Summer Husband
6. The Birds and the Bees
After breakfast Abby and I walked into arts & crafts. “You can barely smell the essence of mildew over the aroma of coffee,” I said.
“Help yourself,” Maggie said.
“Go figure, your dirty water coffee is much better than the sludge in the dining hall,” Abby said.
The orientation schedule lay open on the table. “So, what’s up for today?” I asked.
Abby pointed to an item in bold.
10:15—Spend time getting to know your counselors
My stomach flipped. “Are you as nervous about meeting the counselors as I am?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it,” Abby said.
“Really? What if we don’t get along?”
“I used to get nervous meeting new students, but after twenty years, I don’t even think about it anymore,” Abby said.
“Lori, you’re looking at it all wrong. You’re in charge,” Maggie said. “The counselors should be concerned about you not liking them. Trust me, if you go in with that attitude, everything will fall into place.”
I glanced at my watch. “It shouldn’t be a problem to change my entire outlook on life in, what, the next hour?”
“Come on, can you seriously be worried about what a bunch of teenagers think of you?” Maggie asked.
“It’s more about, well, what if I suck at my job, and the counselors undermine me, and the campers take advantage of my lack of experience? Kids can smell fear, you know.”
“You can handle this. Stop making yourself crazy,” Abby said.
“Can I come to you for advice?”
“That’s a given.” Maggie smiled. “If I can’t help, you can always go to Bethany, she’s a lifer.”
“What’s a lifer?”
“Someone who went to camp here and never left.”
Abby looked up from the schedule and said, “I’m surprised by how many adults can take off the entire summer to work at a sleepaway camp.”
Walking through the gates of Girls Camp, I saw groups of young women sitting in front of the cabins they were assigned to. Thankfully, they had name badges. I put a smile on my face.
“Hey Lori, come and join us.” I remembered Amber because of her elaborate braids.
“Hi, I’m excited to work with you,” I said, joining the group. I smiled at each expectant face and took a deep breath. “I thought the best way to get to know each other is to tell something interesting about ourselves. You know, something you wouldn’t write on your resume. I’ll go first. My name is Lori and I’ve never been to sleepaway camp.”
“How can you be a division leader if you’ve never been to camp?” Carrie asked.
Before I could answer, a girl with striking dimples jumped in.
“Hi, I’m Genie and I was a camper here for six years, and I can tell you from experience that there’s nothing to it. If you have half a brain and can count, you can do this job.”
I raised my hand. “I qualify. Genie, since you’re a veteran, tell us about your experience at Woodlands.”
“Sure. Like I said, I was a camper and one of my goals was to come back as a counselor and lose my virginity here. I mean, I got my first period at camp, so I’m looking at it as, you know, another rite of passage.”
Huh, interesting insight. “Okay. well, I did ask for something you wouldn’t put on your resume.”
Nervous giggles led to everyone wanting to share their stories.
“I’ve lost my virginity twice,” Jojo said.
“How can you lose it twice?” Genie asked.
“One time with a guy and then with a girl. I’m sticking with girls.”
I hadn’t thought about the night I lost mine in eons.
“Well, I was eighteen . . .
“What? Wait. Are you seriously going to tell us?” Genie asked.
“Isn’t that what we’re talking about?”
“Yeah, but you’re like old enough to be our mother,” Genie said.
I started laughing. “Let’s switch to camp-regulated topics.”
After the meeting, I fell into step with Genie. “I just wanted to say that if you need anything, I’m here for you.”
“Like what?”
“An ear or a shoulder. I want to make sure you’re okay. That you’re safe. Do you have condoms?”
Genie rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but you’re my boss, not my mother.”
I stopped short and watched her walk off. She’d not only clarified her boundaries, but she had also made mine apparent. I was their supervisor. Not mother. Not friend. She also gave me a glimpse of what it would be like to have a teenager. I was clearly unprepared for either role. What made me think working at a sleepaway camp had been a good idea?
Bethany appeared at my side. “How’d your meeting go?”
“Okay, I guess. We somehow got on the subject of how they lost their virginity.”
Bethany gave me a wry smile and flipped through her clipboard, “Nope, I don’t see virginity listed as a recommended ice breaker.”
“Well, it was more interesting than finding out what they’d bring on a picnic.”