Once I was too old for babysitting Dad finally sent me off to camp. Now when I went I did not go with my pajamas which I'm thinking now maybe I should've.
Everything went pretty well normal. Dad drove me over. I was tearful for being left alone. One of the counselors at the camp introduced me to everyone else where I seemed to be accepted - but that ended come night.
It was clear that the boys my age 10-12 really I mean REALLY thought they were grown men. No-one had a voice higher pitched than mine whether they were forcing themselves to all speak in a deep tone. Puberty had not hit me yet - but they were plastered with its release.
At night it was pretty clear who were the men and who were the boys. Correction boy. I had undressed from my shorts and T-shirt the end of the day to just my underwear then taking my teddy bear from my suit-case went to wander around the cabin to quietly watch them converse and interact with each other.
They all wore like GI-Joe pajamas and NONE brought a teddy bear. So yeah, I was immediately kidded for that - especially for walking around in my underwear. The first thing they did was to get behind me and tug at my underwear to try and pull them off.
"Kah-wit it !" I finally told them in frustration and suddenly dropped Teepo to pull on the sides of my underwear to keep them on as the rude kids who were still tugging from the sides almost had them off of me.
And that's when they made a mistake. Someone reached down on the floor to take my teddy bear and ran away with it yelling, "I got it ! I got it !"
And that's when I went ballistic !
NOBODY TAKES MY TEDDY, not even today !
While they were just joking around when it came to messing with Teepo, I was out for blood ! I was truly beating the crap out of one of these older kids who kept laughing at me when counselor Mark who introduced himself earlier in the day suddenly lifted me up pinning my arms to my side causing me to screech in terrible fury.
And apparently I was loud enough to hurt your hearing as I saw some of the boys cup their hands to their ears.
"What's going on here ?" he yelled above my shrieking. "The bell's already sounded. You should be in your bunks by now !"
One of the taller kids pointed. "It's this little idiot ! All we did was take his stupid bear away from him and he goes Charles Manson on us. He's a freak !"
But now I was crying, really crying hard. My whole face was wet and wiggling out from Mark's grip I turned around and buried my head in his shirt getting it all wet.
He put a supportive arm behind me. "Where is it now ?" he asked.
Everyone was quiet. He raised his voice in threat, "Where is the bear now ? Unless you all want an hour long and hard military march on the river trail tomorrow you'll turn over this boy's property immediately !"
"Stupid sissy !" someone said and threw it on the ground next to me. I jumped to the ground and with my eyes closed still tearful I hugged it rocking back and forth on my butt and calves of my legs.
"Crybaby !" someone else said.
"He doesn't belong here." another one said.
"Maybe there's a junior camp he can be in ?" someone else asked trying to be polite.
Mark held his hand up to stop the suggestions and insults. He sighed. "I'll take care of it." He then addressed the boy I was fighting. "Now what was your name, Harry, do you need to go see the nurse ?"
I was pretty sure there was no way he was going to say a little shrimp like me beat the stuffing out of him even though his face was all bloody so he just pulled his head back and laughed trying to sound mature, "Naww, I'm fine. The weasel never even touched me !"
Mark held a hand out, "Tough guy, huh ? Well go and get yourself washed up then."
Harry stepped around us while Mark leaned down to his knees to meet my height and put a hand on my shoulder to stop me from rocking. Then he looked up.
"Does anyone know the name of this camper ?"
"Jerkoff !" came back immediately from one of the rude kids.
The polite boy from earlier also talked though, "No, it's Andrew, sir. I think it's the first time he's been here."
"That's fine, Maverick. Thank you." Leaning back down Mark spoke quietly to me, "Andrew, you're going to stay with me, okay ?"
"Okay." I said in a very scared voice. He then put two fingers forward from each hand and tucked them beneath my armpits to get me to rise up.
"Go get your suitcase."
I nodded. As I was closing up my suitcase he went to the top bunk where I was going to sleep and grabbed the pillow and sheets there. There was a towel folded too provided by the camp, he took that all under one arm.
"Come on, Andrew. I'll make sure you get a good night's sleep."
And I followed him out the cabin.
I was thinking about it now but maybe he had forgotten that I was just wearing underwear cause when we stepped out the girls from the other cabin immediately spotted me and started making all kinds of silly and biting remarks.
"Oh my god ! Look how cute he is !"
"Hey dork, did you forget something ?"
"I guess he signed up for the wrong camp."
"What a dumbass !"
"Look guys ! He's got his widdle teddy bear, You want a baby bottle ? wa wa wa !"
I started crying again and stopped. Mark unrolled the towel and wrapped it around my middle to cover my underwear and lack of any other clothes. "Come on, Andrew, it's not much further."
The rude comments continued until the woman counselor who was herding the girls into their respective cabin reprimanded them with harsh whispers.
"Leave him alone ! He's obviously out of his age group. Mark will take care of this. I want you ladies in your cabin now !"
I walked with Mark what seemed a pretty long time but I think I was just upset and feeling it was longer than it actually was. Finally we entered a cabin that had his name printed above in a blue plastic plaque.
"In here, Andrew." he said and opened the screen door for me to go in first. I did and the first thing I smelled very strongly was citronella.
"Have a seat here, please." he said. There was a smaller chair apparently for the kids he had to council that was to the side of his desk.
I did so. He then sat in a chair to access the desk papers in front of him.
"Here we go. List of campers. Boys list. Ah here you are at the top. Andrew Wicker. Birthdate ... Okay. Huh - that doesn't seem right." Then he looked at me. "Andrew, how old are you ?"
"I'm 11. You know when I was 7 my sister was 11 and we were the 7-11." I smiled at him.
He smirked, "Good to know. 11, really ? " He noisily closed a desk drawer while muttering to himself, "Runt of the litter."
He then looked at me for about a minute. I didn't say anything. He didn't say anything. Then finally he asked me, "Are you feeling better now ?"
I nodded.
"Good, come here."
I got up from my seat to walk over and put my arms around him for a hug.
He grabbed my hands and spoke politely, "No no, that's not what I mean."
I pulled back and put both clenched hands to my mouth to show that I was in trouble.
He saw that and sighed, "No, you're fine, you're just - here, pay attention."
He went to the bedroom and opened the door. "Here, you can sleep here. I'll sleep on the cot. Call me if you need anything."
Then he closed the door and I realized I had it pretty good right then. The bed was a whole lot better than those wooden bunks and I had a private bathroom for myself too."
I washed my face a little as I had some blood about my ears and wrists. I looked to my hands. I had really sharp nails since I never cut them nor did Dad. I'd bite them occasionally but not very often. Usually I had little razor slants on my first three fingers of each hand.
That's how I managed to cut up that other camper so good. I guess I fought like I girl but I was mad for them to take my Teepo away.
In truth though you could mess me with me all you wanted and I wouldn't fight back cause I was really scared of fighting anyways. But for Teepo. That was the world to me so I would fight - the world for him. Nothing would come between us.
I brushed my teeth with the toothbrush and toothpaste Dad packed for me. I noticed I had dried blood beneath my fingernails but I didn't mind and didn't even bother to clean them.
Then I really had to kind of JUMP to get into his bed as it was so tall compared to me. I still had Teepo my teddy bear with me so it was all good.
I left the bathroom light on as my night light and then I slept.
And I didn't dream at all. I awoke many hours later to smell fried bananas and something sweet. I hopped out of bed and fell badly forgetting how tall it was compared to me. Fortunately not hurting myself.
Then I knocked on the door leading to the rest of the cabin. I'm thinking now that was a little silly of me to do.
"Enter." Mark said in a friendly tone.
I did so and saw he had an electric skillet and was frying up some banana pancakes. "I'm cooking these for you, but you need to be dressed. You can't wander around all the time in your underwear. Please put on something."
I nodded. Closed the door. Then returned dressed in the same underwear, shorts, and T-shirt I came with yesterday. The shirt had a sailing scene on it along with writing from some travel agency. Dad had packed it for me.
He looked to see I was dressed, "Better. I - uh - had a chance to talk with the other counselors, especially about the fight you got into and they agreed that you should stay with me during your week at camp here. Is that alright ?"
I nodded again silently.
"Fine. Eat up. Here -" and he fished out a plastic plate from a lower cabinet and a metal fork from an upper one. Then transferred the three pancakes to the plate. He reached in an upper cabinet for syrup.
I poured a big gob on and ate. And I guess I didn't do that right either.
"You're making an awful mess !" he said in complete amazement.
* * *
"Dad has me eat in the bathtub." I told him.
"What ?" He couldn't believe that.
I nodded, "Yep. I'm a messy eater. My sister suggested it."
He sighed, "So do you NEED to eat in a bathtub ?"
I thought about it from a moment licking the syrup from my lips.
He shook his head. "No, we're not going to do that. If there is one thing you learn at camp while you're here it will be to eat properly. I'll work with you on this. I'm sure your Father will thank me later."
"Alright." I said and handed him the plate back.
"Did - you want more ?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Okay. I'll make 3 more but then we need to go outside and witness some nature. Pretty sure that's why your Pop sent you here."
He took his frying pan and put in more batter. Then took a fresh banana hanging from a metal colander hanging from two wires in the ceiling.
As he did I looked around his place a bit better with sunlight coming in from all sides. He had a lot of different photos on his shelves. In all of them it showed a team of boys behind him, each different than the last.
"Breakfast !" he finally said.
I returned and gobbled up the 3-pancakes again, once again making a horrid mess.
"Sit." he said simply in a tight voice.
Then he took a dingy washcloth and cleaned the floor where I had dropped bits of food. He looked at me for a second. Then took the washcloth to my face, where I laughed.
He grinned, "Oh you like that do you ? Well maybe you're okay after all."
I repeated, "You're okay."
A moment later I added, "After all."
He shook his head and I knew why now. How could someone like me possibly go to school without the teacher saying SOMETHING about me not fitting in with the bigger more mature kids around me.
But no, no words were spoken. The teachers I guess had their hands full with the rest of the students. That had to be it.
Anyways he scrubbed my face all over. Finally putting the cloth down the front of my shirt. I laughed cause I was so ticklish.
"Here, take your shirt off for a second."
I did pulling it up to the top then leaving it there.
After a minute of me not moving he spoke, "Wha - what's the problem ?"
"Help me." I told him.
"Help you with what ? Your shirt ?"
I shrugged, "Dad always helps me."
"Well I'm not your Dad." he stated flatly.
My arms sagged but I continued to have my shirt still half-on half-off.
After a minute of me not moving he was getting impatient, "Fine ! Here - " and helped me with the rest of it if not in an agitated hurry.
He thought about that for a moment, then took the cloth and washed the front of my chest where apparently some of the blood had gotten.
He looked at my shorts which also had blood on them and admonished angrily, "D****t ! This is not going to work."
Standing well above me he spoke down, "Andrew. Go and get undressed. We're going to wash your clothes. I'll pick some new ones out for you and you can wear that."
I nodded and went to the bedroom to undress. After a few minutes he knocked on the door. "You decent ?"
I just opened the door fully naked and stood in the door frame. And now I realize there was a problem here because he looked me up and down for several long seconds, biting his lower lip.
"Are you okay ?" I asked quietly in a tremulous voice like maybe I had done something wrong.
He shook his head, "Yeah, uhh, here. This should fit." He looked at me for several more seconds, his eyes pinned to my waist. Then he jerked his head away to walk away and suddenly flung open the screen door to step outside. He flung it with such force that it whacked against the wall and smacked the frame again on the way back.
Back then I really thought I did something wrong. But for the life of me I didn't know what.
I then dressed in the new oversized clothes quickly and watched him walk by one of the windows. He was talking to himself I could see that but he wasn't making any sense, the words I didn't understand, they were big words. And he seemed I guess angry with himself.
He stormed counter-clockwise around the perimeter of his cabin a 2nd time before finally opening up the door and yelling like he was mad, "Are you ready already ?"
"Yessir !" I told him. I grabbed Teepo from the edge of the bed and then was out the door with him.
The moment I stepped out I could see the lady counselor was there talking to her group a few cabins away. Apparently safety tips before they began trailblazing.
Seeing me the girl campers started to point again with big wide grins, leers, and smiles.
Mark saw this. He looked at the girls and puzzled quietly to himself. "What are they looking at ?" Then looked down at my arm to see I was holding Teepo, my teddy bear.
He once again lowered down to his knees to meet me. "Andrew, you can't have your teddy bear with you."
I hugged my bear closer to me, "Why ?"
He sighed. Rolled his eyes to look up at the trees. It was clear he was in deep thought. Finally he spoke, "What's the name of your bear ?"
"Teepo."
"Right, Teepee will - "
I corrected him, "Teepo !"
One of the girls in the distance giggled I guess just from hearing me speak.
He lowered his own voice now to a whisper and spoke harshly. "Fine, Tee poe ! Teepo." His voice softened, "Look, Teepo may get lost if you carry him around outside. And you wouldn't want to lose him would you ?"
"No !" I told him.
And I was pretty sure he wasn't certain if I was agreeing with him or NO that I wasn't going to leave Teepo behind.
Without questioning what I meant, he simply took my shoulders and turned me around to go back in the cabin. He followed after me.
He scratched the back of his neck, "Look uh, just leave Teepo here and we'll come back for him later, okay ?"
"He'll get stolen." I said with conviction.
"He'll - what ?" I could see he was getting pretty frustrated now.
"All those boys will want him." I was certain that's why they took him from me.
Mark was getting exasperated, "Look ! Just - put him on the bed in the bedroom, okay ? He'll be safe there."
"Do you have a lock ?" I asked sweetly.
He was at wit's end. "What - for the door ! Christ ! No there's no lock ! I mean - yes, a lock. No-one will get in. No-one. Look. Here's the key for the door okay ?" and he pulled out one of the keys from his pocket.
I then took Teepo and set him right on the pillow there.
"Okay, we're locking the door now, see ? Click click." and he dragged the key across the door-handle fumbling it without actually turning it but to make a metallic sound. I realize now there was no keyhole but at the time I thought he really was locking it.
"Are we good now ?" he asked.
I nodded.
"Fine." He sighed in satisfaction. Then added, "Here we go !" and we were out the screen door again.
END
OF CHAPTER 2
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CHAPTER 2 -
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