“Camp Shady Pines” Summer Camp from Hell!! Part 2
And so without further ado, I was enrolled for a one week 1963 Summer Session at Camp Shady Pines.
I, of course, was not consulted over the matter. As for my brother, Matty, he was given a pass as he was deemed too “emotionally frail” to make the one week exile.
I soon found myself hauled away in the family station wagon and unceremoniously dumped off for a one week stay at Camp Shady Pines.
Mom had driven me up and after giving me a hug said she’d be back in a week to pick me up. She then looked around gave the air a disdainful sniff as if smelling something bad before driving off.
At reception – I was directed by a very bored-looking teenage boy with a clipboard to go to the “Wildcats” Cabin to check-in, stow my gear and meet my Camp Counselor, “Steve.”
My cabin was easy to find as I heard several young boys crying and being told to “shaddup” by an older sounding male voice. It sounded like a helluva fight was going on. So after dragging my duffel bag up a few creaky plank steps, I peeked inside the cabin.
The first thing I saw was two young boys beating the crap out of each other while an older teenager was lying on a bunk reading a tattered Batman comic book.
Every once in a while he would yell “knock it off” without taking his eyes off his magazine.
With no end to “Wrestlemania” insight, the older teenager got off his bunk with a sigh and began beating both kids with his comic book rolled up like a baton. “I SAID KNOCK IT OFF, YOU TWO!!!” he yelled knocking them apart like nine pins.
“But Petey peed on me!” howled one kid.
“It was an accident…I didn’t mean too, ” blubbered Petey.
“Godammit Petey, did you wet your bed again?”
“I didn’t mean too.”
“Okay, that’s it. Tommy, go clean yourself up…Petey, take your dirty mattress outside and let it air out…we’ll deal with it later. From now on Petey, you’re gonna have to sleep on the bottom bunk.”
Petey, sniffling took his mattress off his bunk and went outside leaving me alone and slack-jawed with Steve.
“Okay. Can I help you kid?”
“ImmububbusupposetobehuhhuhhereforCamp.”
“What?! I can’t understand ya. What’s yer name?
“Chu…Cha… Chah-lie.”
Okay, Chumley, I guess youre supposed to be here. I’m your Counselor, “Steve.” Now go put your stuff in that cubby and take the last bunk on the left it’s free. Do you wet your bed?”
“No!”
“Good. You can pick either the upper or lower bunks…go and get settled and don’t bother me…I got to catch up on some important work before supper. Steve went back to his bunk, laid down, and resumed reading his Batman comic book.
I went and put my stuff away, sat down on my bunk, and looked out of one of the fly specked windows of the cabin.
“CHUMLEY” GOOD GRIEF!!
To be continued…
