A Brotherly Text

The Original Chapter 2

My brother Carlos lives in Harlem, and like me, he has never explored the backcountry. He’s clueless about the Appalachian Trail and has exaggerated thoughts of what is needed to prepare for a long-distance hike, or am I being too carefree? Nonetheless, seven years separate the two of us and days before I leave, my kid brother is taking a parental approach at my pursuit for adventure by questioning my better judgment in the following text exchange.

Carlos: Dude, when are you leaving again?

Me: March 18

Carlos: What kind of survival gear did you get for your trip?

Me: Everything; tent, sleeping bag, portable mini-stove, multitool, water bladder & more. I’ll show you what I have soon.

Carlos: I hope you got a striking flint, axe, bear mace and a foil blanket just in case.

Carlos: A machete wouldn’t hurt either.

Carlos: They come in small sizes.

Me: Yikes, I’m not going off to war! I’m bringing a lighter, no flint, maybe bear mace… but probably not. No machete or foil blanket.

Carlos: We need to talk. You gotta be prepared for everything. You’re gonna need a machete to get out of a tough spot. Bear mace is a last resort. You’re not gonna just be running into squirrels. You need to wear a holster and put the blanket in there in case you get separated from your backpack. Man, I wanna go.