Camping in Southern Central PA. September 2020
Everyone is over the age of 18.
My wife and I had planned a trip to south central PA to tour some historic USA Civil War Battlefields for a while now. Finally we went and have a nice campsite among other campers in the shade. We were on our site for a day when the empty site across the campground street had a very nice Audi wagon pull up with 4 young women. By young women, they looked to be 25 to 27 and were young women compared to me being in my mid 50's age wise. I've reached a point where everyone under the age of 40 is a kid these days.
My wife and I were sitting in our easy chairs reading books and watching these girls unpack their car and proceed to try to set up their tent. My wife noticed I was watching and she told me I better go help them before it starts raining as clouds were rolling in. So offer to help I did and the tent was set up but the rain fly was missing. Not one of the 4 knew where it was as it was a new tent.
I groaned softly and asked "Did you set it up prior and sprayed water to make sure it was waterproof?"
They said "No and assured me that the sales person assured them that the tent was "waterproof" and would keep them dry."
I then asked "Do you have a tarp" which was a no. Since I was in a RV, I had no need to carry a tarp.
I asked "Do you have the "footprint" for the tent (goes under the tent to keep the floor dry and off the ground)?
They said "No, we don't need one, the sales person assured us."
They assured me they would be fine and I was so sweet to worry about them. They introduced themselves as Lisa, Rachel, Suzie and Flo. I just remembered they were friends from Philadelphia and all loved history and the outdoors. They split the cost of the tent. I wished them the best as it was starting to rain and I went back to my RV site and under the canopy where it was dry. I continued to watch them as they hurriedly took their bags and things and tossed them into the tent and then went in.
It was at that time I noticed my wife was on the phone. She looked upset and when off, said her mother took a fall while visiting at her brothers house outside of Philly and was in the hospital and it didn't look good. Since we were approx 2-3 hours away, she wanted to take the truck and go to her brothers and then the hospital. I offered to go too but she reminded me how I couldn't stand her brother and it would be best if she went alone. I suggested she pack a 3 night bag just in case, even though she assured me that she would be back tomorrow. I told her 3 days of clothes just in case and I took some stuff out of the truck I might want or need. I would be fine as we had a fridge full of food and plenty to do. I could always take a bus trip for a battlefield tour. So, off she went.
The wind picked up and it started to rain hard and I went inside and rolled the canopy up so the wind didn't damage it. I read some, made a quick dinner and then stripped down to a t-shirt and underwear. I was a bit chilly and started the heat to take the edge off and crawled into bed. I read for a bit and was dozing off and closed the lights and fell asleep.
Sometime during the night a loud knocking at the door was sounding. I went to the kitchen window and looked out and saw 4 people standing there in the cold rain. I opened the door and the 4 girls were standing there shivering and they were looking up at me. They were soaked to the bone. It was the group of women that I had helped the day before. They asked if they could come in as they were soaked and freezing cold. I took one look at them and said "I should call 911 and get them to the hospital for hypothermia."
They said "No, could we just stay awhile and warm up?"
I had them come in and stand at the door way while I got some towels and asked what the issue was.
They told me "The tent was great, for a while. Then it started leaking and then it was raining IN the tent and everything they had including themselves was soaked to the bone."
They all looked like drowned rats.
They said "We went to the two big RV's on either side of us and were told to get lost. They saw my wife leave and figured I would have room for us and I might be open to us joining me."
My RV is small. One bed and a pull out couch/bed. That's all we need. But that night the RV for 2 became the RV for 5. I turned on one of the lights to see what was what. I opened the bathroom door, pulled the shower curtain to the side. I told the first one to strip out of her wet clothes. One by one, they did just that and I tossed their soaking wet clothes onto the shower floor where they could drip down the drain. One by one I toweled them dry. I had completely forgotten I was in a t-shirt and underwear and slowly I was getting wet myself. But my mind was in an emergency mode of getting them dry and warm. My boy scout first aid training from years prior had kicked in and my reactions were on automatic to get them dry and warmed up.
With the first one drying off and still shivering, I raised the heat a few degrees and opened the couch. She didn't seem to mind I could see her in all her glory. She was a beautiful woman. I tried not to look but it was impossible not to. I pulled out a bottom sheet and top sheet and made the couch. I got one of the spare blankets and took the towel from the first one and told her to get into the bed and pull the sheet and blanket over her.
I took the towel and told the next one to strip. Her teeth were chattering too. Her clothes went into the shower. I helped to dry her off. I was very close to her and looked into her eyes at one point and besides being beautiful she had spectacular eyes. I briefly lost myself in them for a second, caught myself and got her dry and told her to get I bed with the other one and for them to spoon and snuggle together as that will warm them both up. I then grabbed the 2
nd
spare blanket and put it over them and "tucked" them in.
I repeater the same for Rachel who was the 3