A Portrait

Books closed, finals taken, weather warming, we were all looking forward to summer. I had decided to stay in my college town over the summer, no real pull towards home. I liked my job, loved my roommates, things were looking up.

Fresh off a break-up, I was open to new possibilities, new people and new experiences, so when my roommate asked if I wanted to tag along with she and I bunch of people I didn’t know on a river rafting trip to Jackson Hole I shrugged my shoulders and said, why not.

I soon learned this would not be the traditional mass of disorganization most college trips are. I began to receive emails detailing menus, agendas and activities. The trip was officially was named Bitchen Trip ’06, and yes T-shirts were printed to this effect. Each email was signed off by someone who called himself Big Slick. Whoever this was I was hoping he didn’t give himself this nickname.

Rafting down the Snake River proved to be cold, eventful and thrilling. The next day we all packed in a blue school bus and arrived at an array of beautiful falls. We took turns jumping off cliffs and swimming. We spent our evenings around the fire eating, laughing and being shot at by air soft guns. (Very funny boys...) Needless to say, the trip quickly lived up to its name.

As I look at this portrait I think about a time when my life allowed me to be carefree, spontaneous, and adventurous. I walked away from this trip with new friends, a great story and the man who would later become my husband.

Just call me Mrs. Slick.

This post was inspired by Write on Edge. The challenge is outlined here.