The lights were bright in my eyes as I stepped on to the stage and was handed my diploma. Four short years at Rimming University in the books. I turned to the auditorium crowd and did my signature point with both hands to the side. I had played football and was a defensive end, starting the last 2 years. After every sack I had my signature point to the crowd. I heard a bit of a clap and left the stage to return to my seat.
After sitting through a boring speech from a renowned psychologist and senator Dr. Cockring about our futures we were free. I found my parents in the sea of purple gowns and strewn hats on the floor.
"Hey guys, it's over! On to bigger and better things!" I said to them as we group hugged.
"We are so proud of you! Congratulations!" My Mom said to me as she put her hand on my face.
"Ok, get going we know you want to party this one out and the last thing you want to do is hang out with us any longer." My dad said smiling.
I found my two buddies and co-defensive captains, Chris and Larry and we headed off to the strip. The strip was just off campus and had around 10 bars and restaurants where we settled in the for night.
"Hey Jake, Larry and I cannot make the camping trip next week. We both got called up early to go to officer basic training." Chris let me know.
We had planned a one-week camping trip up in the Sawtooth mountains in Idaho, hiking, fishing and drinking lots of beer. We had a small camper that slept a couple but between that and tents and were going to make the most of it. "That sucks, well I will have to see if I can find another willing participant!" I told them as we clanked the glasses together in another cheers to one another.
The night wore on and we went to at least 5 bars, recounting the last 4 years the glory we shared on the football field and the bedroom with the women we met after games, in class or on the strip. We were pretty recognizable and leaving this going back into the real world was a stress for each of us but we had no choice. They had both joined the military and I was going to be looking for a job with my engineering degree.
I took an uber back to my apartment where I knew this was the last weekend and after I woke up I was going to pack and return home which was only about an hour away. I drifted off to sleep.
It felt like two hours later I awoke to my phone screaming at me. I looked over it was 1130 in the morning and it was my mom calling. I answered, "Mom, whats up?"
"Hey I am outside your door I thought I would come help you get packed up!" She said all awake and perky.
"Ok, hang on let me get dressed and brush my teeth and I will let you in." I replied still tired and mad she woke me up, but happy I did not have anyone else with me in the apartment.
I took care of myself and let her in. I had a modest one-bedroom apartment with a small kitchen and living room, nothing great but good enough for what I needed. She strolled through handed me a coffee and a sub sandwich, knowing I would but hungry.
I set those things down and she grabbed my arm and hugged me and repeated how proud her and my Dad were and how happy she was I would be moving back home for a little bit.
"We missed you, I have missed you a lot!" She told me as she pouted some.
"Well hopefully I am not going to be home for long, I need to find a job!" I replied.
My Mom, was 42, having me at 20, an only child. She stood around 5'7", dirty blonde hair down to her shoulders and not thin but also not hugely curvy. Probably C cup breasts and firm long legs. She could have passed for early 30's especially when she had makeup on. I was a little more imposing at 6'2", 220 pounds and I work out regularly with short dark brown hair, very well built.
"Hey, Mom guess what, Larry and Chris fucking backed out of next week. They got called up early. I still want to go camping though even if I go by myself. We already had the campground reserved." I complained.
"Well you can still use the camper. Come to think of it, your Dad is out of town next week on a trip for work. Maybe I can tag along, we have not hung out in ages?" She sort of asked but did not ask.
"Ok, seriously, you want to be cramped in that thing with me, hike, fish, um drink beer? If you want be my guest." I laughed.
"Well I am not sure about the beer part, I can bring wine and I can do all of that, and we will be outside a lot anyway so cramped part is nothing to worry about." She said inviting herself.
We packed what we could and left the furniture behind as it belonged to the complex I was renting from. We loaded up both cars and headed home.
We drove the hour through beautiful tree lined mountains and arrived back in Boise.
"Home sweet home!" Mom yelled as we got out of our cars.
We got most of the stuff inside and let Dad know of the camping plan change. He seemed all for it. He was off to Chicago for some meetings with his company. He works for a bank in town and they frequently have to travel to talk about investments they have made and how things are going.
I spent the next couple days catching up with old High School friends, managing not to get into much trouble, drinking and cleaning up the camper and packing some of my things in it. It was small maybe 16 feet. As you enter there is a little dinette to the right a kitchen in the middle and what amounted to a queen bed in the rear with another bed you could fold down above it. There was no bathroom unfortunately but where we were going had bathrooms.
"Hey Jake, can I put some things in here too?" My mom asked as she was holding blankets, towels and some clothes for hiking, swimming and a few cans of bug spray.
"Sure, want me to pull your bed down, no way I am sleeping on the top, I am too big." I replied.
"Whatever you better get your ass up there, Momma gets the better bed, Son! Just kidding I can climb up there if I need to." She laughed.
We all ate dinner together that night and went to bed early knowing we all had to depart in the morning. My dad was still congratulatory and told me to look after my Mom who could hold her own I am sure. He wished he could join us but on short notice was not going to happen.
The next morning dad was already gone. I came downstairs with my last bag and saw mom making breakfast. "How about one more meal in civilization, Jake?" She turned and joked.
She looked great wearing a tank top that clung to her chest with a small button up shirt over top and unbuttoned with jean shorts on that were not that long. I wore my standard T-shirt and cargo shorts.
