Two Tales

First Story:

When I camp, I take my car keys into the tent at night, not worrying about car theft but figuring in case of a bear deciding to visit, I could hit the car alarm.  I figure the siren plus flashing lights would deter any bruin.  That plan proved useful two nights ago.

Some teenagers were setting up camp next to me.  I thought nothing about it, they seemed quiet enough.  Tired, I went to bed about 9:00 pm.  That quiet ended at 10:30 when they started talking loudly, playing their stereo and welcoming more young people.  It was a full scale beer party in the middle of Mormon Utah.  This went on and on.  I kept thinking they would start to take the post-10:00 pm quiet time seriously, but no.

Around midnight I began to wonder about our camp host.  In most of the western national forest campgrounds there is a senior citizen host who checks on bathroom supplies, collects fees and is supposed to keep an eye on things.  Where was he?  I looked over to his camper.  His SUV was there, but the lights were off. 

I couldn't figure it out until I visualized our conversation when I signed in.  He kept fiddling with his hearing aid.  He must have taken it out when he went to bed.  I bet those kids knew that very well.

Well, I know just how to wake him up. I hit my handy bear alarm, lights flashed and the siren blared.  I left it on for five seconds.  When I stopped it, all the lights next door were out, the stereo was off, and not a peep could be heard, not even a whisper.  It reminded me of Bilbo Baggins and the wood elves in the Hobbit. 

Next day other campers thanked me.

Tale two:

I was in Winnemucca, Nevada scouting out possible places to stay overnight.  I saw a sign that said rooms could be had for $25 a night.  I went over to check it out. 

"Is that true?" I asked a man and woman sunning themselves at the veranda. 

"Are you one of the regulars," the woman with the low cut top and too much makeup asked.  Then she took off her sunglasses and took a look at me.  We both started to laugh. 

$25 a night was a good deal for the owner because she would rent those rooms out several times a night. At my age, I wouldn't be able to make enough hustling to cover the $25.