I am sitting at my desk overlooking the rooftops of Champaign-Urbana, but I am anywhere but here today.
I am back at camp.
I was fortunate that my parents “shipped” me off to an all-girls overnight camp in Minnesota during the summers of my youth. It was at camp where I learned to sail a boat, make a fire and shoot a bow and arrow. It was at camp where I became me.
Today is the first day of camp. I remember the feeling of stepping off the bus and seeing old friends who I hadn’t seen since we said our goodbyes at summer’s end the year before. I can sense the anticipation of meeting our new counselors and heading off to our new cabins. I recall the annual rituals of that first night, playing a circle game while singing John Jacob Jingleheimer Schmidt and if the weather permitted, getting into our swimsuits and taking a leap down a slip and slide.
Now I sing that song to my daughter. I will definitely hum it to her tonight.
6 responses so far ↓
John Jacob Jingleheimer-Schmidt // June 19, 2007 at 3:18 pm
Hey! That’s my name, too!
Cynthia // June 19, 2007 at 5:27 pm
Funny how you can alway pick Don’s posts out….
Mrs. Chicken // June 19, 2007 at 6:03 pm
That reminds me of an episode of “This American Life” I listened to recently, about camp. It said the world is divided into two - people who went to camp and people who didn’t.
bettycat // June 20, 2007 at 8:44 am
Drat drat and doubledrat!! Curses! It’s been an hour or more since I read your post and niggling in the back of my mind is that sttoooopppidd song JJJS….it just won’t go away.
La la la la la la la la Thank you oh so much!!!
I never liked camp. I was always such a dork and wanted so badly to not be one. One year the coolest girl befriended me (she was so nice and so cool) then the HOT guy hooked up with her and one day said (within earshot) whaddya doin with that dork? It stings me, still!! Hopefully THAT guy is fat and bald by now.
lbotp // June 20, 2007 at 9:04 am
Mrs. Chicken — You’re totally right. Mr. lbotp didn’t go to camp and he just doesn’t get it. That’s actually an understatement. We have actually had “fights” about whether or not Peanut will go to camp. But looking at the prices these days at my camp (one reason I didn’t link it), we’ll have to take out a second mortgage or two to pay for it.
Betty — Too funny. Sorry … if it makes you feel better I have some bizarre children’s rap song about nursery rhymes in my head right now.
Mrs. Chicken // June 20, 2007 at 3:07 pm
I am in the “didn’t go” camp - but it always seemed like such a wonderful idea. I hope we can send The Poo someday.
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