TWENTY
A Dinner to Remember
A STEADY STREAM OF BLACK SMOKE ASCENDED FROM the brick outdoor hearth just off the back of the main lodge. The tantalizing aroma of burning charcoal and the thought of eating barbecued meat from the grill got Gabriel’s mouth watering. He couldn’t think of a more perfect way to end a great day on The River.
Sunlight in the canyon had dimmed. The air was just cool enough, and the glow of gas lanterns on picnic tables and staked homemade torches illuminated the outdoor hangout. Shadows from the trees, like giant statues, emerged on the back wall of the lodge.
Gabriel peered at the iridescent full moon over the canyon wall. He was surrounded by whitewater protégés milling in small groups, catching up on the activities of the day. Like improvisational music, the sounds of conversation and laughter echoed around the camp—another sign of a great season to come on The River.
Gabriel found Jacob and Ezra standing in front of the six-foot-wide barbecue, poking the coals and adding a few hickory sticks for flavor.
“I think we’re ready to grill,” Jacob announced. “Bring on the meat, boys!” His declaration earned a few whoops.
“Gabriel, could you help me?” Gabriel looked up and saw Tabitha standing at the porch door leading to the kitchen.
“Glad to,” he replied, and followed her into the kitchen, where he saw two large tin trays piled high with rib-eye steaks.
“Look at all this meat! There’s enough here to feed a small army.”
Tabitha lifted one of the trays and gave it to Gabriel. “My dad doesn’t do anything small. When he throws a party, it’s all out.”
“I guess so.” Gabriel shook his head as they each carried a tin tray out to Ezra and Jacob. As they made their way through the picnic tables, several guys clapped. Feeling conspicuous, Gabriel glanced at Tabitha with a puzzled look on his face.
“I guess they’re pretty excited about this dinner, huh?”
“Dad likes a festive atmosphere. He loves to celebrate.”
The smell of the flame-kissed steaks cooking over the open fire was pure heaven. Ezra, wearing his trademark red apron, kept flipping the juicy steaks so they wouldn’t burn to a crisp.
With a nod from Ezra, Jacob cupped his hands over his mouth and called out, “Rib eyes are ready! Let’s dig in!”
Everyone moved in quickly to receive his or her piece of chargrilled goodness. Hot baked potatoes wrapped in tinfoil as well as generous hunks of Ezra’s famous cornbread filled their plates. Once everyone had been served, Ezra took off his apron and passed through the chow line. He joined Jacob, Tabitha, and Gabriel at the table closest to The River.
Gabriel carved off a tip of the expertly grilled rib eye and took his first bite. He swooned in delight and then grinned in Ezra’s direction. “This steak is amazing. What did you season it with?”
“Just a little salt and pepper and a few other goodies. I can’t tell you all my secrets the first week you’re here.”
“Man, it’s incredible.”
“Glad you like it,” Jacob said. “I believe in bringing out the best to celebrate new friends. . . and old ones.” Jacob smiled at Ezra, who tipped his hat in recognition. Then Jacob stood up to get everyone’s attention, prompting Ezra to tap his water glass with his knife.
When the boisterous group had calmed down, Jacob began. “Hey, everyone. I’d like to say once again how excited I am about a new season. I’m thankful for each one of you coming to help us out this summer. How’s your food?”
Everyone responded with a hearty cheer, and even a few whistles erupted.
“I believe this will be our best year yet. Between Big Water and the North Camp, we’re going to introduce thousands of people to The River. What a gift and a privilege. Whether you’re guiding a raft, working the front desk, helping out Ezra in the kitchen, or even cleaning the bathrooms, you are vital to serving those who come to experience everything The River has to offer. Each one of you fills a different role, but we are all equally important.”
Jacob shifted his weight before continuing. “I don’t believe in accidents. You are here for a reason. Don’t ever think you’re not vitally important to the mission. Remember, there’s only one you, so bring your best. No one can do that for you.”
Gabriel was mesmerized by what Jacob had to say. He had never heard anyone talk like that. Growing up in Kansas, he’d never been exposed to that kind of passion and leadership. Each sentence resonated with him.
“Your dad really has a way with words,” Gabriel said to Tabitha.
“Oh, he’s always been like that.” She paused, then rested her hand on Gabriel’s forearm. “That means a lot to me. . . that you notice.”
Gabriel’s heart skipped a beat. Tabitha had that special gift of knowing what to say at just the right time.
Jacob raised his right hand into the air. “There’s one other thing I want to say, and it’s about how excited I am that Gabriel Clarke has come to The River this year. So, Gabriel, it’s great to welcome you into the fold. May your time on The River be something you will never forget.”
Jacob paused for a second, almost as if he needed to collect himself. “Let’s raise one to good friends. . . to good food. . . and to The River!” Everyone toasted their soda bottles and iced tea glasses, and a chorus of laughter and frivolity ensued.
The sense of celebration was intoxicating. The joy in the camp took Gabriel to a new place—a place where he could allow himself to be happy. He realized that he was discovering a newfound freedom—the freedom to enjoy being alive.
He didn’t know everyone that well yet, but they shared something in common. They had all been captured by the beauty of The River and felt compelled to share it with others who came their way. Even though they had come from different parts of the country, even the world, he had felt accepted. These people wanted him there.
He was becoming one of them.
There was hardly a moment of silence during dinner. The stories circulating around the tables brought raucous rounds of laughter, and animated conversation filled the camp for a couple of hours. Gabriel, Tabitha, Ezra, and Jacob’s table was no different. Jacob regaled them with hilarious “city slicker” stories about the colorful characters who drove high into the mountains to experience the great outdoors, only to exit their Cadillacs in garish Bermuda shorts and black wingtips. Ezra recounted the pranks the guides would play on one another, like the time when one guide forged a “Dear John” letter to a lovesick roommate. Ezra’s stories seemed funnier because the older man had a formal and dignified way about him.
Shortly after nine o’clock, Ezra stood up. “If you will excuse me, everyone. I believe it’s time for me to retire for the evening.” As the longtime chef made his way around the eating area, he collected dishes and stacked them in his arms. When Tabitha joined him, Jacob turned his focus to Gabriel.
“I’ve noticed that you haven’t said too much tonight. I apologize if we monopolized the conversation.”
“Are you kidding?” Gabriel exclaimed. “I love hearing these stories. It’s been amazing.”
“We’ve lived a lot of life at The River, that’s for sure. Everyone has a story, though. Tell me about Kansas. What’s life like there?”
“There’s not really that much to tell.” Gabriel looked down and picked at the splinters of wood in the picnic table.
“I bet there’s a lot to tell. I’m listening.”
Gabriel sighed for a moment. “I’m from a little town called Cairo. It’s really small. I’ve lived there with my mom since I was five years old. We live in a rented room off the back of a farmhouse. The Cartwrights who own it have been like grandparents to me, I guess. My mom works really hard at the Cairo Diner. It hasn’t been easy, but we’ve managed. I’ll tell you this: Kansas doesn’t look anything like Colorado.”
“So what’s good about living in Cairo?” Jacob continued his incisive questions.
“I don’t know. Miss Vonda makes amazing fried chicken, and Mister Earl introduced me to fishing. . . I love to fish.”
“Ah, food and fishing—two of my favorites as well.”
Gabriel felt comfortable with Jacob, so he mentioned something that he’d never told anybody. “I’ve known some good people back home and had some good times, but I always sensed I didn’t belong there—I don’t know—like I wasn’t made for Kansas.”
“Really?” Jacob was looking him directly in the eye.
Gabriel nodded.
“Well, I just want to remind you that I’m really glad you’re here, and I’m looking forward to getting to know you better.” Jacob switched gears. “I have an idea. Do you have any plans for the rest of the evening?”
“Not at all. I was just going to read some before turning in.”
Jacob looked up into the sky. “The moon is really bright tonight. . . Why don’t you meet me over at my Jeep in about fifteen minutes.”
“Great. Where are we going?”
“You’ll see. Fifteen minutes.” Jacob smiled as he took the last swig of his drink and got up from the picnic bench. Gabriel was intrigued and a bit nervous by the sudden invitation. He’d heard Jacob was a spontaneous man.
At the same time, though, after one dinner together, he felt like he had known Jacob his entire life.
Gabriel walked up to the faded red 1959 Jeep CJ-5. Jacob pulled some rope out of the back and threw it on the ground. Then he pulled off his long-sleeved buttoned shirt and reached for a white T-shirt lying in his Jeep.
Gabriel couldn’t help but notice a one-inch-wide nasty scar that ran from the top of Jacob’s shoulder down the back of his arm to his elbow. He didn’t want to say anything about the disfigurement to Jacob, but he was curious about what had happened.
Jacob finished putting the T-shirt on. “Come with me,” he commanded.
Gabriel followed him over to the back of the rigging shack.
“Here, grab the other side of this,” he said. Jacob walked over to a heap of fully inflated rafts stacked one on top of another.
This really got Gabriel thinking. Jacob motioned for him to grab a side of the raft on top of the stack, and together they carried it over to the Jeep, where they hoisted the raft onto the cross bars. Jacob then collected the rope from the ground to anchor the raft to the rack.
“Go grab yourself a PFD, a paddle, and a dry bag. I’ve got mine in the Jeep.”
Gabriel did as he asked. Jacob fired up the engine, and they rolled out of the camp. “Are we actually going on The River. . . at night?”
“Yup. You’re going to love this.”
Though he felt safe with Jacob, Gabriel could feel the butterflies fluttering in his gut. He pushed those feelings aside as they weaved through the canyon on the bumpy mountain road. The cliffs rose sharply on the right side of the Jeep, and the dim headlights barely lit the path ahead. With every shift of the manual transmission, the old Jeep jerked and chugged in the darkness.
“You ever been on The River at night?”
“Are you kidding? It was all I could do to get on The River in broad daylight.” Gabriel shocked himself a little at his own transparency.
“Well, there’s something about The River at night, when it’s just you, the water, and the light of the moon.”
“How do you navigate, though? I mean. . . the rocks and waterfalls. Isn’t that kind of dangerous?”
“It can be.”
Then why are we doing this? Is this guy crazy? Gabriel rolled all kinds of thoughts around in his head.
“You see, Gabriel, there are things about The River that you can experience only when it’s dark. The River reveals itself differently at night. It’s difficult to explain. I listen and watch more closely when I don’t know exactly what’s next. My connection to The River is deeper in the night.”
“I think I know what you mean.” Gabriel recalled his middle-of-the-night experience at The River from a few weeks earlier.
“Of course, you want to ride The River at night only when you know the waters really well. I’ve been here my whole life. I know The River. I mean, you can’t know everything about it, but I know it well enough. I’ve studied it. I’ve spent time on it. Not a day goes by that I don’t connect with The River.” Jacob paused for a moment. “I’ve made a lot of mistakes here at The River, Gabriel. . . but I’ve learned from them.”
The older man quickly changed the subject. “Hey. . . look at this!” Jacob pointed to the left side of the road and slowed down to a stop. A small black bear was foraging through greenery. When he heard the Jeep slow, the creature looked back over his shoulder in their direction, his eyes reflecting a bright green shine.
“Oh wow! Look how cute the little fella is!” Gabriel exclaimed with hushed excitement.
“Yeah, they’re cute, but their mommas are never too far away. Momma bears will do anything to protect their babies. I learned that one the hard way. I tried to get up close to a cub one time, and then I heard a nasty growl that I still can’t get out of my head. I kept backing up until she had me cornered against The River.”
“I had only one option. I jumped into The River and rode it. That was a pretty bumpy swim. . . I don’t recommend it.”
Jacob put the Jeep in gear and rumbled up the road again. He drove about a half mile more and turned off into a clearing.
“Okay. . . let’s do it!” Jacob jumped out of the Jeep, and Gabriel followed. The two untied the raft and lugged it down about thirty yards to The River’s edge. They gathered their paddles, PFDs, and dry bags and secured them in the raft.
“So how are we going to get back to the Jeep?” Gabriel asked.
“Tabitha will drive here with one of the other guides to pick up my truck. Then she’ll drop it off downriver for us. Otherwise, that would be a really long walk back. Oh yeah. It’s important to have one of these.”
Jacob held up a large metal flashlight. He smiled as he flicked it on and off a couple of times, which made Gabriel feel a little better. “It doesn’t matter how well you know The River, it’s still important to keep a light with you. You never know what will try to spoil your experience.”
“I was hoping you’d have something like that.” Gabriel flashed a grin.
The two donned their PFDs and cinched them tight. They slid the yellow raft into the water and climbed in.
The water was silky smooth and beautiful. The moon shone brightly and covered the water’s surface with a soft glow. With one stroke of Jacob’s paddle, the vessel glided into the middle of The River.
The air was still and crisp and the canyon silent. Like a cosmic glitter sprinkled across the midnight sky, the infinite number of stars twinkled with radiant brilliance.
The next few hours held exciting new discoveries for Gabriel. Little by little, the frightened, lost boy from Kansas was coming out of his protective shell.
This night with Jacob. . . and The River. . . would change everything.