For some reason, our little group of friends used to get most of the troubled campers to deal with... I am not sure why. Maybe it was our skill, maybe it was our intelligence, maybe it was the fact that the director of the camp didn't like us very much. Sometimes this used to happen away from our own campers as well. For instance, one day on the water front I was confronted by the then water front director, Anne. She told me that there was a kid that no one wanted to take because he was "crazy." Anyway, I used to think that most of the time, the kids who were ignored the most because of their attitudes were the ones that needed the most attention so I was pissed off that she took that attitude. I went over to him and asked him what he would like to do for his free period. He just kind of looked at me with these angry eyes. I am not sure he even meant to make the face he was making.
He was a very troubled kid. One time, he had gotten so out of control, he had climbed up a tree and refused to come down, but that is another story. Since we were on the water front, I figured we would try a canoe or a play-ack or maybe even a sailboat. But he wouldn't get on any of them and I was starting to think by his mood that it might be a good idea to keep him away from oars or other types of large wooden objects, like a dagger board.
Finally, I sat down on a paddle boat. His eyes popped up and his expression changed. He looked at me like I had just opened a container of his favorite food. I thought, hey, yes! A paddle boat, it would be easy to do, burn off some energy and completely harmless. Let's go!
As we got in the boat I steered for a little while and kicked along with my new friend. He was kicking like crazy, in fact, after a bit, I stopped kicking almost altogether and he was propelling the boat decently. He kept trying to steer but I stopped him for fear that we might end up in the weeds or something. But after a bit, I let him steer.
He had the time of his life. I never saw this little "crazy" boy more happy. However, after a while, I noticed that he was steering really close to the sailboats. In fact, he was maneuvering directly toward one that happened to have our friendly water front director in it. I thought that he was going to turn, but he never did and we smashed right in to the little sunfish on the broadside. It didn't do any damage and just startled the director and her passenger, but that boy enjoyed every minute of it.
Now, I am glad that I let that kid do that. It might not have been appropriate completely, but it was good for two reasons. One, because he was a camper, and campers come first and two because no one really gave him a chance to do anything because of his gnarly attitude. I really hoped it made a difference to his experience at camp and I think it did. As for myself, I enjoyed watching him paddle as hard as he could and tire himself out. I think he was totally chill at dinner that night, too for once.
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I said it before, and I'll say it again .... "It's all about the Campers, and it's all about the fun!". I recall upsetting the very same waterfront director, the very same year, in almost the very same manner. One of my camper's parents were unable to attend visiting day. He was pretty down, so I cheered him up by telling him I would hang out with him for the whole day. He asked to go to Friendly's (since most parents take their kids to Friendly's or some other restaurant on visitng day). Of course, I couldn't do that, so I had to be creative. While searching for ideas, I was told by one of the counselors [whose grandmother lived on the lake] that there was a candy store at the other end of the lake [under the forbidden bridge {next to the public beach}. I decided not to go under the forbiden bridge, but did to take a row boat [w/ my surrogate son] over to the public beach in hopes that the ice cream truck would arrive. Of course it didn't, .... So, ................ I went under the bridge and rowed for awhile, hoping luck would find its way. Well,......... it did. After rowing for about 15 minutes, we encountered an ice cream truck. Thus, I rowed over to the bank, got out, and got hot dogs and ice cream. As we were rowing back (and just went under the bridge), the Water Front Director pulled up in the "putt-putt". She yelled for me to hook up the row boat. Her face was completely red ... frankly, she was pissed off! I looked back at the Camper [face covered with chocolate syrup], and realized it was totally and completely worth it! She towed us back to the dock, and started ranting and raving. As expected, she reported the "incident" to Senior Staff.As unexpected [I heard] all but one shrugged without any concern. My point? Placing that Camper in front of the "rules" to give him a life remembering moment [or simply taking his mind off of his parents] even if for just a few hours, was worth any admonishment or disciplinary action that may have arisen. Interestingly enough, I went to a Visiting Day a few years after that year. That very same camper was now in the Senior Unit. He came over to me with his parents and said "remember when we got busted for getting ice cream?" Both of his parents looked at each other and smiled, as his father said "He still calls that year the best summer of his life" -- Epic!!!!
Ha. That same director yelled at both of us at the same time, during the "chubby bunny" episode. I don't even remember the details on that one, maybe it's enough for a regular post.
Hey, bamf, I was going to make some jokes on the main post, but your story touched me, man.
Well, Doc, I aims to please!
As far as the chubby bunny story ....
It was a rainy day on the waterfront. In fact the third rainy day in a row. The weather began to clear so, the "waterfront director" decided to organize some rounds of "chubby bunny" with the entire Jr. Unit. The "game" consisted of two or more campers getting up in front of the jr. unit, stuffing marshmallows in their mouth. After each marshmallow went into the mouth, the camper had to say "chubby bunny". If they couldn't pronounce it, they had to sit down. The last person standing won. The waterfront director had 3 to 4 campers up in front of the group at a time. Thus, after the 3rd or 4th round, the campers that participated were bored. Additionally, with only three bags of marshmallows, the campers that could add realized they likely wouldn't get a change to play. So.,,,, we decided to start a water volley ball game. In fact, the Unit Director, was quite impressed with our enthusiasm [and actually played]. Well, as time went on, half of the Jr. Unit was playing water volleyball. Soon thereafter, it got to a point where the only one playing chubby bunny was water front director! And, she must have been winning because I could totally comprehended her yelling in my face (and the two other counselors that organized the volleyball match), that we didn't "have the authority to have the campers leave the bench [the spot where she had organized chubby bunny]. She then ordered the Jr. Unit to go back to the bench and play "chubby bunny" ---[with half a bag of melted marshmallows left]. NOW THAT'S FUN ---AIN'T IT! Anywho, I can't recall if the campers went back or not, but again, this was another classic episode at "Frank A. Day"! WHO CAN SAY CHUBBY BUNNY? IF YOU CAN .... WHO GIVES A .....
Wow, now Chubby Bunny is coming back to me. I just stuffed a pillow in my mouth and am trying to type it.
Another key concept here: Control. Herr Direktor was VERY much into control. As were his direct minions; who would sell him up the river for a night out at the pits....step out of line; you get Marked for Death by Screwface (Steven Seagal, 1990).
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