A Real Man
One of the pleasures of working
with the military special operations community is all of the stories that the
guys share around the evening campfire when we’ve finished the day’s teachings.
We have one unit in particular that
we have been working with for many years and the unit’s NCO, Mike, shared a
great tale with us involving a camping trip he went on with his 14-year-old
daughter who he visits with each summer.
Mike had taken his daughter Ashley
on a 3-day campout in the forests of Pennsylvania. One evening, he wanted to
show her how to make fire by friction, using the bow-drill. He had cut down a
cedar branch and used it for his fireboard and drill while securing a maple
branch for the bow. Using his bootlace for the bowstring and a chunk of maple
for the handhold, he created a primitive fire in mere minutes. His daughter sat
entranced the whole time, watching her father’s finesse with the ancient skill.
When Mike was done, she immediately grabbed the primitive tools and looked them
over, yearning to recreate fire as her father had. It was a proud moment for Mike.
They spent the rest of the evening working on survival skills, carving spoons,
and laughing about other trips together.
Fast forward two weeks to Ashley’s
birthday party at her mom and stepdad’s house.
Amidst a crowd of friends and family, Ashley’s stepdad is ready to light
a blaze in the backyard fire pit. He returns from the garage with a stack of newspaper,
matches, and a can of lighter fluid. Ashley moves forward in disgust at her stepdad’s
materials and declared, “A real man can make a fire with his bare hands and some
sticks. A real man doesn’t need to use matches or a lighter!”
An awkward silence enshrouded the
guests as a frostbitten expression slid over her stepdad’s face. Ashley’s mom
quickly stepped in and plucked her daughter from the crowd while comforting her
husband.
Later that night, Mike got a call
from his daughter recounting the whole story and could barely restrain his
laughter. However, Mike said his ex-wife had another take on the story and its
long-lasting ripple effect at the party.
***This story is an excerpt from Tony's new book, Life Under Open Skies: Adventures in Bushcraft. Available on Kindle, Nook, Kobo, and other digital platforms.***
