‘Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates’ and How I Survived Three Days Alone

Okay I have edited this. It’s safe to say that Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates entered my life under fateful circumstances. As a fresh college drop-out, the book served as the only friend I had during a 72-hour period of isolation in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. Sans even a cellphone, and with only a shoddy pair of tarps for shelter, I quickly came to terms with the fact that my damp, beige-covered book would be my only ally in my battle against time and the elements. But how exactly I found myself biding hours in the wilderness of Virginia — with no more than a paperback novel, a whistle, and a loose tree limb to fend off whatever bears, wolves, foxes, coyotes, or dusky-footed woodrats were out there with me — may demand a fair bit of context. Going away to rehab often comes paired with specific images. People envision tense car rides, protracted periods of silence, verbal arguments turned violent, and horrible drug withdrawals. They picture the… It’s safe to say that Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates entered my life under fateful circumstances. As a fresh college drop-out, the book served as the only friend I had during a 72-hour period of isolation in the heart of the Shenandoah Valley. Sans even a cellphone, and with only a shoddy pair of tarps for shelter, I quickly came to terms with the fact that my damp, beige-covered book would be my only ally in my battle against time and the elements. But how exactly I found myself biding hours in the wilderness of Virginia — with no more than a paperback novel, a whistle, and a loose tree limb to fend off whatever bears, wolves, foxes, coyotes, or dusky-footed woodrats were out there with me — may demand a fair bit of context. Going away to rehab often comes paired with specific images. People envision tense car rides, protracted periods of silence, verbal arguments turned violent, and horrible drug withdrawals. They picture the… It’s safe to say that Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climates entered my life under fateful circumstances. As a fresh college drop-out, the book served...