After placing the boxes inside my car, I quickly made my way back to the campsite, propelled by a bubbling sense of anticipation that surged within me like a wave ready to crash on the shore. The excitement of the day ahead danced in my chest, and the thought of spending time in the great outdoors filled me with a lightness I hadn’t felt in a while. I couldn’t wait to see how Alfred, my well-meaning but chronically disorganized friend, was faring in the mounting chaos of setting up the tents. His enthusiasm was always contagious, but his ability—or rather, inability—to stay organized was a running joke among us.
As I approached the scene, however, it became painfully clear that my expectations had been met yet again; Alfred was knee-deep in his typical state of disarray. With a resigned g
