It was a Tuesday night in June, In the year of 02. There was a moonless summer sky above the campsite when three cowboys struck a match and on went the fire. They set up tent that afternoon so all the chores for the day were done. One walked in the country store and saw the girl of his dreams. Another sat on the pier and cast off only to catch a shark and croaker. The third who just wanted to relax, sat back in his chair and propped his feet up and sighed. By day two the sun had done its toll. Red and dead to the world, some slept where they fell and others well did too. The first chance at freedom was in full effect and there were no arguments from any. Though it was only day three there were many feats accomplished. The cowboys had already seen everything from a one eyed shark to cheese burgers cooked from a hole in the ground. There was lightning from a far on the second night and it was put forth an effort to prepare for rain. Though no precipatation was seen, lighter winds it did bring. The light from the lighthouse over the rough channel at low tide can run chills down your neck. Each night before the cowboys take to bed, three sounds can be heard. Whop Whop, Faddadada, pshhhhhhhhh. Though it is a vacation and the three are loving it, there is still no other feeling in the world like your bed at home.
I guess it is no question as to why the campsites around us are not being used. Would you really like to camp next to three eighteen year olds that stay up late telling stories and letting the fire get big enough that every five minutes they have to move back. Or maybe it is the seagulls that they attract when they throw food to them then chase them down for it. Yet I don’t under stand why they don’t want to stay by. They could get free autographs from Jeff Gorden, who is still looking for Brooke. Or maybe you might get a lesson in physics from the famous storm chaser in the west known as Matt Biddle who can master the controls of the steering wheel in an extreme wind storm yet spends five minutes trying to open a can of Spaghettio’s. Then you can even try to track down Kevin Harvick, who can hop over a chair and chase down any seagull and run laps around the camp site trying to catch their seagull dinner they have dreamed so much about. To add to the excitement of the trip was the sounds of the fighter jets flying over. Since September eleventh the jets have been flying over Norfolk and on their return flight to the nearest air base. Cowboy fishing is a subject to be described only as different. The cowboy known as Matt can probably catch any fish that can come in contact with a hook. Kevin can catch a fish as long as it is willing to make a deal with it not to be killed and used for dinner. Then there is Chris, he tried and could not catch a fish. He did catch dinner though for the cowboys one night, they had seaweed salad! Though he could not catch any croutons. Chris did catch the biggest thing of all through out the trip, he caught a fishing pier. The third night of camping things got the worst. A severe storm stranded the cowboys in the truck and listened to the rain and the thunder. Now on to a subject that can be told by only the few, the proud, the Cowboys. Feeding seagulls and laughing at their ways. Sitting around the campfire all day while trying to warm up and dry out from the storm the night before, the cowboys figured that it might be best to give a little back to the seagull community, so they fed them peanuts, party mix, and chips! They had a ball and the cowboys did too. To toss the snacks to the birds would be too complicated to understand. They would have to toss it up and see if they could get the birds to hit. Well I am going to say one thing, SMACK. Chris threw up a chip up to a seagull and another joined in his fine fortune of this food that was jumping from the ground. These two birds were hovering wing tip to wing tip. So he threw one up to the middle of the two and they both went for it and in baseball terms, that was an error. It seams as if the old saying was true, due unto others as others do unto you. Well the whole week the three cowboys were nice to everybody the whole week, especially the girl in the front office! (Kevin) Their good deeds did not go undone, a man a few sites down by the name of Joe, fed them hotdogs and French fries (can it get any better then this?) The day came that all the cowboys regretted, the day they leave. Since it was a day that was not looked forward to the cowboys slept in and awoke at eight o-clock. As soon as they awoke the packing began. It didn’t take long before the whole campsite was packed up and in the back of the truck. It was planned that it was going to be just another morning and they would pack up and leave, uneventful. Well knowing the cowboys it couldn’t happen that way at all. Chris and Kevin walked into the country store and there she was! Chris’s dream girl, of course, it was their last day and it would have to be just a five minute glance of enjoyment then bye. Well the trip is over, who ever knew that only four days could produce so many memories. The trip started with fishing and ended with the two blondes at the country store being left behind. To the campsite we leave our memories. From Matt catching a two foot shark to the games with the seagulls, from the girls at the store to sitting around the campfire talking. From swimming in the pool to swimming in the tent after the hard rain. I think I speak for everybody when I say “I’m really going to miss it”. For the Mustang Cowboy, Diesel Cowboy, and Different Cowboy, Thanks for the memories Tom’s Cove.
