Surviving the Amazon, Episode 10: Pride Comes Before the Fall

It's only been two weeks, but it seems like such a long time ago that we last visited our Amazonian friends. During that time, we have debated Rob's vote against Deena through two articles filled with viewer e-mail (and I've gotten even more than I couldn't put into articles). Now we may finally get a hint as to whether he was smart or not so much.

We begin with a discussion between Jenna and Heidi about wearing their buffs as tube tops and/or skirts. Um. This is what we waiting two weeks for? Oh, wait, it's a lead-in to discussion of how cool it is that the four of them (Alex, Heidi, Jenna, Rob) are having a blast. Heidi says if they control immunity, they are in the final four.

Rob jokes (well, sort of a joke, but not really) with the other three about how the others - Matthew, Butch, and Christy - have fallen behind in getting wood and fish. He says he's booked all day thinking up funny things to say. Jenna says she has to think about what to wear to the challenge.

Alex privately says that he never thought he'd meet such cool people who would be his friends like this. Jenna says they are not only her best friends here, but would be at home too. All she does normally is hang out with her parents. And her mom isn't well - she has cancer.

Hmmm. Family discussion. That must mean something family-related is about to happen. (Well, that and the fact that we already knew that from previews and commercials.)

But first there is some more to the whole foursome story. As the three "outsiders" are getting wood, etc., the foursome are lying around tanning. Talk about flaunting your power. Alex admits it's like high school. They do a little less work because they have the majority vote. Um. What high school did he go to where you could vote off the other students? Just wonderin'.

Christy says she's a hard worker and doesn't mind, but sometimes she wants them to get off their butts. Nothing, though. Matt finds their behavior incomprehensible. Maybe they will be in the finals but by acting like this, they are guaranteeing that Butch, Christy, and himself will vote against them in the final two. (Of course, they plan to be against one of their own in the final two, so that wouldn't really matter.)

Treemail arrives - it's $500! And a hint that there will be an auction. Indeed, that's what it is. A food auction where each of them has $500. Host Jeff Probst says there is a limited number of items and the same item might come up more than once. But the auction will end without warning.

First up, cheese cake. Probst starts bidding at $120. Heidi bids. Nobody else. She wins! And she didn't even need to take off her clothes for it! Next is a covered dish. Alex pays $240 for it. Probst offers to trade for a different covered dish. Alex sticks with his first pick. The other dish is lasagna. Uh oh. The one Alex bought is manioc flour. Woohoo! He takes it well, saying he got screwed but, whatever.

Another covered dish follows. Matthew buys it for a whopping $400! Rob notes that it's a winner for Matt because even if it's gross he'll eat it (referring back to Matt's win in the bug-eating challenge last episode. But it's not gross at all - it's a big cheeseburger with fries and mayo. Well, okay, the mayo part is gross at least in terms of eating it with a cheeseburger. Blech. I'll never understand that particular combination. But I digress.

Following that is peanut butter and chocolate. Aha! Probst says it's "very familiar to Jenna and Heidi - it got their clothes off" a couple weeks earlier. Jenna buys it for $320 and doesn't have to give him the shirt off her back.

Next is scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, and a mystery surprise. Butch pays $400 for it and is going to enjoy it! Probst asks if he often gets to have breakfast in bed. Not often, no. Well now he does, as he gives Butch a rolled-up mattress and pillow for one. Nice.

A few items scroll by quickly: 32 gram protein bar to Rob, protein shake to Matt, chocolate cake to Heidi (yes, that's two pieces of cake for her). And then another covered dish. Alex goes for it again, paying $240. This time he gets something good - steak and baked potato.

Now the food is over. However, using the same money there is a second part to the auction - letters from home. The bidding begins and Christy, who had bought nothing food-wise, easily outbids the others at $340 as she is holding back tears. She picks up the letters as Jenna cries and Heidi cries for her. They hug.

Probst says he doesn't want this to be a sad occasion. So if it's okay with Christy, he'll put the letters up for auction again. Jenna bids. Then, strangely, Heidi bids against her. Jenna bids $120 and says that's all she's got left. Nobody bids against her and she gets the letter. The auction is closed.

After they get back to camp, Jenna pouts that she was surprised that Christy would bid against her - but maybe not really. Yeah, how dare the deaf girl who's not in the "in" crowd bid against you, Queen Jenna? Give me a break. I notice that she doesn't mention anything about Heidi bidding against her the second time. Perhaps neither of them understood quite how auctions work…

Matt says his feeling is that Christy deserved the letter. She's had a bumpy ride so far and it would raise her spirits. He thought Jenna was being selfish. Yes, that comes as a shock to all readers, I know.

Christy goes off to be alone and opens the letter while crying. It's from a good friend of hers - an amazing person. The friend says that she hopes she's doing alright with the hearing people. Christy says she knows that people back home love her and even if she can't trust people here in the Amazon, she can at home.

Jenna's letter says that her mother's brain tumor shrunk 50%. She cries. Heidi cries with her. Hugs all around. Jenna says it's better than anything she could have asked for. For a change, I certainly can't disagree with her.