The canteen was packed with campers after a day of
activities. I found an empty spot at a long table, but my relief was
short-lived when someone bumped into me and caused curry to spill all over
my new camp shirt and jeans. The culprit was a lanky boy with wild hair who
found the situation amusing. Our war of words began, with us constantly
getting one over each other. However, it started to feel mean-spirited, and
I began to regret it.
On the last day, we went for an extended mountain trek. I fell behind my
patrol after hurting my ankle slightly. As the evening fell, I tried to walk
faster, but my ankle was getting worse. I tripped while walking on a muddy
path, and my feet slid on the ground, causing me to fall down a ravine. I
shouted for help, but I knew it would be in vain as my group was far ahead
of me. I could only hope they would send a search party.
As I waited, I saw a faint light and heard a voice calling out my name. It
was Ben's voice, the boy I had been in a war of words with. He rappelled
down the slope to examine my ankle and bound it up gently and expertly.
Others from the search party arrived and brought me back to camp.
The next day, I apologized for my previous behavior to Ben. We missed the
chance of being friends, but we hoped to meet again at another camp. We said
our goodbyes and went our separate ways.
This story teaches us that sometimes we can find friendship in the most
unlikely places. We may meet people that we initially clash with, but it is
important to keep an open mind and give them a chance. Sometimes, a
misadventure or a shared experience can bring us closer to someone we never
expected to be friends with. |