Edgar Hasseltuth, who lived his whole life in downtown Manhattan, went on an unusual adventure by camping in the wild and remote expanse of the Nevada desert for several days. He went alone with a tent, some water and food, a beach chair, and a machete that he picked up at an Army-Navy store.
Although Edgar enjoys living in the city, he can feel claustrophobic and lost sometimes with all of the hustle and bustle and impersonal nature of city living. He'd long dreamed of escaping away to someplace remote to get a feel for what it would be like to be in nature and be the only human around for miles. And since a visit to Mars or the Moon is currently not a possibility, it seemed that a visit to the desert is the closest he could get to fulfilling this vision.
The first night in the desert was pretty scary. From inside his tent, the howling wind, the perceived pitter-patter of footsteps (or paw-steps), the isolation and inability to call on someone for help and assurance kept him awake most of the night. It gave him an appreciation for the term 'night terror'. He'd never experienced night terrors in the city, there was no reason to.
Later nights were not so terrible. Although he was lonely, the terrors abated. Sitting in his chair, gazing at the sky, the desert, and the mountains, watching the stars at night, going on long hikes, watching the wildlife, those were the main activities of each day. He drew in the sand to pass the time, too. Thinking a lot about his life took up a lot of his time.
The hawks circling in the sky were beautiful, and so carefree. The deer with white butts, little red foxes, salamanders, and rabbits sauntered or skittered by sometimes. A bee hovered at the front door of the tent one day right after he opened the door. And a pet grasshopper hung out in front of the tent for over an hour one morning.
After a while his mind quieted down, too. The stillness of the desert had the effect of calming the frantic emotions and thoughts he was in the habit of living in. And the peacefulness and quiet actually became enjoyable! Even the loneliness ebbed away.
Edgar returned to the city a changed man. He was easily able to pick up the pace of his lifestyle and of his friends and colleagues, but now he had an internal reference for stillness that he could draw upon any time he needed it. He found that he knew himself a little better than before, and in that knowledge he felt freedom. There is no doubt that Edgar will be returning to the desert for another vacation of solitude after a while.
