Chapter 1: The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men

“Now you be careful Keith, honey! OK!”

“Yes, mum. For the thousandth time ... I WILL BE CAREFUL!”

“And have you got your phone and enough food and dry clothes and...”

“Mum ... please ... just stop it. I am fine. I’ve been planning this trip for months now. I’ve gone over everything with dad and it will all be just fine. And you know I’ve got my phone and you know I will be switching it off once I am on that river. And you know it won’t be turned on again until I get to Port Waikato. OK, mum!”

“OK, honey! Just you be careful. OK!”

Keith Poata didn’t say another word. He just flung his eighteen year old arms around his mother giving her a big hug and a big kiss on her left cheek. He then released his mother before turning and walking resolutely to his car. Before turning the engine on he heard his mother call out to his father.

“Don ... Don ... DONALD!”

“DONALD ... come quickly. Keith’s about to go. Come and say goodbye.”

Keith heard his dad amble out of his workshop down the side of the house mumbling as he came.

“Yer, yer ... OK, Merci. Don’t get yer knickers in a twist. I know what’s going on and I was just coming out.

Donald Poata walked over to the car as Keith was just firing up the engine and smiled at his boy through the open driver’s window. He put one hand in through that window and ruffled the boy’s hair.

“Well, I agree with your mum on this one. You be careful, boy. It might only be the Waikato River but never take any river for granted. I’ve been down enough rivers over the years as you well know. And if you start getting too casual about things ... well ... you know ... things can go wrong. OK!”

Keith looked calmly at his father and quietly replied with, “Yes, I know dad. I’m sorry. I’m not trying to be smart to mum. But we have gone over everything just so carefully. And now I just need to get going. I’ll be fine honest. Nothing will go wrong. Then before you know it I’ll be turning my phone on again and telling you all that I’m coming home. OK, dad!”

“Yep. OK, son. But one last quick pre-flight check. Have you got that repair kit I made up stowed away?”

Keith shook his head and laughed and said, “Check!”

“And are all your dry clothes stored in an air-tight bag?”

“Check!” said Keith again.

“And are all your food rations secured in their air-tight bags?”

“Check!” came the same reply.

“And have you got your little tent on-board?”

“Check and double check!”

“And your ground mattress?”

“Check!”

“And what ever happened to that nudie girlfriend of yours? Haven’t seen her around for a while, Keith.”

Keith turned his head sharply towards his dad at that last question.

“Daaaddddd!”

“Sorry, son. Just curious that’s all. Just curious. Nice girl she was.”

“She was a nice girl, dad. But well ... I just didn’t want to get into all that nudie stuff she was into. And she moved out of town six months ago so I don’t really know where she is now anyway. And I don’t think mum would have been all that happy about the nudie stuff she was into or sis! OK!”

“Oh, I don’t know. Your mum might be more open about those things than you realize and as for young Debs ... well ... I’m sure her young fifteen year old brain wouldn’t be all that offended at all this new nudie stuff goin’ around. In fact I reckon she might even enjoy it. I might even enjoy it myself, young Keithy, my boy!”

“Now you’re just embarrassing me, dad. Anyway, nudie stuff or no nudie stuff ... I still haven’t seen Portia for six months now. She could be around the other side of the world for all I know. Anyway, I need to get going or I will be late picking Andrew up.”

Keith gave his dad a playful punch on the arm through the open window and received one back in return. Then he put the car in reverse and began backing down the driveway just as a young, and very pretty, girl in a pair of VERY short jean shorts and bikini top came up the driveway from the road.

Chapter 2 »