Ron – my saviour
I have been OFFLINE for 18 months and hope that you will forgive me – also hope that you can accept this first story since then – don’t forget to vote and comment as that will give me more inspiration. Thanks jena121
My brother, Ron, was living with his girlfriend when my husband passed away, about 4 years ago. They came to visit about twice a week mostly so that I would not feel too lonely. I had not started thinking about any other relationship as yet, I was still grieving.
One evening my brother came over alone. I asked him where Celia was and he told me that she had left him. Apparently, they had quarrelled and she went out and found herself drunk and in bed with another man. She came home and told him but he just could not forgive her, she didn’t even try to make up after the tiff.
After a few weeks, my brother, even though he still came over for dinner a couple of times a week, admitted that he had been lonely living alone.
I thought about it and then asked him if he would like to move in with me as I still had the home that I had lived in with my husband.
Ron was a 34 yr old man who stood about 6’3’ with a solid body and weighed about 200lbs. He had dark brown hair, and bright blue eyes that were always smiling. He was nearly always very happy, except at this time. He thought for a few moments and told me that he would have to pay out his lease and he would be so happy to move in with me. We got on well together and I could see some great times for us.
About 2 weeks later, Ron moved in to the house.
We both carried on with our careers. Mine was as a buyer for a top fashion company and Ron as an IT specialist for himself. After about six months I was starting to ‘burn out’ as I had had a very busy time in that last six months and felt that I needed a holiday.
I put it to Ron that I was going to take a couple of weeks and go hiking. He immediately told me that he would love to come with me. We discussed where we were going to go; a couple of places came to mind. Then Ron suggested we go off shore to an island that had a few hills. That was what we eventually decided on and I went ahead and booked our tickets etc.
We took off and arrived at our destination about 4.00pm in the afternoon. We were absolutely transfixed by the sunset as we settled into out hotel rooms. The hills which looked more like mountains than hills, were spectacular as the sun descended behind them. The hills looked as though they were just made for hiking.
The next day we ordered a lunch pack, donned our hiking gear and set off on one of the most used paths. We enjoyed the walk and at the top of that climb we sat down on a patch of grass and just gazed around us. We unpacked our lunch and ate and after a couple of hours we wended our way back down. As good as this hike had been, we decided that the next day we would try something a little harder.
Each day for five days we took a different track and really enjoyed each one. It took longer each day for the ascent but it was worth it in the long run.
On the sixth day Ron spoke to the Manager of the Hotel and asked him which was the most difficult hike in the area. As we were experienced hikers already, he did not have any fear in telling us that it would probably be one that would take two days, with an overnight sleep at a hut at the top of the mountain. This suited us well. We had bought sleeping bags just for an occasion like this/ We ordered a few necessities in food and other stores. Because Ron was a strong man he was able to store these items in his backpack. I only had to carry the sleeping bags and an extra pair of shoes for each of us.
The Manager also told us that there was a ham radio in the hut and if we got into any trouble to contact him or the Rangers and there would be help available as soon as possible. We assured him that we would be all right but we were grateful for his concerns.
We left the Hotel about 7am that morning and progressed slowly up that path. It was such beautiful scenery on the way up that we took out time and stopped often to appreciate the surroundings. We arrived at the top and found the hut about 4pm and that gave us time to set up our sleeping bags and organise some more firewood. There was already some inside the hut, all hikers know that there should always be some left for the next travellers. Ron went out and chopped some more wood, which we both stacked outside the hut, ready to be placed inside before we left in the morning,
We had some of out stores for dinner and organised something for breakfast. We sat beside the fire for a couple of hours after we had eaten, discussing the trip up, and then feeling tired after our long hike that we were ready for bed.
Ron went out to do his thing and came back. I thought I had better do the same, as I didn’t want to go wandering around in the middle of the night.
Unfortunately, when I went outside it had become darker that I realised. I thought I would just go into the bushes. When I went to step into a group of bushes my leg slipped and I fell down a crevice that was in the ground. I tried my hardest to pull myself out but to no avail. It was getting very cool and I cried out to Ron. Apparently he didn’t hear me. After I had been gone for about 20 minutes he became worried. He came out of the hut and called out to me.
“Gail, Gail, where are you. Are you alright.”
“I’m over here Ron. I slipped and can’t move my legs.”
He followed my voice and found me. It took him about half an hour to dislodge me from the crevice but I could not stand on my legs when he put me on the ground. He carried me into the hut and checked my leg.
“Well, it looks as though you may have an broken ankle sweetie, he said. I will just bind it now and then call the Rangers or the Hotel. They can send a helicopter to pick us up. As all good hikers do, we had a Medical Kit with us so we at least had some painkillers, sedatives and bandages. Ron was able to make me more comfortable.
He did this and the Hotel Manager told him that he would contact the Rescue Squad who would be here first thing in the morning. He gave me a couple of sedatives to help me sleep and we both went to bed.
The next morning, Ron was up early and had already replaced the cut wood that we had used during the night, before I awoke. Then he told me that the chopper would be here within the next hour.
The Helicopter landed about mile from the hut. As they had a stretcher, they carried me down and loaded me onto the vehicle. Ron followed with all out equipment and boarded.
The rescuers took me straight to the nearest Hospital where the Doctors told me that I had been very lucky. I had actually broken not only my ankle but also sprained my knee. They put a plaster on the whole leg and allowed me to go back to the Hotel. We stayed there for a couple more days but then felt that we should go home.
Ron arranged our flights back and an ambulance picked me up from the Hotel and took me to the Airport. We flew home and were very glad to arrive.
An Ambulance took me home from the Airport and the drivers managed to carry me upstairs to my room. I thanked them for all their help.
Ron followed them downstairs and got all instructions for my care. He also called our local Doctor and got him to come and see me. After the doctor left a little while later, Ron told me that he was going to do some shopping and get some medications for me.
“Is there anything you need while I am out” he asked.
“No thanks darling, I’m fine.” I replied.
“I will be back as soon as possible then.”
Ron returned about an hour or so later.
