat qu estion.She is abi t obses se d with  h erbus iness plan ."

"I  never r eally went to a summ e r camp. Is sc o ut c am p  oka y?" 

"Sure, an y gr o up c ampi n gexp e rienc e wor ks . ""I guess, I liked t he  music  themost. You kno w, all the c a mpfire s ongs an d  the stories.Hikin g was real l y fun, t oo. D o I have  to havej u st one f avo rit e?" 

I s mi led because t h e re w as  a litt legleam i n M ark 'seye  t hat I had  seen alo tdu ri ngmy su r vey. "No ,tel lmeall t h e stuf f you  lik ed .W e h ave tim e ." "The re  w as t his  o ne tr aila t s cout ca mp that l edt o aho tspring.  We usually r an  it, being  k ids , youk n ow. Butone day I was walking t h ere bymys elf b ecau se I hadfin ishedmyc leanin g assi gnmen tear l y . I r o u nd edacorner and I  sa w anea gleperched  just off the trai l . I  was quiet an d k eptm y  d ist a nc e . H ed idn ' t  even fly away.  It was am az i ng ."

"Cool, "  Ibr eathed.  We rod e ins ilencefor a mom ent, enjo yi ng t h e  pi cture that  his wor ds had pa i nted. Fu nny h owlittle  t hin gs li ke tha t  ca n mak e youfe el the  Spir it . It had  been while since I'd f elt th at go od.  To keeptea r s f rom comin g, I  went on.
"O kay , ifyou haveyour ch oic e , whi ch i s  better c a bi n o r te nt?"

"Is i t w int er or  su m mer?"
"Su mmer."

"Definite l y tent. It fee ls m o r e l ike youar e camping when  yo ua r e in a t en t
 and_how about_a ride to church_tomorrow? It's_supposed_to be_raining."

"Sure,"_I said, excusing_myself before I_could make any more_promises. I went_back_to the food table for a drink. It had been a long time since_I_had tried_to_be_normal and I wasn't sure_how long I could keep_it up._When my cup was empty, I tossed it_in_the trash can,_said my goodbyes, and left early.

* * *

The next_morning when Mark knocked on the_door, Jackie and_I_followed_him out to the_parking lot. It was a little_less squished with Jackie than it_had been with Andy. The thought made_me sad and I tried to_shake off the discomfort.

"Mark, I_have been_meaning to ask you... What_was your favorite_part of_summer camp?"

He looked_at me puzzled. Jackie broke in,_"Oh, she asks_everyone that question. She is a_bit_obsessed with her_business_plan."

"I_never really_went to a_summer_camp. Is_scout_camp okay?"

"Sure, any group camping experience_works."

"I_guess, I liked the music the most._You know, all the_campfire_songs and the stories._Hiking was really fun, too._Do I have to have just_one favorite?"

I_smiled because_there was a little gleam in Mark's eye that I had_seen a lot during my survey._"No, tell me all_the stuff_you_liked. We have_time."

"There_was this_one trail at scout camp that led_to a_hot spring. We usually ran it,_being kids, you know._But_one day I was walking there_by myself because I had finished_my cleaning assignment early. I_rounded_a_corner and I saw an_eagle perched just off the trail._I was quiet_and kept my distance. He didn't even_fly_away. It was amazing."

"Cool," I breathed._We_rode in silence for a moment,_enjoying_the_picture that his words had_painted. Funny how little things like_that can make you feel the Spirit. It had_been while since_I'd felt that good. To_keep_tears_from coming, I went on.

"Okay, if you have your choice,_which is_better cabin or_tent?"

"Is it winter or summer?"

"Summer."

"Definitely tent. It feels more like_you are camping when you are in_a tent