Historia: The Camping Trip

“Don’t forget your warm clothes,” says Louisa to her children. “I’m packing mine now.”

She takes her backpack upstairs. She looks at her notebook. It says ‘Camping Trip’ at the top of a long list. She packs two pairs of gloves, two scarves, two coats, five shirts and ten pairs of socks.

“It’s only three days,” says her husband.

“Just in case,” she explains.

They go to the kitchen.

“Don’t forget to bring enough food,” she tells her husband.

He packs cereal bars, peanut butter sandwiches, cheese and fruit.

Louisa opens the cupboard. She takes out four cans of beans, five cans of tuna and eight cans of tomatoes. Then she gets three packets of pasta. She puts it all in her backpack.

Her husband looks surprised.

“We need healthy meals,” Louisa explains.

“But… you can’t cook them?”

Louisa picks up a box and opens it. It’s a new camping stove. She puts it in her backpack. Now her backpack is full.

“Don’t forget to bring the gas,” she tells her husband. She points to the other boxes.

Louisa puts her backpack on her back.

“Maybe that’s… too heavy, dear?”

Louisa’s face is red. “It’s fine,” she says. She coughs.

They put everything in the car. Their children get in the back. Louisa sits behind the wheel. Her husband turns on the GPS.

They drive for eight hours. It’s tiring, but the countryside is beautiful. At six o’ clock they park the car in the middle of a large field. The sun is setting.

“I’m cold,” says their daughter.

Louisa gets the warm coat from her daughter’s backpack.

“I’m hungry!” says her son.

They set up the camping table and chairs. Louisa puts the stove on the table.

“Did you remember the gas?” she asks her husband.

“Of course,” he says. He gives her a box.

She opens it. She takes out the gas canister. She connects it. The stove lights. She puts a pot on top.

She takes out four cans and puts them on the table.

“But you can’t open these cans with your hand!” says Louisa’s husband. “Did you remember —”

“Of course,” says Louisa.

She takes a can opener out of her backpack. She opens the cans. Twenty minutes later, they all enjoy the hot meal. Afterwards, they all thank Louisa for cooking.

She says, “It’s almost dark now. Let’s set up the tent.”

Her husband is looking in the car. “Where’s the tent?” he says.