Chapter 268

STORY 106- A Touch Of Silk (A) -
Brad was heading to his parents’ house for Thanksgiving. Even though it was a seven hour drive, he tried to make it back home several times a year to visit for a few days, to see his mom and stepfather, and catch up with friends. He worked as a park ranger and lived in a remote outpost in a national forest, and although he loved the woods and the solitude and the peacefulness of the wilderness, it was good to get back to civilization every now and then. He usually was craving human interaction whenever he did.
Brad’s mother was Kate, a high school art teacher, and long-divorced from Brad’s father. Her husband, Brad’s step-father, was named Ethan, a tall rangy, athletic fellow who owned a large store that sold anything for the outdoor sportsman: gear for hunting, fishing, camping, hiking, canoeing, kayaking, climbing, you name it. Brad was close to his mom, it had just been the two of them for years when he was young, and he got along well with Ethan. In fact Ethan had been instrumental in Brad becoming so drawn to the extremes of the outdoors, which led to his majoring in forestry and environmental science in college, which led to his post as a park ranger. Brad enjoyed his visits back home, and his conversations with Ethan. They would trade stories. Brad had plenty about crazy park visitors, and Ethan had plenty more about his crazy customers.