Brockopolis

Zito, Brock and Matt- gangstas

Day 1 of Brock:

"Does anyone have any deodorant," Katy asked.

"I do," I grabbed my Dove Fresh Scent out of my day pack.

"Here you go, Brock," she handed it to the jock at the end of the table. He was tall and serious. Could have played football in school, maybe baseball. Why was he using my deodorant?

"Mmmm," were the first words I ever heard come from his mouth. "Ashlee's deodorant smells so good."

"Make sure there are no armpit hairs on it," Katy said as she handed it back to me.

Ew.


Day 2 of Brock:

Riddles. Lots of riddles. "I fly to Texas and stay there for three days. Who am I?"

He has a twin sister.

And a sense of humor:

"Has anyone ever gone to jail," asked Mackenzi.

"Yeah," Brock responded. "I ran over a man."

"Did he die," Mackenzi asked, mouth agape.

"Why do you think I went to jail."

He calls his girlfriend Sweet ThAng. "Then Sweet ThAng and I ate dinner at this restaurant..."

He doesn't want me to tell others how I guessed the riddle he just told. "Please don't tell anyone," he begged.

We are beaming him up and he just put himself in the most awkward position possible.

I don't know what to make of this guy.


Day 3 of Brock:  

I'm in the kitchen when I hear the 34 staff in the courtyard scream, "Thank you, Ashlee!"

Later, Rachel walked in the kitchen. "Did you hear us thank you," she asked. "It was Brock's idea. In our thank you circle, he said he was thankful for all of your cooking."

Awww.


Day 4 of Brock:

I finished up in the kitchen after dinner and I wanted to go on a hike. Gryllz was busy drawing pictures for his girlfriend, Tucker wanted to get online and Sophie had a meeting. Shoot. Zito, Brock, Katy, Maria and Kacey sat throwing rocks at other rocks.

"What are you doing," I inquired.

"Throwing rocks. It's a game Brock made up."

That is really strange. 

Brock chucked a rock off of the larger one close to me and it bounced up into my uterus. "Aw man! Right in the baby maker."  


Day 6 of Brock:

"Ashlee," Brock stands close to me, beer in hand. "Do you know how to do the cupid shuffle?"

Say what? My face was blank.

"The cupid shuffle. Watch: To the right, to the right, to the right, to the right. To the left, to the left, to the left, to the left. Now kick, now kick, now kick, now kick. Now walk it by yourself. Now walk it by yourself. So stick your knees out to the side and kind of sit back low. There you go. Like this."

Who is this guy?


Day 10 of Brock:

 We all line up, ready to climb up to the rock climbing site.

"Put the fast hikers at the back of the line," Zito said. "That's Ashlee."

Oh shoot. They can't be serious. I looked down at the ground, shuffling my feet and hoping they wouldn't seriously make me hike at the back of the pack. Lah-dee-dah-dee-duhm. Shoot, shoot, shoot... they're all looking at me! Look away, look away!

"Sorry, Ash," Zito said. Why, little brother? Why?

"Oh, and you need to take out your earrings," Brock said. Aw man! Fortunately, it distracted them, so when we started hiking, I was fourth in line, right behind Brock then Zito then Nani. Sweet.

"Ashlee," Brock called back. "Tell us a riddle."

Brock did a fantastic job of helping me feel included even though I wasn't technically part of the group.

Later, we were standing at the site looking up at the rock face. I walked over to Brock, who was nervously watching Andrew climb the 5/9.

"You gonna do it," I asked.

He didn't want to, but he did it. "I would be disappointed in myself if I didn't do it."

What a stud.

Then I climbed. "That was your first time climbing," he asked. "Wow, you are awesome." Aww, thanks, Brockopolis.


Day 13 of Brock:

Nine people stand dancing around the cars at the overlook. Country music is blasting out of Brock's car.

"Ashlee!" Brock exclaims as I get out of Nani's car. "Do you want some whiskey?"

"Not really. Oh, alright, give me a sip." Swish, swish, gargle, swallow, burn. "Hmm, that's pretty good!"

"Yeah," he exclaims. "Ashlee likes whiskey! Atta girl!" Then he starts singing, "She's my little whiskey girl..."

"Give me some more."

"Yes," he shouts, as if he's accomplished something great. I guess in a way he has.

"Brock," I ask. "Is this your music? May I borrow some CDs so I can download them? I don't have enough country music."

"No," he says and turns away. Uhmmmm okay? I cannot figure this boy out!!!


Day 18 of Brock:

"I want to listen to some Brantley," Brock said. We were standing side-by-side next to the campfire Jackson had built looking out at the Tetons. He looked over at me, "Do you know who Brantley is?"

"Yeah!" I exclaimed.

"What's his last name," he tested.  My mind went blank. Tucker laughed. "Gilbert," he whispered.

"Gilbert!"

"There ya go! Isn't he great," he wasn't really asking, he was telling. "Want some whiskey? That's what I love about Anne and Ashlee! They love their whiskey."

Then he said something in his Oliver Twist accent that always makes me smile.

"So you climbed today," he asked.

"Yeah, she did," Jackson exclaimed. "A 5/10+."

Mackenzi chimed in, "Jackson and Ashlee were the only ones who were able to finish it."

"Who are you," he asked. "That was your second time climbing and you're already doing a 5/10. You're ridiculous. You're a stud." Hey, thanks, Brockopolis.


Day 22 of Brock:

Dishes. So many dishes. And no one to clean them but me. And Sophie. Thank God for Sophie.

Sophie grabs a handful of suds and plasters them on my chin and in my mouth. My tongue comes out of my mouth and I start trying to spit out the taste of soap. Sophie just laughs. Hard. I squeak.

"Ashlee!!!!!!!!!!!!!" I hear Brock's voice from outside and down the hill. Dang, my laugh is loud.

"Did you know Brock is leaving for NorCal," Sophie's tone got more serious.

"What!?!?!?!?!! You're kidding me," I was stunned. My body stopped working. I didn't know what to think about. Uhhmmm doyyyyy. "Why him? Can't they take someone else? Not Brock!" I felt crushed. Brock brings so much joy to my day. "They already took Gryllz and Anne from me! Now Brock?"

"Yup," Sophie said.

Sad day.

Twenty minutes later, Brock walked into my cabin. "Don't go," I begged.

"You're going to have to find someone else to run with," he said, sadly.

I frowned. "Don't go," I said again. "Are you excited? You'll have so much fun. Don't go."

We walked up to the kitchen and talked about California.

Oh man. I'm going to miss his random waves and his Oliver Twist accent and his Vikings beanie and his Brockopolis-ness.


Day 23 of Brock:

I'm going to be a pro at the Cupid Shuffle by the time you return. -Me

Good. I'm tired of being the only pro. Practice walking it out. Most important part. -Brock


I really didn't know what to make of Brock at the beginning of training, but now I get all teary-eyed when I think about him leaving. Saying goodbye is no fun. Brockopolis, you will be missed.