The argument heated up again until the man turned and, with a final obscene gesture, paddled the smaller of their canoes back up the stream, leaving the woman and the two girls to their own fates. She was pissed off royal and I had to admire her strength of character to remain where she was and not go berserk. I was ashamed of the man, leaving his family at such a vulnerable time and place. The woman had to know what she was facing, alone with two kids and a week from coming out of the wet wilderness. The three of them sobbed huddled together for half an hour, the mother easing their fears then helping them into the boat. I jumped in and paddled furiously until I got to the lake at the end of the river, getting out at the nearest spot to take a leak then creeping up on a small rise to see how they were getting on.

When I saw the canoe come out of the river's mouth I hopped back in, paddling close and waving.

"Hi there," I called out and got a small wave from the woman, the girls looking at me curiously. "Have a good ride on the river?"

"It was okay," she replied, the two girls looking sullen and dejected.

"Well, I'm going to make camp about a mile or two from here. We could at least share a fire. I have everything I need and could share a good recipe or two. It's hard to make anything tasty out of this freeze dried stuff I have to take on trips like this but I'd be willing to show you what can be done. Besides, it's a big lake. We could at least look out for each other."

She looked at me suspiciously but didn't try to move away. We paddled for half an hour and I saw the beach where the camp was. "This is it. I'd like to share a camp if you would. I'm perfectly safe and have my own tent. If you'd like you can pitch camp on one side of the area and I'll pitch my tent on the other. We won't even be close if you don't want me interfering with your privacy. But it's a big lake and I'd like the security of knowing there are other people close by. I promise to be a gentleman. Name's Gary. Gary Wilhelm from Tacoma. I work for the city there."

She looked me over a few minutes and replied, almost sadly, "Okay. I'm Sandi Baker." A few rather expert turns of her paddle and they were on the beach, the girls eyeing me carefully as I got out and pulled the skirt off.

"What's that," the younger one asked.

"It's a skirt," I replied as I pulled the kayak up on the beach, waterproof material hanging from my hips.

"Mommy! He wears a skirt!" she yelped out with a laugh.

"It's not that kind of skirt, it's to keep him dry," she answered. "Now help Melinda get the stuff out."

The three of them were getting real busy. I had my tent up and bag rolled out in less than ten minutes, the stove out and water getting hot with noodles and dried sauce on top. Then the coffee pot. Well, not really a pot but an espresso maker. I was from Tacoma after all. I mean why would I want to drink that watered down stuff most people pass off as palatable? Some things are part of being civilized. I'd been brought up on the good stuff and the extra weight was worth it, by god.

As soon as I got a cup full of caffeine I set another small pot on to boil, got it going good and walked over to the ladies' side . "I made some coffee. It'll hit the spot," I told Sandi.

"Thanks," she said as she took it, sipping with her eyes opening wide. "This is espresso! How'd you make this?"

"Espresso boiler," I replied simply. "Just because I'm out where it's uncivilized, actually I find the wilderness more civilized than the city, doesn't mean I have to short myself on all of life's pleasures."

Taking another sip she handed the cup to me saying, "I see you didn't make one for yourself. Why don't you have the rest while I set up camp."

With a smile I added, "I can always make more. I carry more than a pound of good fine grind on trips like this. Hate to run out. And I can help set up camp with you. I know it's hard with kids along. I'd like to offer to let you rest a few minutes with your coffee. You get your tent out. The least I could do is help the girls set it up."

"They can't set it up," she said with another sip. A smile and she said, "They never learned. Weren't allowed to."

Her body language said there was a helluva lot more to that statement than just the words. "Give me a few minutes and they'll know how for the rest of the trip." I looked over and both girls were giving me the eye, checking me out then looking to their mom. "If I can do a thing, I can teach anyone else to do it. It's a knack I have."

"Okay. You're on," she said after a pause to gage me. "If you can teach those two to set up a tent I'll let you make me coffee again. Show me.".....(cont)