In this chapter, two friends who had not seen each other in years joined a wildlife rescue team to determine security of bald eagle fledglings in a vast natural recreation area. After the work was complete they went camping as a reward. What happened that evening in the rugged wilderness taught as much about nature, as it did about strength, precision and determination, in a man named Peter Churchfield. Who made a fortune while all those around him were losing theirs. Continuing the conversation from last time…
After we connected the hammock between two trees, Peter gave me a pillow from the camper. I climbed in and got comfortable. I tuned in to the sounds of nature: flowing water, birdsong, rustling leaves. The gentle sway I felt was hypnotic. I heard Peter’s footsteps walking away.
The sun was low in the sky when I heard Peter talking with someone else. I opened my eyes and adjusted the pillow to see a short, pear-shaped man with thinning hair. He seemed to be in his early sixties.
“Meet Bernie,” Peter said to me. “When I saw you fall asleep, I hiked about half a mile downstream thinking I was completely alone in the middle of nowhere. Bernie’s camp is maybe a mile or two from here, but for now, we’re neighbors in the woods. I asked him to join us for dinner. You hungry yet?”
“Always, but I’ll help.”
“Bernie’s got some fish to share,” Peter said.
“I’ll go clean them,” Bernie said. “Nice camp you have here. Real impressive.”
Peter, tan with graying hair, still possessed his athleticism. “Thanks, Bernie. You know, I’ve been coming here for over thirty years and have never met another person.”
“Maybe that’s because you’re set up here like the Ritz Carlton. That’s the best outfitted travel trailer I have ever seen. It looks like a hotel on wheels. Other campers sense the high real estate and stay away!”
“That’s not my intent,” Peter replied. “I do value privacy, but this state-of-the-art setup makes it so that I can have the best of both worlds.”
Continued here next time.
Read the complete story in the book, The Quiet Rich: Ordinary People Reawakening an American Dream.
Kevin J. Palmer, Author
