Some of us had told others some things and others of us had told some other things.  The pressure was intense.  And as we went along our counselors and parents were giving us the best advice they could, but we were the new generation of young adults and stepping into field and career.

  As people were gathering around a campfire after a ten-day solo the shy people hung back.  "Barely recognized you," a black girl said.  "Oh, hi." 

  "You been okay?"

  "Sort of yes, sort of no, but essentially yes."

  "I see."

  "Do you get what's going on here?!?" A nerdy guy demanded of another guy.

  "In principle yes, but

  "You guys seen, oh, there she is

  "With him

  "With with or just with?"

  A couple of discussion moderators came out of the bathroom.  Someone went right over to get a worksheet.  On it were overlap topics, stuff like, broad heading: nature...science/creativity; culture...ethnicity/locale.

  "Don't come near me!"

  "Why????"

  "I smell."

  Nobody else said anything.  But a health-minded person whispered, I wonder if she got raped.  A person standing close by mitten-whacked the whisperer.  "I should not have let you come to that group."

  "It ruined me."

  "Well, compared to the superwashed I smell."

  "Ain't no superwashed here honey." 

  "Girl, don't give away state secrets." 

  "I will if I want to."

  "Good point.  Has anyone showered in the ten days?  And if so, where?"

  He got shoved toward a picnic table.  A clipboard and stringed pen with ruled paper were there with some styrofoam cups.  This was an exercise akin to scaling rock wall or crossing a desert for most of the people wrastling natural talents, life learning and experience, and a desire to be involved with forest community.  Some people who'd worked in human resource jobs and academia had encouraged "the fringe" or "wilderness professionals" to think about "programming".

  What's that mean?  Someone had almost tearfully asked.  In the political change up and tier-levelings per budget changes more than a few people were at forks in the road.  People who'd been working in the fields--medical, communications, veterinary, technical vocations--hadn't had time and resources to "upgrade" position based on coursework and credits.  And people in work in all the industries did not want to lose standing.  Amongst baby boomers there was a veritable landslide of confusion about best paths and practices.

  And us young people were coming on board too!

  "Got to ride out and check sites!" A freckled guy said of his week.

  "I got to work with a Marshall.  How cool is that?"

  "What'd you do?" The black girl (who'd told us to call her that) asked.

  "Camp chores and fireline training, and, and

  "Speak up sweetie

  "Writing."

  "She, the fabulous black girl, is a poet!"  A guy in draping layers of clothes sashay'd past and pointed like he was a spotlight.

  "Really?  I thought you studied sociology."

  Before we could keep talking a booming voiced person was requiring us to meet the "fern family" and the "saps".  An impressive array of vegetation in dirt atop garbage bags was put on the table.