Sometimes, when the cool autumn breeze standsstill and the moon shines down, I'm back at the river where Marvin and Icamped. Then I see it all: the big bonfire, the old bicycle and thecabin on the river.

The night I remember best is when the firerose to the sky. It seemed like daylight, but Marvin and I kept pilingon wood on to be sure it would burn into the morning hours. Marvinalways had to have a big fire or it wasn't camping.

Marvin and Icould camp at the river and, though most people would be bored, have thetime of our lives just sitting by a fire and enjoying life. We wereweird like that.

Under the cabin was an old Schwinn bicycle. Thatnight Marvin and I decided we needed to take it for a cruise through thefield at 1:30 a.m.

Marvin peddled and I sat on the handlebars.Where did Marvin decide to go? Right through the ruts where vehicles haddriven! We made it maybe six feet before we wrecked. We tried it again,of course, but we fell every time - and rather violently! We skinned ourelbows and knees, but it didn't matter because we were just living. Thescabs from the crazy biking adventure were our battle wounds.

Asdawn approached, Marvin had the bright idea to jump the bicycle into theriver. I urged him a little bit, but no more than any good friend would.He backed up a good 60 yards and was off. He peddled as fast as he couldover the ramp and plummeted into the river. Marvin went onto the rampthinking the water was relatively deep; I had forgotten to tell him itwas only two feet deep. He hit the water, flipped over the handlebarsand landed head first in the muddy water. It was great. He sat in themud and laughed while I laughed from shore. Once we stopped chuckling, Ihelped him out. We sat there talking about what had happened beforecrawling to the cabin and finally going to sleep.

Sometimes,when the cool autumn breeze stands still and the moon shines down, I'mback at the river where Marvin and I camped. Shadows of past expeditionsinhabit the field. Even though Marvin is not here today, these memories,and their joy, are mine forever.