Mom knew that my emotions were high, which would
probably trigger the inevitable. She tried to distract me by initiating games for
my brother and me to play. My favorite was the “A, B, C Game.” But my brother
and I would get in a fight because I said he always cheated. He saw letters on
signs that we’d already passed, so it couldn’t be verified. In hindsight, I
know he just wanted to win so he could get back to reading his comic book. It
took an especially long time to play because on the narrow mountain roads there
were no billboards. Matter of fact there were very few signs at all. Oh, there
was an occasional tobacco advertisement and maybe a road sign saying that we
were 100 miles from nowhere, but that was it.
Mom decided that she might as well start
preparing me for what was coming when they left me at camp for a whole two
weeks. I was 10 years old and had only stayed away from home for a few nights
travelling with my grandparents, but never this long and without my family. My
brother snickered at me because he would have the rule of the roost with my parent’s
undivided attention. Mom said I could call collect if I needed them and they
would be there in 3½ hours. She told me she was certain I would have fun. I
wasn’t quite so sure—there were bugs and snakes and who knows what other wild
animals lurking in the woods.
They walked me into the big lodge where the camp
counselors lure the parents into thinking this is a safe place for little kids
like me. I just knew as soon as they walked out the door it would be kiddie
boot camp. When Mom said goodbye she got tears in her eyes, especially when she
saw my bottom lip quiver and knowing that my blubbering would follow shortly
thereafter. My brother had tears in his eyes too because he was laughing so
hard that I had to go to camp and he didn’t.
Things were going pretty well after I met some other
girls. Meeting some really cute boys helped too. After dinner we were told that
activities for the next day were going to be different than listed on the
agenda. I thought, “Oh no, here it comes.” This is different than the schedule
they gave our parents to make them think this camp would be fun. Now the
drudgery starts. They said because of predicted rain, the hiking and camping
trip would be moved to another day. We would still have outdoor activities so we
should get our rain gear ready.
When I got back to my cabin and looked for my
little red coat with large white polka dots, it wasn’t in my suitcase. I told
my counselor and she said they’d find it.
The next morning it was cold and wet. I wasn’t
sure what I would do, but hoped they’d think of something. We had indoor crafts
in the morning as we listened to the song Bridge Over Troubled Waters . . .
yeah, that described me. That afternoon we would venture outside in the rain
for an ecology lesson.
My long face brightened when I saw my counselor
carrying my red coat with the white polka dots! My dad had driven the entire
distance to drop it off and then drove back home. I learned later that he and
mom were afraid that if I saw him I’d want to leave camp. So their plan for him
to sneak in and out without me knowing it, worked. That little red polka dot
raincoat got used a lot during the next two weeks because it rained most of the
time that I was there.
I was reminded of my helpless feeling when I
heard about the homeless people in our town that needed warm clothing. Our
church announced that it is collecting coats and winter clothes.
Today’s gift was to gather Tim’s and my winter
clothes and drop them off for someone who so desperately needs them. I can’t give
someone the comfort that my polka dot coat gave a scared little girl, but at
least the clothes will help keep them warm and dry.
In Giving,
Robin
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