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fandomhigh2007-06-20 07:01 am
whatever-sucks.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2007-06-20 07:01 am
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Interdisciplinary Studies, Class 6, Wednesday, Period 5
Today's class met on the edge of the Preserve, by a freshly built campfire. The appetizing aroma of grilled fish hung in the air, and Squall sat cross-legged on the ground, eating the last few bites of fish and vegetables off of a wide, flat rock. His gunblade was stuck in the ground nearby.
He stood up, wiped his hands on his pants, and tossed out the sign-in clipboard.
"Okay. So. Most of you all are pampered and spoiled. You need food? You go buy it, simple as that. If you're going somewhere where there isn't any food? You've probably brought some with you. Or else you're really stupid." He shrugged. "Some people are. But the point is, if you find yourself lost in a forest and your food runs out... you're in trouble."
He looked from face to face. "The most important things you need to survive are water, food, fire, and shelter. Fire we're covering next week, and for water -- here's a hint: find a river. Don't drink from the ocean." Squall smirked at them. "And shelter... " -- he shrugged. "I dunno. find a cave or hide under a tree or something. Unless you're a carpenter or a mason. Today, we're concentrating on food."
He tossed each of them a leather pouch containing a penknife, a small flashlight, a length of fishing line, a fishhook, and a small box of matches. "We're going to assume you have some or all of these things. Because if you don't, you're really in trouble."
He stopped, thought for a moment, and took a step closer to them. "Okay. This isn't really part of today's lesson, but it's very important. Keep a knife in your pocket at all times. ALL times. You never know when you'll need it."
He shrugged, dragged over a heavy duffel bag, and opened it, revealing several dozen field guides to edible plants of eastern North America, no two alike. "So. If you want food, you have to either hunt or forage. Foraging can easier, especially if you're lost in an orchard, or a farm. On the other hand, hunting means killing things, which people sometimes have problems with. Usually, the right answer is 'both', because meat tastes better when you have herbs and things, and some sort of side dish."
He spent some time discussing foraging, including the whole "don't eat anything unless you know what it is, especially not mushrooms" bit. Then he started in on hunting, fishing, and trapping, giving a decent enough explanation of each. He also pointed out that a lot of bugs were, in fact, edible, although he grimaced while saying so.
"Okay," he said, when he was done. "Now..." -- he gestured at the forest -- "go get some food. Don't come back until you find something edible. Better grades for better food." He shrugged and kicked at the bag of field guides. "Oh, and if you're hunting? Be very careful what you kill. Teal deer and -- for some reason I really don't understant -- squirrels are protected species here, so if you at all injure one of them, or another student, you instantly fail. If you injure yourself, you get laughed at. Now get to it."
[Wait for OCD or whatever All ready for you to... You know. Go ahead or whatever.]
He stood up, wiped his hands on his pants, and tossed out the sign-in clipboard.
"Okay. So. Most of you all are pampered and spoiled. You need food? You go buy it, simple as that. If you're going somewhere where there isn't any food? You've probably brought some with you. Or else you're really stupid." He shrugged. "Some people are. But the point is, if you find yourself lost in a forest and your food runs out... you're in trouble."
He looked from face to face. "The most important things you need to survive are water, food, fire, and shelter. Fire we're covering next week, and for water -- here's a hint: find a river. Don't drink from the ocean." Squall smirked at them. "And shelter... " -- he shrugged. "I dunno. find a cave or hide under a tree or something. Unless you're a carpenter or a mason. Today, we're concentrating on food."
He tossed each of them a leather pouch containing a penknife, a small flashlight, a length of fishing line, a fishhook, and a small box of matches. "We're going to assume you have some or all of these things. Because if you don't, you're really in trouble."
He stopped, thought for a moment, and took a step closer to them. "Okay. This isn't really part of today's lesson, but it's very important. Keep a knife in your pocket at all times. ALL times. You never know when you'll need it."
He shrugged, dragged over a heavy duffel bag, and opened it, revealing several dozen field guides to edible plants of eastern North America, no two alike. "So. If you want food, you have to either hunt or forage. Foraging can easier, especially if you're lost in an orchard, or a farm. On the other hand, hunting means killing things, which people sometimes have problems with. Usually, the right answer is 'both', because meat tastes better when you have herbs and things, and some sort of side dish."
He spent some time discussing foraging, including the whole "don't eat anything unless you know what it is, especially not mushrooms" bit. Then he started in on hunting, fishing, and trapping, giving a decent enough explanation of each. He also pointed out that a lot of bugs were, in fact, edible, although he grimaced while saying so.
"Okay," he said, when he was done. "Now..." -- he gestured at the forest -- "go get some food. Don't come back until you find something edible. Better grades for better food." He shrugged and kicked at the bag of field guides. "Oh, and if you're hunting? Be very careful what you kill. Teal deer and -- for some reason I really don't understant -- squirrels are protected species here, so if you at all injure one of them, or another student, you instantly fail. If you injure yourself, you get laughed at. Now get to it."
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Re: When (if) you're done
Re: When (if) you're done