Now the counselors around us all started applauding, so I looked around at my friends and then joined in.
“Welcome to Camp Cedarbark,” the woman—Deborah—went on. “We’ve been having a fantastic summer so far, and this week promises to be no exception! Thank you all so much for applying to be counselors for our Best of All Worlds camp—this week, instead of focusing on one activity, like arts and crafts or sports, our campers will get to try it all! And so will you.” She paused. “But of course, you won’t have to do it alone. You’ll all be leading a bunk of six campers, but you’ll each be assigned a CIT, a counselor-in-training, to help you. The CITs will arrive in two days and will have one day of training with you before the campers arrive. Make no mistake, though, you ladies are in charge. I expect you to all be responsible, and to remember that these girls’ parents have entrusted their precious children to you. Let’s make sure everybody is safe and happy—and if you have any concerns, you can always speak to me or my husband, Miles. Miles, wave at everyone!”
A stout, bearded man wearing an orange Camp Cedarbark shirt walked out from the corner and waved. We all clapped politely.
Deborah went on, “After dinner, we’re going to spend a couple of hours learning child CPR with our resident nurse, Cathy. Then you’ll get a chance to relax and unwind at the campfire. But don’t stay up too late—breakfast is promptly at seven thirty every morning.”
Next to me, George groaned.
Deborah waved. “All right, enjoy your dinner!”
The next two hours went by in a blur. We finished our spaghetti and bused our tables, then helped fold up the tables and roll them to the side of the room. Then we sat down with Cathy, a kind-eyed lady with short, curly gray hair, who brought out two child-size dummies and taught us the basics of child CPR. We practiced with partners—mine was Sam, the baseball-cap-wearing girl who’d greeted us in the driveway, who seemed super nice. Then, as we were all getting worn out, Cathy finally collected the dummies and said that was enough for now—we’d practice again tomorrow. She told us to leave the mess hall and walk toward the lake, where Deborah and Miles would have started the campfire.
We stumbled out of the mess hall and, in the moonlight, found our way past a row of cabins, down a small, steep path, and to a big campfire area that was right on the bank of the lake. Eight big logs surrounded a fire that was ringed by rocks. It was huge and crackly, and behind it, Deborah and Miles sat on one of the logs, smiling.
“We’re so happy you’re all here,” Miles said. “Make yourselves comfortable, please. Your work is done for tonight.”
Once we were all settled around the campfire, Miles pulled out an acoustic guitar and began playing. He asked whether there were any Camp Larksong alums there, and Bess eagerly raised her hand. Looking around the campfire, I counted two others.
“That’s great,” said Miles. “Deborah is an alum too.”
“Five years in a row,” Deborah confirmed. “First as a camper, then a CIT, then a counselor. That’s why we bought and restored this place. I just love it so much.”
Miles fingered a few notes on the guitar, and the alums all made little noises of recognition.
“Who remembers the camp song?” Deborah asked. She began singing in a clear voice:
Friends and nature, sports and fun,
Camp Larksong glitters in the sun,
We come together every year,
Some come from far, some come from near. . . .
Bess began singing along beside me, and soon the others who’d raised their hands to say they were alums joined in. The song was folksy and pretty, and it made me a little sleepy, but I could also see how happy the alums were to sing it.
From the Camp Larksong song, Miles moved on to “Kumbaya,” and then “On Top of Spaghetti,” and then I lost track. We all chimed in singing song after song, as the moon rose high over the lake and the sky got darker and darker.
After the seventh or eighth song, Miles lifted his guitar and stood. “I think that’ll do it for Deborah and me!” he said.
Deborah smiled and stood up too. “We were up at five today getting the camp all ready for you,” she said, a little apologetically. “As long as you keep the noise down, feel free to stay out here for a while and get to know one another. Until the CITs arrive, you’ll all be sleeping in Pine Cabin, which is the long, low one over by the mess hall. You passed it on your way here.”
Everyone said good night, and Deborah and Miles disappeared into the woods.
“So who is everybody again?” asked the dark-haired girl who’d spoken up at dinner. “The last few hours have been such a blur.”