Back when I was in the army cadets
I’d frequently go on rucks though the ravine near my house
A ruck is essentially walking with a heavy backpack
I would often go with friends, them without the extra load

This time I went with two friends
Jimmy and my visually impaired friend Steve
Steve could see shapes but not much more
Having to use braille to read, yet he was still adventurous

On the walk Steve asked to try rucking
I hesitated as I was carrying around 45lbs
He insisted and I passed the pack over
Jimmy and I lead the way and we reached a ridge
At the bottom of it was a creek and beaver dam
We decided to go down and cross the dam
I saw a fallen tree that had to be stepped over
So I shouted back to Steve warning him about it
Jimmy and I were now reaching the bottom
When we heard a loud crashing sound
Steve had tripped over the tree
He rolled down the ridge head over heels
I guess he didn’t hear my warning
The weight of the backpack pulled him into the creek
We scrambled over and grabbed thrashing hands
We pulled him out, he was completely coated in mud and algae

We went back to Steve’s house first and knocked
His father opened the door
Steve told him the story and his father replied
“Brilliant, go to the backyard strip down and have them hose you off.”
I felt like a bully in a Stephen King novel
Hosing down a visually impaired kid in his tighty whities

© JackDedalus