Trying to Get Out the Door
When Ben had originally taken the morning of September 9th off, he mentioned to Amy how he was so happy he was going to block out the morning and maybe even sleep until 8AM. He figured he would have plenty of time to wake up, have a good breakfast, and begin his hike to the trail at 10AM. With his 8AM meeting, though, and not having any idea how long it would last, Ben’s alarm signaled at the current normal of 6AM.
Amy groggily asked, “I thought you were sleeping in?”
“Oh, I guess I forgot to tell you that John wanted to have a video meeting at 8AM to talk about 4th quarter planning.”
“Well, I guess you’ve been too busy telling me the weather forecast for the past ten days that it slipped your mind,” Amy said with a grin. “I’m kidding, now that you mention it, you told me about a week ago. I’ll get up and make you some breakfast. My adventurer is going to need a full belly to go on his journey!”
“God, I love you,” said Ben.
“Eggs and bacon okay?” asked Amy.
“That would be perfect,” replied Ben, happy he didn’t have to think about breakfast.
As Ben was getting ready, he was pleased with himself that he remembered to check the camera batteries the night before as one needed charging. He also took the time to clean the lenses, and made sure everything was packed how he needed it. His tripod was strapped in the left compartment leaving the right side open for his water bottle.
He opened one of eight weather apps on his phone, checking a new one he downloaded a few days earlier, and compared that forecast with the “It’s Your Weather” which was his preferred app.
“Hmm, they both have the same exact forecast. Clear, low humidity and 70 degrees. This is going to be perfect, well, as long as John doesn’t talk for three hours.”
Sitting with Amy, Ben showed Amy an online map that was supposed to show the exact location of the train as it traveled.
“Here, look at this, the train is over there right now. It’s supposed to leave at 9AM, and it travels 35 miles per hour for these trips. I figure it should get to the ridge about 11AM.”
“I know, you’ve told me,” replied Amy, who, while annoyed having heard these facts about ten times already, knew how excited Ben was so she didn’t express her annoyance hearing the schedule another time.
“Maybe I’ll go by the tracks and get a video while it goes by,” mentioned Amy.
“That would be cool. There will probably be a lot of people there. Did you want me to send you the link to the online map?” questioned Ben.
“No thanks, Hon, I’ll be alright,” replied Amy with confidence.
Ben finished up his breakfast and gave Amy a kiss, “Well, I guess I’m off to work,” Ben said with a sneer.
“Have fun,” said Amy, with a touch of sadness that a work meeting was interrupting Ben’s day.
Ben went to his office, turned on his laptop, and logged on for his meeting. As John talked and talked, Ben did his best to stay engaged in the meeting, but most of the time he just kept looking at the clock in the lower-right corner of his screen.
8:15AM
8:45AM
9:00AM.
The time kept ticking away, and while the meeting was somewhat productive, it was also filled with stories from John’s personal life as he would continue to veer off work topics and into the happenings of his family that had no reason for coming up.
9:15 AM
9:30AM
Ben started to get nervous.
Suddenly John said, “Well, I know you took the morning off because you had an appointment. I’m pretty much done. You aren’t going to be late, are you?”
“No, I’ve got about thirty minutes before I have to leave,” and the minute Ben said that, he knew he made a mistake. John proceeded to give Ben all of the details about how his wife was mad at him for being out too late with his friends over the weekend.
9:50AM
9:55AM
“Oh, damn, I forgot, I’ve got to run,” exclaimed John. “I have a tee time at 10:30 this morning. Good luck at your appointment,” and before Ben could say anything, John ended the call, leaving, on Ben’s screen, “John has left the meeting.”
Ben shook his head and barreled out of his home office. Amy was waiting for him, with a water bottle, which Ben slid into the right side of the backpack.
He kissed Amy goodbye, and she whispered in his ear, “Good luck!”
Ben smiled.
“Just in the nick of time, my love! I should be there in plenty of time!” exclaimed Ben.
What Ben didn’t know was that one of the decaying oak trees along Ridge Trail had just fallen.