Chapter 15: England

Monday April 20, 2014 – Freshman Year

We landed in Newcastle just before five in the morning, local time. Devin had us quickly loaded in a travel van, and on the road to Ambleside. The driver said it would take two hours to get there, but Devin promised a big tip if we got there sooner. We arrived in front of the hotel at six forty-five. There, everyone got out except Devin and me.

The Langdale Valleys are located in the Lake District National Park in the county of Cumbria, in the northwest of England. There are two valleys, the Great and Little. We were going to the Great Langdale. We pulled up to a set of three open air tents. I was directed to the smallest of the three where I was given my running clothes. The running shoes were different from what I had seen before. They had rubber cleats that looked like arrow heads on the bottom.

I went looking for Devin and found him with the director. He was a tall skinny guy that was almost as tall as I was. I would guess he was in his 30s. He also had shocking red hair that was about as unruly as Alan’s was.

“David, I would like you to meet Colin. He will be in charge of everything this week,” Devin said as an introduction.

We shook hands. He had a quick smile that made you instantly like him.

“You’re a big strapping lad. Kat is going to like you,” Colin said.

“Why would a cat like me? I prefer dogs.”

He just laughed at me.

“Go eat, and then come back,” Devin told me.

I have to say the British know how to do outdoor things. The next tent was set up as a dining room complete with table cloths and real china. A waiter in a white coat took me to a table that had a fantastic view of the valley.

They served me what they called a Traditional English Breakfast. I found eggs, bacon, sausages, mushrooms, baked beans, tomato slices and fried bread on my plate. I had never had baked beans for breakfast before. I’m willing to try anything once and I have to say that it was very filling.

I was relaxing and drinking hot tea when an attractive girl who seemed just a little older than me came into the tent. She looked around, spotted me, came over and sat down. I assumed she was Kat because she was dressed in running clothes. Her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail.

“Hi, I’m David,” I said as I reached across the table and shook her hand.

“Katrina, please call me Kat,” she said with a heavy Russian accent.

“Do you know what we are doing this morning?”

“Yes, we will be fell-running, which I believe you Americans call trail-running. We are quite lucky today because we get to run with best. They are members of the Bob Graham Club. There are 42 fells (mountains) that can be run in a circuit. In the early 30s Bob Graham, set the record that stood for nearly 30 years. They call it the Bob Graham Round. If you can complete all 42 fells within 24 hours you join the Bob Graham Club.

“We are running what they call Category O race this morning. The O stands for orienting or navigating. We run with another pair of runners and are given a set of coordinates for a checkpoint. There are staggered starts. We four will run from checkpoint to checkpoint. At each stop we are given the coordinates to the next checkpoint.”

“That sounds like fun.”

She laughed at me.

“Is quite strenuous. The running up a fell is demanding. I think Colin is ... how do you say it ... a sadist ... that just wants to get pictures of us exhausted,” she said. “Come, we need to stretch and get to starting line.”

Devin and Colin found us stretching. I noticed that Colin had changed into running clothes also.

“How are you feeling?” Devin asked me.

“My body tells me I should be asleep, but I feel fine right now. I’m kind of excited to try fell-running.”

Colin took us to meet our running partners. They were Harry and Beth Smyth. They were a brother and sister team in their late teens. It was obvious that Harry was used to being in charge.

“Of course I will take the lead. Kat you will follow me and then Beth, and finally David. That will put the two most experienced runners staggered to help you amateurs,” Harry said being a little superior.

I got the sense that he wasn’t trying to be mean. It was as if he was just stating facts, but Kat flushed and I could tell she wanted to put him in his place. I reached over and squeezed her hand to let her know he wasn’t worth it. She looked over at me and nodded.

I disagreed with Harry’s strategy though. I would have let Beth lead and had Harry follow us. Kat and I were the inexperience runners and should have been put in the middle. If I were Harry I would want to keep an eye on everyone in case someone got hurt or put themselves in danger. I actually didn’t care what Harry thought. I was more interested in how Colin wanted us for the shots. We were here to do a job after all, not win a race.

Devin came up and it was obvious that he and Harry knew each other. They chatted while one of Colin’s assistants brought Kat and me fanny packs with a GPS attached to the belt.

“There are granola bars in the pack and you can take a water bottle if you want,” the assistant told us.

“What do you suggest?” I asked Kat.

“You will need the water. We are going to be running up hills and you are not used to it. It would be better to have it and not need it than the other way around.”

Of course when we went over to Devin and Harry. Harry wanted to see what we had. He took my GPS.

“Is this the new GPS you’re selling?” Harry asked Devin.

Devin took it from him and showed him how it worked.

“It gives you an aerial view of the terrain. It also gives you two or three choices on how to reach a destination. You can use it both on road or off by switching the setting. It comes with both a car mount and a belt holder. We designed it for hunting, but found runners liked it. I have a couple more if you and Beth would help test them out for us.”

While Devin had been talking Colin had been taking pictures. I liked that we were not going to be doing a lot of staged shots. He took Kat and I aside to explain how today would work.

“We have laid the course out so I can take short cuts and catch you at the more interesting parts of the course. You’ll be running last so that we will not have any other runners getting into the shots. I just want you to have fun and run. Ignore me unless I stop you. I’ll only do that if I miss the shot.

“Don’t let Lord Smyth get under your skin. He really is a good sort once you get to know him.”

“I’m sorry; did you say Lord Smyth?” I asked.

“Yes, he is in line to be the Duke of Smyth when his father passes. He is not one to make you bow and scrape, but he is used to being in charge. So don’t be offended if he seems bossy.”

We were finally called to the starting line and given our numbers. The wardrobe gal made sure that none of the Range logos were covered. They gave us the coordinates to the first checkpoint and Colin told Harry which route he wanted him to run. At first I thought he was going to argue, but Colin reminded him that the purpose of the run was not to win, but to get the best possible shots.

I think Harry thought he would take his frustration by setting a brisk pace. At first it wasn’t so bad. Then we started to climb the first fell. I quickly found that being last could be dangerous. If we headed up rocky slopes, the first three runners could loosen rocks and make it slippery. I now saw why they had the little rubber spikes on the bottom of the shoes. I needed the extra grip they gave me. It was obvious that Harry was going too fast for the girls.

“Harry, slow down!” I called out.

The jerk just ignored me. I tried twice more but finally had enough and called a halt. The girls were more than willing. Harry just went on without us.

“Is he always like this?” I asked Beth.

“Sometimes. I think Colin pissed him off. He will cool off after a while.”

“Do you know route?” Kat asked.

“Yes, we run this often. There is a fun stretch coming up. We get to run up a little stream. Just follow me and watch were I step. There is a hole about half way up that will soak you if you aren’t careful. Actually it feels good if you want to cool off.”

“This is supposed to be fun. I vote for getting wet,” I offered.

Kat smiled and nodded.

Beth set an easier pace and I got to look at Kat’s butt as we ran. Running uphill was starting to make my backside and thighs burn like I was getting a good workout. I was starting to see the appeal in fell-running. It reminded me a little bit of the free style running Peggy and I used to do. When we came to the stream, Colin was set up to catch us running in line. The water was running fast and the rocks caused it to bubble and churn in rapids. The water was only ankle deep so it wasn’t dangerous as far as drowning. I was a little worried someone might fall on the slick rocks or twist an ankle, but everything turned out fine. It did produce some fantastic shots.

When we found the hole, Beth had us take off our belts and we waded out. It was waist deep and cold, but it felt refreshing. You couldn’t stay in long so we quickly put our belts back on. I noticed both girls were looking at me with sly smiles.

“What?” I asked.

Beth flushed and Kat pointed at me shorts. I looked down. Obviously, running shorts are not meant for swimming gear. I quickly reached down and pulled my shorts away from my body so that I wasn’t so exposed. I just shrugged and we continued on.

When we reached the first checkpoint, Harry was waiting for us. They wouldn’t let him continue until the whole team was together.

“What took you laggards so long?” Harry demanded.

“Bloody hell, Harry! Why don’t you just go home if you are going to be such a wanker? No one is impressed,” Beth said as she got into his face.

I think she surprised him. His face went beet red and I thought he was going to hit her so I eased up in case she needed protection. He glared at me.

“Piss off pretty boy!” Harry yelled at me.

That is when I used the move Cassidy had taught me and put down my first Royal. Now if I could only learn to keep her from doing it to me. Aw crap. I heard Colin’s camera snapping photos. I turned on him.

“You better not be doing what I think you are.”

He got a sheepish grin. I released Harry. He was sitting on his ass rubbing his neck. Beth was down checking him out.

“You bloody tosser. You deserved that and more, so don’t get your knickers in a twist,” Beth ordered him.

Harry was looking at me with a new respect. He just smiled and put his hand out and I helped him up.

“I’m sorry I had to do that,” I offered.

“Apology accepted. I’m sorry I made an arse of myself.”

“Apology accepted,” I said as Harry and I shook hands.

“If I see this in the Sun or the Mirror, I want it made clear I deserved it,” Harry told Colin.

Colin agreed and we got our next destination. This time Harry ran at a better pace so that the girls were not struggling. This allowed me to enjoy the beauty of the valley. What made the run fun were the varied surroundings. Our path took us from wooded areas near the creek to open meadows that showed the valley to its fullest.

When we got back, we found Kendal and Clare waiting for us. Mom, Lana, and Sandy must have still been sleeping. They looked tired but eager to see the photos. We all soon found ourselves in front of a monitor as Colin quickly ran through the shots. He had a good eye and I thought he captured the grandeur of the valley.

Then we came to the shots of me knocking Harry down. It was actually funny to see the shocked look on Harry’s face. You could see Beth was mad at him. I just looked determined. Kat had managed to not be in the shot. I think that was for the best. Devin, Kendal and Clare all glared at me. Thankfully, Harry came to my rescue.

“Don’t be ragging on him. I deserved it,” Harry told them.

“If it’s okay with you, I can leak this photo and get you some free advertising,” Colin told Devin.

Yeah, right. He would get paid for it. Devin looked at the photo again and saw the Range logo was very clear. He could also insist that Range was mentioned as a cost of getting the photo. He turned to Harry.

“What do you think?” Devin asked Harry.

“It’s fine by me. I appreciate you asking,” Harry responded.

He smiled at me.

“I swear, you always seem to find a way to get me free advertising. Let’s try and not hurt anyone else this trip,” Devin told me.

“Yes, sir,” I said with a sheepish grin.

We were staying at the Langdale Chase Hotel. It looked like an old castle. The clerk who showed me to my room told me it opened in 1930. He gave me a quick tour and I just felt the history of the place. The large rooms had aged oak paneling and a collection of old portraits on the walls. The fireplaces were hand carved. He pointed out some artifacts that were from the 1660s. The hotel is situated on a hill set so the back terrace overlooked well-manicured lawns that had a panoramic view of Lake Windermere.

My room would make the most girly girl squeal with delight. It was done in antiques and had a pink couch and chairs. The headboard was hand carved. The ornate décor was a little much for my taste, but if you were looking for a fairy tale weekend, this was the place.

I took a shower and I swear I only laid down for two minutes. The pounding on my door woke me. It was Mom. I opened it and she shoved clothes into my hands.

“Get dressed. Everyone is waiting on you.”

“Oops. How long did I sleep?”

“Thirty minutes. Now get going,” she said as she shooed me into my room.

I quickly changed and she led me to the lake. They had a pontoon boat for Colin and Devin and a canoe for Kat and me. We launched the canoe and took in the scenery from the lake. Colin had us paddle around the pontoon so he could get different backgrounds. They then had us pull alongside so they could give us fishing gear.

I was surprised when Kat baited her own hook and cast like a pro. We were soon relaxing. She wanted to know about me so I told her. Then she told me about herself.

“I was born near St. Petersburg. Three years ago, my father got a job in England.”

“Which do you like better?” I asked her.

“England,” she said without hesitation. “When I first came, I was in awe of ... everything. The first time I went to the grocery store, I didn’t know what to do. All the shelves were full and there were so many choices.”

“How did you start modeling?”

“My papa always was saying that I was pretty enough to be a model. Mama took me to an open casting, for Ford. I was lucky and they had work for me right away. A lot of girls are not lucky. I work ... how you say ... full-time.

“Papa very proud,” she said with a big smile. Then she got nervous. “This is my first job with boy. Papa says you must meet him. Is okay?”

“Would it be alright if I brought my Mom?”

“Yes, family is good,” she smiled. “You have girlfriend?”

I smiled at her.

“Are you flirting with me?” I teased her.

She blushed.

“What do you think?” I asked her.

“You are ... what do they say ... a player. You have many girls, da?”

It was my turn to blush.

“Yes, you’re right.”

“Ah, an honest man. Papa will like you.”

I saw her bobber go under. She knew what to do and brought in a small fish I didn’t recognize.

“That looks more like bait.”

“Big man, want to try? See if you can catch something bigger?” she challenged me.

I reeled in my line and used the small fish as bait. She was laughing at me. She quickly baited her line with a worm and cast back out. She shortly had another one on the line. I was watching her when she pointed.

“David!”

I couldn’t see my bobber. I tightened the line and then set the hook. I knew I had something big on. I could hear the camera going off as Devin circled us with the pontoon. Kat got her fish taken care of and released it. She had caught a perch. She grabbed the net and got ready to help me. It was a pike. When I got it close, she scooped it up. I got it out of the net and Kat measured it for me: 32 inches. That was the biggest fish I had ever caught. I held it up so Colin could photograph it.

Kat then took it from me and dipped it back into the lake and gently grasped it just above the tail and moved it back and forth in the water until it seemed to suddenly come alive and swim off. I held up my line. It was frayed and the hook was bent. I was lucky to have gotten the fish to the boat before it got away.

Devin was excited about fishing now and got out a rod for himself. We had found a good spot for perch and we each caught at least six fish in the next thirty minutes. Finally Colin said he had enough shots and we headed back.

When we got back to shore, Devin had hit the wall. He begged off from the next shoot, and went to the hotel to get some sleep. Colin, Kat and I went back to Great Langdale. There was now tents set up on the edge of a large hill. There was a campsite in the middle of the hill. Kendal and Clare showed up shortly after we got there. Colin got everybody together to explain the concept.

Kat and I would get an item and they would photograph it for the website and catalog. Then we would set it up so Colin could take a picture of the whole site. They were going to do a little graphic that showed the site coming together as each piece was added.

They had us demonstrating the products. One of the Range Sports camping experts was there to show us the products. He would show us each feature and then we would go with Colin and do the shoot. While Kat was being photographed, I was learning the next product. So I did not see what she was doing.

Apparently it wasn’t going great because Kat came back red faced with Clare right behind her. Colin called for me so I took the lantern I was supposed to demonstrate. I went through each step of the assembly and was done. Colin called a halt and pulled Clare and Kendal together to talk to them. I went to find Kat.

I saw a car coming and Lana got out. Something inside of me tightened up. I found Kat in our dressing tent with a sad look on her face.

“What’s wrong?” I asked her.

“He does not like my modeling. Collin says I am stiff and unnatural.”

I grabbed a hair brush and handed it to her.

“Show me.”

“No, that’s stupid.”

“Listen, it doesn’t matter what you are displaying. Now show me.”

She put on a smile and displayed the brush. She looked like she was forcing it. Her smile looked fake; her hand movements looked like she was the Queen of England waving at the crowd. I turned her towards the mirror so she could see herself. Even she could see it looked bad.

I tickled her and she about came out of her chair. She gave me an evil look.

“I get even.”

I pointed at the mirror.

“Now smile at me.”

She did and she looked much better. I then showed her some tricks Adrienne had taught me and some things I learned on my own. Displaying a product is not as easy as it sounds. What happens is you get nervous and over analyze each movement. The other thing she had going against her was that all day I had been with her. Now she was the focus.

We went back and the product guy handed her a lawn chair. When he was done demonstrating, she went out. She came right back.

“They want to talk to you,” she told me.

Lana had her arms crossed over her chest. I knew that we had a problem because Clare was pissed and Colin looked uncomfortable. Kendal looked like she didn’t have a dog in this fight, so I relaxed some.

“Kat is not working out,” Lana told me. “Since Devin isn’t here, I’m making an executive decision and you will do the rest of the shoot.”

There it is. The fiancée is now making corporate decisions. The second problem was that if Kat gets fired at a major client’s shoot she could be done with Ford. I gave Lana my biggest smile. I saw Clare was about to explode so I glance at Kendal who went and whispered into Clare’s ear. I saw Clare relax.

“Lana I’m so glad you’re here and taking charge,” I said as I held out my hands.

She loves to touch so she took my hands. I pulled her closer without making contact. I was using the closeness to get into her personal space to put her a little off balance.

“Can you do me a favor?” I asked quietly so everyone had to strain to hear me.

“Yes, anything,” she told me.

“Kat told me what she was having trouble with. I worked with her and I think she can do much better. Why don’t we bring her out and see if she can do the job she was hired to do.”

“Yes, I should see her work before I fire her. Thanks for not letting me make a rash decision.”

Clare went and got Kat as Lana latched onto my arm. I smiled at Kat to give her confidence and she got into position. Colin began the shoot and he seemed pleased. I excused myself so I could go get ready. Kat, Clare and Kendal all followed me to the back.

“Get her out of here. Next, she will want me without a shirt,” I whispered.

The three of them thought that was funny. Clare called Sandy while I went out and did my part. When Sandy showed up Lana was still acting like the queen bee, but she wasn’t making any more executive decisions.

Once the campsite was set up, Colin wanted some action shots. Kat and I acted like we were a couple and did what Colin told us to. I was onboard with making s’mores. Kat kept setting her marshmallows on fire so I had to make them for her.

When we were almost done Lana suggested I take my shirt off. I though Kat, Clare and Kendal were going to pee themselves. I did it anyway to keep the peace. When we were finally done, I was ready to sleep right at the camp site. Kat told me that my Mom and I were going to dinner at her home tonight. I wanted to complain, but I knew this was important to her.

If I had known that Kat lived an hour and a half away, I would have said no. Since we had a driver I just kicked back and fell asleep while my Mom and Kat got to know each other. Normally that would be a bad idea, but I had no choice since I was working on about three hours of sleep. When I woke up, we had stopped at Kat’s house. The power nap did me wonders.

Kat lived in a small village by the sea. Her house looked out over the bay. It was an old stone built home with small rooms and short doors. When we came in, we met her mother who spoke very little English. I was getting nervous that this would be a little awkward. She introduced me to her father.

“Papa, this is David. He was working with me today. He is a great guy. He taught me to be a better model. This is his Mama, Mrs. Dawson.”

“David, Mrs. Dawson. Welcome to our home. Kat has been excited about this job for months. She said she got to work with the face of Range Sports. I guess that is a big deal,” her dad said without a hint of an accent.

“We try not to make a big deal out of David or he gets a big head,” my Mom told Mr. Stevia.

“Wise decision, we guys tend to have that happen when we get bragged about. So, David, is modeling a full-time job for you?” Mr. Stevia asked me.

“No sir, I just do this part-time. I mainly go to school and play sports. I play football and baseball.”

“How did Kat do today?” he asked me.

“I thought she did very well. She is easy to work with and takes direction very well. That is very important in this business. What I was really impressed with was how she handled her mistakes. She figured it out and didn’t make them again. If she keeps working at it, she will go far.”

Kat was embarrassed, but her dad was puffed up. He told her Mom and she hugged Kat and kissed her cheek. You could tell that they were worried that this was something she was just playing at. On looks alone, Kat could make it. If you added her determination, then she could be a top model.

Kat’s mom made fish and chips. The fish had been caught today and was delicious. I made a pig of myself. Kat told me after dinner that it was a big compliment to her mom. My mom and Mr. and Mrs. Stevia became fast friends. Turns out Mrs. Stevia knew more English than she let on. She just didn’t speak it well. Kat and I excused ourselves to go talk in their library.

I was surprised when she kissed me. I looked at her funny and she laughed at me.

“That was for making Papa happy. He was worried I would not make it modeling. He believes in me, but what parent would not worry?”

“What do I need to do to get another kiss?” I grinned at her.

“Your mama is right, you get big head. You just be sexy boy and you get plenty of kisses.”

“I’ll work on that. I might need some coaching, though.”

“You do not fool me. You are plenty sexy.”

“David better not be sexy, he has to take me to our hotel,” Mom said as she and Kat’s parents came into the library.

Mr. Stevia decided to ignore me flirting with his daughter, which was fine with me. Our driver was back from eating in the village, so we said our goodbyes. On the way home, Mom told me that Devin had a surprise for me tomorrow.

“What is it?”

“He got permission to put up two zip lines. He showed me a video at the hotel. I think I want to do it too. He said we could set up a tandem trip down. I may want you to go with me so I don’t kill myself.”

“That sounds like fun. What else are we doing?”

“He found a place you and Kat can ride four wheelers. He said they even have some jumps. I think Devin is planning on joining you on that one,” she said with amusement in her voice.

“I think Devin is just a big kid at heart.”

Mom and I got back to the hotel at eleven that night. That made it five in the afternoon, at home. Mom wanted to talk to Dad. I had set Dad up so he could video chat with us. He said he would make a point to come home early, so we were not surprised that he was ready when I sent him a text.

I went and got ready for bed while Mom and Dad talked. When they were done I was wide awake. Devin had given Mom two sleep aids. She gave me one. In about twenty minutes, I fell asleep.

Tuesday April 21, 2014 – Freshman Year

My wakeup call came at seven. I figured out that the pills Devin gave my Mom were not herbal supplements. I wasn’t so sure I liked the sleep aids, but at least I was ready to go. This morning we had breakfast in the hotel restaurant. I wasn’t up for the English breakfast. Instead I had ‘steel-cut oats’ oatmeal. The texture was more like grits than what I think of as oatmeal, but I ate it with brown sugar and raisins. They offered me cream, but I passed. As I ate, everyone else came down and joined me.

We quickly made plans for the day. Lana, Sandy and Mom were going to hit the local shops. Kendal, Clare and I were going with Devin to work. For the trip, I had put more money in my account. I had told Mom to look for wedding presents for Angie and Greg. I also wanted to get gifts for the girls and for Tami’s birthday. I told Mom to find something special for Suzanne, Cindy and Beth for graduation.

We loaded up our separate groups and headed out. On the way over, Devin wanted to talk to us.

“I understand that Lana was giving orders yesterday at the shoot. First of all, thank you David for not getting in her face when she tried to fire Kat. She told me that you handled it very well.”

The implied message was that he was not happy with Clare. She had words with Lana about it before I talked to her.

“I have had a talk with Lana,” Devin continued. “She has been told that business decisions must come from employees of Range Sports. I would appreciate that if there is an issue that you either talk to me or Sandy while we are on this trip.”

When he finished his little speech, we pulled up to a house. Everyone got out and headed around back where they had tents set up. Devin had me hold back and let the others go ahead.

“Sandy tells me that Lana has made inappropriate advances on you,” he said as I tried to object, but he raised his hand to stop me. “Do me a favor as a friend. If it happens again, please tell me. I don’t really feel comfortable talking about my relationship. But if she makes you feel uncomfortable, I want to know. As I would hope you would want me to tell you if someone you cared about was flirting with another guy.”

“Are you sure about this?” I asked. “I don’t want to hurt our friendship”

“I might get pissed, but I won’t shoot the messenger.”

I just shook my head; not really knowing what to say. I had a bad feeling about Lana but knew it wasn’t my place to warn him. He was an adult and not stupid ... about most things. I could see exactly why he was dating her. She had one of the hottest bodies I had ever seen. I was pretty sure he was getting the best sex he had ever had. Hell, I had proposed to Aubrey because of her oral talents. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to see that he was wondering if she would stay faithful.

We went to the dressing tent and I changed. They had me put on protective leather racing gear. Devin came out in a hunting outfit. I hadn’t seen Kat yet. I went to the catering area and grabbed water. I was drinking it when Kat came out. It was a good thing that Lana was not here. They had Kat in cutoff jeans and a plaid button up blouse that was tied just below her breasts. It was a good thing I had on leather pants, or I would have been sporting a tent.