My Cherokees marched in single file to the Chapel for opening day ceremonies – which I cajoled them to do in an orderly fashion by describing that this was the accepted “Indian” way of hiking dating back to the
dawn of time. The Chapel at this camp was a hill with log “pews” dug into the ground leading down to a log podium
which had a log cross on it. (This was a
Young Men’s Christian Association camp remember).
The Big Chief, (whose gender and name is now lost in the
shadows of my memory) led us in a prayer of thanksgiving for this wonderful day and the opportunity to commune with God’s handiwork and welcomed each of the 8 tribes –
girls and boys from infants to young teens.
He/she outlined the many reasons that each young camper should
come to all three sessions because each had a special theme. This first session would be highlighted by a
“carnival” on the overnight experience – whatever that was? And I heard for the first time “overnight” as
a part of this day camp; I felt a small anxiety attack coming from the pit of
my stomach. The session ended with a hymn. The
B.I.B.L.E. now that’s the book for me…dah, dah, and dah. And my adventure in camping began in earnest.
On my schedule was a small hike. I led our mighty band of 10 plus one (me) across the small
bridge over the “lake” which was actually a creek that had been dammed into forming a proverbial “swimming hole” with a small imported sandy beach and cedar water literally
blacker than midnight. The night before I had read through my old Boy Scout Manual and so I was prepared to point out the flora and fauna of the piney primeval. The camp was located on a
mined-out sand mine donated to the Y by the Wolf family after it had served its
business purpose. Beyond the main
building and the cabins it was crisscrossed by gravel roads cut into the pines
and oaks going to nowhere in particular.
As we marched along I delivered a running commentary of points of
interest for my “braves” – “There’s a
pine tree know as conifer something over there…look a deer footprint, or perhaps a dog,
whatever…Rodger I think that's poison ivy you are walking through…yes you can
collect pine cones for arts and crafts….you’ve been here before, well now you
are here again…phew it’s really hot.”
Ten minutes out from camp was enough – ten minutes back and
we would be right on time for Arts n’ Crafts with Miss Pat. I barked, “About face” and no one moved. I explain that meant turn around in army talk
and everyone spun around. Everyone
except Rodger.
Rodger was gone?
“Yea Gods, my first day and I have lost one already”,
echoed in my head. I started to yell
his name and the tribe followed suit. We bellowed“Rodgeeeeeeeeer
WHERE ARE YOU????” I started having
visions of being fired. Sued by his
parents. A legion of firemen and cops and bloodhounds combing the wilderness. Helicopters
buzzing up and down the minature beach front. I told the crew that we must stay put and he would find
us – remembering my days of getting this instruction from my mom when I was
9. Anxious minutes dragged by. And then as we waited in silence – we heard a
low giggle. “Who’s laughing?” I
shouted. “No one,” the tribe replied in
unison. We heard another giggle. Where was this coming from? Then I looked up and in a tree about 27 feet
up was Rodger precariously perched on a limb and with a smile on his face that
I would learn to hate as the summer progressed. I shouted up to him, “Rodger, ##^&* damn it – you get down here
immediately and if you fall and hurt yourself…I will break every bone in your
body!” He scampered down like a red
assed monkey (as Grandmother Ethel was wont to say). I wondered to myself if one whack on his bony butt would also get me fired? I rejected the idea – for the time being at least. We marched back to camp – it was at least 104 degrees and getting hotter. The Jersey mosquitoes had found us and were actually flying in formation and taking turns diving at our ankles. And to make matters worse my
sneakers were filled with sand (which I learned that evening was filled with sand fleas).
That night I wrote a Note to
self – get some hiking boots!
(To Be Continued)
