“Serving overseas as a small-town boy from America is intense, stressful and humorous! Enjoy a light-hearted story with me from our last 20 years overseas!” – Matt
CAMPING IN THE BACKYARD
Growing up, my older brother’s book shelf was neatly lined with Hardy Boys and Black Stallion books. I always thought, “Why read an adventure when you could have one?” If I went to the library, I would check out vinyl records (not necessarily any books) that had bird songs you could learn to identify and mimic. I grew up fishing, hunting, hiking and camping every moment I could. I felt most at home, out of home in the outdoors. By late elementary school, I only wanted outdoor equipment for birthday and Christmas gifts. I would set my tent up in our backyard in the summers, so I could enjoy sleeping outdoors to all the nighttime sounds.
Fast forward to the coronavirus pandemic, I was not doing any camping in a backyard. My family was overseas and on a government mandated quarantine for the entire country’s population, because of the corona virus. We were in our city apartment for 49 days, before we could go out for a walk or run.
The only justified travel during those 49 days was to the grocery store, hospital or pharmacy. If somebody on quarantine like us was caught out of home, fines could be over $600,000 (yes, six hundred thousand dollars!) and a three-month prison sentence (4 years on a second offence). I never had any urge to break the law and go on an outdoor adventure during those long weeks. And yes, I read a Hardy Boys book during that lock down.
Something similar ever happen to you? Contact me and let me hear your story!
mattsmishaps@gmail.com Matt’s Mishaps, PO BOX 114, Grabill, IN 46741
