Chapter 3. The bonding course
".......by sending you here for this week Grant and Grant expect that you will
get to know each other much better and to pull together as a coordinated team,
as a team striving to do their best for the company," Senior Manager Copely
ended his fifteen minute introductory speech to the thirteen employees sitting
in the lounge of a small hotel on Dartmoor.
"Crap!" The expletive exploded from Robert Eason. Robert worked in IT. It was
his responsibility to keep the computer systems running and updated.
"I do hope you are not going to continue with that belligerent attitude for the
whole week Eason. It won't further your position in the company if I have to
report you to the MD." Stan Copely looked at him sharply. He knew the IT geek
hated social events and never attended any of the firms functions. He had to
force him to attend this course and vaguely knew that the only reason he had
agreed was because the hotel was on Dartmoor which was an area Robert knew well.
Much of his spare time was spent walking the Tors.
"Crap!" Robert repeated. "We are all individuals. We have our own lives. The
company doesn't own us. I work for Grant and Grant because they pay me to do a
job and I do that job well. If everyone does their job well the work gets done.
All this week is doing, is to waste the company's money. Probably just to
further your ego."
Stan Copely's neck turned red and his hackles rose. "The company is generously
giving some of the money you have helped to earn, back to you by paying for this
week. In return they hope you will all bond together in a positive way. Not as
individuals each fighting for their own little niche."
Robert kept silent. He didn't really want to enter into an argument. Slumping in
his corner chair he prepared himself for an evening of boredom. Senior Manager
Copely continued his pompous and arrogant speech by outlining the evening's
activities. "Grant and Grant are paying for the drinks tonight so make the most
of the bar and then we are going to play some party games to get us in the mood
and to get to know each other."
Stan himself dragged Robert on to the floor for the first round of musical
chairs. "So bloody childish," Robert muttered and quickly offered his seat to
Mary from accounts and returned to his corner. Next came the string game. Three
teams of four and a ball of string. Each team had to pass the string up the leg
of the first person and out the top of the shirt and on up the leg of the next
until all four members were tied. Stan didn't take part and nor did one of the
older women. Of course it was arranged boy girl, boy girl. Janet copped a feel
of his cock as she passed the ball up his legs. Robert blushed. He was very shy
with girls, except when he had to explain the workings of their PC to them.
So the games went on. Twister. Blind Man's bluff. Pass the parcel. All more
reminiscent of children's birthday parties. More and more as the evening
progressed and the alcohol took its effect, the games got increasingly sexual.
By ten thirty several couples had disappeared and Robert went to bed alone.
Tomorrow he knew would be more to his liking. They were to hike to a hut on the
moors. Spend a night there and do an orienteering course the following day,
returning to the same hut at night. Stan had it all planned, or so he said. That
worried Robert. In distance the hut wasn't all that far in actual miles, but
some places were steep and none of the others seemed to have any experience of
walking. He hated walking at a snail's pace but thought he could probably stride
ahead and wait for them at some point.
Stan arrived late at breakfast with Barbara Maitland at his side. After
swallowing a quick cup of coffee he announced, "In the hallway there is a small
rucsac with a packed lunch and emergency rations and a light waterproof for our
walk to High Tor hut. Leave mobile phones, make up and other unnecessary things
behind. Travel light. On this part of the bonding week you will experience a
little hardship and it will be up to you to help each other through these
hardships as part of the bonding process. The walk is not far but is more than
most of you will have done before. As I said it will be part of your team effort
to help each other through these little hardships. Accommodation at the hut is
primitive. Almost back to nature. No electricity, water from a well. We have
arranged for food to be at the hut for us but we will have to cook it ourselves.
Assemble outside at ten."
Robert stood alongside his big red rucsac, his walking boots on and ready to go.
Three others were outside too. Only Charlotte McReady, the receptionist looked
like she was equipped for walking. She had proper walking boots and a small
framed blue rucsac. The two men with her wore trainers and the little rucsac
supplied by the hotel. Charlotte came to him.
"It doesn't look as if it will be a fun walk Robert and the forecast is not
good. We should have been away two hours ago."
"You look as if you've walked before Charlotte."
"Mostly in the Dales. Never been to Dartmoor."
"Probably it's more wild and open here. And you're right about the weather.
Sunny and nice now but heavy rain is forecast for this afternoon. Don't suppose
Mr. Senior Manager took the time off from screwing Barbara to find out."
"I gather you two don't get on." Charlotte laughed.
"He's just an upstart yes man. Lick the boss's arse man. Perhaps he'll lose a
few pounds off his belly during this walk. If he ever appears." Little by little
the group assembled but it was 10.30 before they finally started off and not
before Robert and Stan had another little altercation.
"You were told to travel light, Eason. You look as it you've got the kitchen
sink in there. Go and empty it." Copely ordered.
"No way," roared Robert, "I am not quite as stupid as you think. This is my
hiking gear. I always walk with it and I'm taking it with me today. And you can
put that in your stinking report!"
"You are letting the team down, Eason. We are all going with just the basics.
You should do the same. Go and unload your stuff. You surely don't expect to
need that rope for a little trek across the hills. You think that Tor is the
Eiger?"
"Piss off!" With that Robert easily shouldered his rucsac and started along the
trail. Stan fumed with indignation. Slowly the others gathered their stuff and
followed. Charlotte was glad Stan ignored her rucsac. It was much smaller than
Robert's but still larger and more comfortable than her team mates. At first she
was in the middle of the crocodile as it made its way along the path but she
became weary of the slow stumbling pace and as they began the first quite gentle
climb she gradually found herself ahead of the others. Robert she could see on
the skyline, walking with an easy grace.
After an hour and a half and many stops with barely three miles walked the party
stopped for lunch. Charlotte saw Robert had stopped too at the top of the col
and forged ahead to catch up with him. "I once took a group of primary school
children on a nature walk. I think they did better than our workforce," laughed
Charlotte as she reached him.
"Yeah. I know what you mean Charlotte." Robert smiled back. "And it will get
worse," he added pointing to the clouds that had just began to appear on the top
of High Tor.
"Call me Charley. My friends do."
"Bob." Incongruously they shook hands.
"How long before the rain comes Bob?"
"An hour, maybe two. Can never be precise. Sometimes it seems to hang back,
others it drops down like a bomb. But when it comes it will get pretty bleak on
the tops. We've started out far too late for this jaunt and they are so slow,
even if the weather held, they would be lucky to get over top before dark.
Charley, I think they could get into real trouble."
"We all could if they hold us up. What should we do?"
He took out his map. "In another couple of miles when we're over this little col
we could follow the contours round instead of going over the top. That way we
would be in the lee of the mountain and have a certain amount of shelter.
Trouble is, that route is about three or four miles longer."
"You realise they only have the tourist information leaflet map, Bob?"
Bob looked at her. "Surely not. Even he wouldn't be that stupid surely. That's a
stylised thing. Okay for the waymarked paths like this in good visibility but
gives no idea of the ups and downs and makes the paths seem like roads. Useless
if the weather closes in." Bob paused and thought "Let's walk on, take a look at
the path and have lunch there until they catch up."
"Well you are a sly pair," Stan remarked as the gaggle finally arrived, "I
suppose we can all guess why you went ahead." He gave a knowing laugh and some
of the others sniggered.
Bob stood and faced him. For a moment some thought he might have hit Stan but
loud enough for all to hear Bob spoke.
"For once in your miserable life listen, and listen good. See those clouds?" He
pointed to the Tor. "They are the fore runners of some severe weather that is
coming. Heavy rain and wind. If you take these people over the high path they
will get the full brunt of it. I and Charlotte are going by a lower route. It's
maybe four miles longer but is not as steep or as exposed. Either route is going
to be too much for this group. I suggest you take them back to the hotel. If
that is too much like defeat then, like us, try the lower way. Even if you
choose our way, you won't make the hut tonight. At best you might make it to the
village of Cwm Magoch which is off to the left of the path in about six miles.
Going over the top at this time of day with the expected weather, is foolhardy."
"Who are you trying to frighten? The weather's fine. The path is clear and well
marked. I don't think any of this team will want to walk the extra miles. None
of this group is going to give up. Guess you knew that. You just want to be
alone with Miss McReady and we can guess why."
"Senior Manager Copely, I am publicly warning you, in front of all the others.
You are putting their lives at risk if you continue over the top. The forecast
is bad for later today. You have no conception of how bad. The group are moving
like snails and the pace will get worse as the steepness increases and the party
get tired. I say again you will be putting your party in grave danger if you
continue over the top of the Tor." Bob stopped his speech and looked at the
group. They seemed uncertain. "As I see it, you have two alternatives, take the
lower but longer way and be prepared for a night in the open if you can't get
down to the village, or go back to the hotel. The hotel is by far the best
option for you. The further you go on, the further it will be to go back. I
advise all those who are already finding the way somewhat difficult to go back
now. The rest of you will need to decide in the next half hour or so. Do make
your own minds up. Our manager may be good at work but out here he is totally
inexperienced."
"When I want your advice Eason I'll pull the chain," snapped Copely. "I cannot
see any of this group wanting to walk any extra miles. The sun is out, the path
is clear, so I cannot see why they would need to return. The hut is just over
that hill. You go and do your bonding with Charlotte. We'll wait for you at the
hut." Turning to his group Stan ordered them on and upwards. Slowly the party
ambled on.
Two girls remained. "I'm going back. I've blisters I can hardly walk on already.
God only knows what it will be like further on," Sally said to her friend.
"Sod him and his assessments. My feet are killing me too. Replied her friend
Gallie as they started back down the track. "Watch what you get up to with him
Charley," Gallie laughed as she waved them on.
"You're very wise Sally. I'm glad you're both are going back. You two are not
outdoor girls and you are definitely not equipped for walking the hills."
Charley laughed at them, "I can cope with the walk and with Robert if I have
to." Billy, a junior salesman, yelled to Stan he couldn't let the girls go back
alone and ran to join them. That left nine heading up the mountain.
"Call Daphne please Charley." Daphne was one of the last in the line having
hesitated in deciding whether or not to continue, and was coming abreast of
them. When she arrived Bob took a gadget from his rucsac pocket. "Put this in
your pocket Daphne. It's a beacon transmitter. If you get into trouble press
this button and it sends out a radio signal which can be picked up by rescue
teams. The batteries don't last too long so wait until daylight and then switch
on for five minutes and off for fifteen unless you hear the rescue team or the
chopper."
"You really think we could be in that much trouble?"
"It could happen."
"Come with us Robert, just in case. You're more experienced in mountains than
Stan."
"If I come with you, Stan will still not want to take any notice, if fact he
will go against anything and everything I say. Better for the rest of you to go
back but I know so many of you value your careers and he holds the key to them
or thinks he does. Charley is risking hers now."
"Yeah, I guess she is. Hope she thinks you're worth it!" Daphne smiled
knowingly. "I'd better catch them up. I hope you're wrong about the weather."
Daphne was a keen sportswoman and was fitter than many of the others. She was
actually wearing brogue shoes with thick soles. Not ideal but far better than
the trainers most wore. Charley and Bob watched them for a few minutes before
starting off on the lower trail. It was less well marked but by referring to the
map and taking compass bearings every so often, they followed it well enough.
An hour and a half later, the first spots of heavy rain hit them. They stopped
and pulled out their bright yellow rain gear. The sun disappeared behind a dark
black cloud and the wind rose. "Pity this didn't come an hour ago Bob. It might
have made them turn back. With the very slowest ones returning to the hotel,
they are probably over the top by now and will think they are nearly at the
hut."
"In a way you're right, but I doubt they will be at the top yet. It's very
deceptive. I know because I've done that route a number of times. What looked
like the top from where we stood, is only a bump. There are several more like
that and the top is several miles further than they think. This wind will be in
their faces and I guess the view is totally blotted out by the cloud now. When
the path ran under the shelter of an overhanging rock and Bob again delved into
his rucsac this time retrieving his hand GPS set. He showed Charley. Have you
seen one of these Global Position Sets? I haven't used this in bad weather yet
but it supposed give our position accurate to within 15 metres."
"Another one of your gadgets," Charley commented, "You IT geeks are all alike."
Bob looked up sharply but she was smiling at him and there was no insult in her
voice.
He consulted the map hanging around his neck wrapped in its polythene bag. "Well
it seems to agree with where we think we are on the map but we'll keep checking.
That cloud is coming down the mountain pretty fast." Fifteen minutes later it
enveloped them reducing the visibility to under one hundred metres. "You keep
checking our direction with your compass Charley and I'll try and see the path
and watch the direction on the GPS.
