Saving Sandy

Chapter 13 - Spitsbergen Expedition Dinner... Friendly Outing Turned Sour

Snowflakes bombarded my face the moment Sandy and I walked outside to meet Rodney at his car. The wind was filled with little white sparkly particles, and they caught in my curly hair. I had tried the 20s air style... didn't work with my shorter hair.

"My, would you look at that?" Sandy asked as he had both hands in his black wool coat pockets, and we walked through the Ann Margaret Hall property. "The first snow of the season."

"Yes, and it's beautiful, even though there's only a dusting."

The night air was obviously cold, and I hugged myself, even in my new warm coat I got in London that was half-paid for by Sandy. Lantern posts lighted the way as we walked on. I imagined Dick Van Dyke's character setting up a latter and lighting them.

"There is the car," Sandy said and pointed to the gravel road. "So, are you excited?"

"I still don't think I should be going to this. You all are going to talk about your time up there in Spitsbergen, and I'll just have to awkwardly sit there and eat my food and listen."

He chuckled. "I told you before that they would want to hear your and your father's stories. Several of the lads are looking forward to it... and looking forward to seeing the famous girl with purple in her hair who works at the library."

"Are the guys going to this attend Merton?"

"Not all, even though it was called the Merton College Expedition to Spitsbergen. We had men from Merton, Cambridge, Oxford..."

"Oh, I didn't know that."

We came to the 20s olive-green car that looked like an amped-up Model T, and Rodney greeted us. Ian was there in the front seat with him, so, like on the way to London, Sandy and I sat in the back.

"So, Sandy," said Ian from the front, and Rodney drove on, "do you think that Odell will show up? I know that all the other boys from our school and Oxford are going, but what of Odell?"

"I honestly have no idea. I actually doubt it since he is elsewhere preparing for Everest. He is a busy man."

"Buggar. I was hoping that he would be there. Milling is, right?"

"Of course. I'm sure he will brag all about how he and I hauled those sledges in that sticky snow those times up there."

"I think the reason why you were recommended for Everest was because Milling bragged about it after that first time, when you had to just leave the thing there, remember?" Rodney asked. "Since the snow was wet and the sledge would sink. I remember all that clear as day."

"Indeed, I remember, too. That was right hard work. Geoffrey was impressive, but his head was far too big."

"Yes, and Odell did not like that, so he is sending you to Everest and not Milling."

This was interesting, hearing this story. I didn't remember reading about it, then again, I didn't remember everything I read. "The sledges held all your equipment and things, right?" I asked.

"Yes," said Sandy. "You see, this trip was for the purpose of studying wildlife in that region, as well as study its geology. Rodney here was made a surveyor, and Geoffrey and I were mainly selected to go since we seemed strong enough to haul the heavy wooden sledges. While we did other things like helped cook at times, and would study the geological features and such, too. That was our main job. I also had to keep an inventory in those supply sledges, making sure we had what we needed."

"I remember you were not happy with the type of socks that were given us to use on the trip," said Ian.

"That is because they would shrink and I would have the damndest time trying to find them in my sleeping bag. Plus, the equipment we had was faulty, and some of it was broken."