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The time I was a summer camp counselor (kind of)

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Posted by Pete on April 29, 2023 at 04:05:43

When I started writing these stories, I planned to write them in order chronologically. Well, I got stuck on the stories about my trip to Boston. Those stories don't have a happy ending, and I'm finding that its actually hard to finish writing about what happened. I'll get it done eventually, but I want to write about a happier memory first.

This happened the summer right at the very end of my sophomore year of high school. The previous year, my brother Cole signed up for a firefighter training program that our high school offered, as part of an effort to do a better job training students for good jobs. My brother was lucky because he completely fell in love with everything about firefighting. He started living and breathing it, and did fantastic in the class. And, today, he is a career firefighter/paramedic. When I started my sophomore year, I enrolled in the same class, but not because I really wanted to, but rather just because I didn't have anything better to do. I put in minimal effort, and got minimal grades. I didn't dislike it, but I just wasn't motivated to do well.

Fast-forward to the end of the school year. The school and some other groups in the area decided that they would put on a kind of "career day camp" for kids in the area, and it would focus on firefighting, police, the hospitals and that type of thing. It would run for three days, Wednesday/Thursday/Friday, and each day the kids would do various activities from each job that was there. It was announced that you'd get extra credit if you volunteered to help with the day camp, and seeing how I needed all the extra credit I could get, I signed up for all three days. Cole, who did not need any extra credit, signed up because he actually wanted to.

The day camp was held at our high school, mostly out on the football field, and the park behind the school which included the only swimming pool in the area. Unfortunately the day camp wasn't very well organized, and us helpers didn't always know exactly what we should be doing. On Wednesday, both me and Cole ended up just kind of chaperoning groups of kids as they worked through various activities and games around the school. No one really told us what we should be doing or what they needed from us.

Thursday was going to be mostly firefighting activities, so I was hoping Thursday might be more fun. But, as I said, it wasn't very organized, so I got assigned to "gopher duty," which basically meant that everyone else could just tell me what to do - so I'd be spending the day just shuffling equipment and supplies around the area, helping set stuff up and take stuff down, just whatever I was told. Cole fared a little better, he got assigned to help a couple of the "real" firefighters demonstrate some skills and stuff. I thought that was a little unfair - Cole is shy and isn't a fan of talking to people. On the other hand, I would have loved to talk all day. But, those were our assignments, and my day got real busy real fast. And I quickly ended up in a bad mood. I was wearing my uniform - a blue polo, blue pants, belt, shoes and socks, and it was at least 90 degrees out, and I was running back and forth all over. I was soon hot, tired, bored, and getting a blister on one of my feet because I was wearing an old, thin pair of crappy socks.

Cole, on the other hand, was having a much better day - and, if he actually liked talking to people, I'd think he'd actually have enjoyed it. My first clue that something was up was when I saw where Cole and his crew were setting up their station - right next to the pool, on the concrete pool deck. I wondered why they would setup there, I didn't remember anyone saying anything about any kind of water activity. But, maybe I missed something. I didn't have much time to ponder, as my walky-talky was summoning me to fetch some equipment from the school cafeteria.

Next time I walk past Cole, and I see that he's demonstrating some first aid stuff to the group of kids sitting on the ground in front of him, while the "real" firefighters were leaning against the fence, just watching. And I was impressed with Cole - he was speaking in his usual quiet voice, but you could tell he knew exactly what he was talking about, like it was second nature. And, you know, normally if you get a bunch of kids together, they're going to be screwing around and trying to make jokes and cause trouble. But whenever Cole was talking, the kids sat paying close attention to everything Cole said. I don't know how he did it, but it was (and still is) impressive!

A bit later, I walk by again, and see Cole sitting on the ground, with the group of kids practicing bandaging, splinting and other first aid on him. He had both arms, legs, neck and head getting splinted and wrapped with bandages. Cole was being a good sport about it, but I knew him well enough to read his face and body language and I could tell he was squirming - the only thing Cole hates more than talking to people is having people touch him.

A while later I notice that Cole is again standing there talking to a group of kids, but now he's got his shoes and socks off. My first thought was, isn't he lucky, as I contemplated the blister developing on the bottom of my own foot. My second thought was, he's going to get to go for a swim and cool off! My third thought was, that despite a few small details - his hair was a bit longer than what the regulations allowed, and he was obviously standing there in his bare feet - he looked and acted exactly like a "real" firefighter would act. Calm, confident, and in complete control of the situation. But, I had no time to contemplate, as I was being summoned to help cleanup the leftover food from lunch.

Finally, on my next walk past the pool, I saw that Cole was in the water, fully clothed in his blue polo and blue shorts. The firefighters were helping the kids with some lifesaving practice, tossing a rope and life ring to Cole, and pulling him out of the water. And as soon as Cole would make it back to dry land, another kid would want to take a turn, and Cole would jump right back in the pool, swim a ways out, and get "rescued" again. Over and over and over.

So of course I'm thinking, that lucky kid! For the moment, no one was bothering me asking me to do stuff, so I let myself into the pool area and watched the show. Cole noticed me, and when the kids regrouped for a break, Cole climbed out of the pool and came over to talk to me. I smirked at him, and he shook his head, causing water to fly out of his long hair and spray me. "How's it going, Cole?" I asked him. He said nothing (which wasn't unusual, Cole didn't talk much, but I mostly knew how to read his face and body language.) "Having fun?" I asked. Cole cocked his head to the side and closed his eyes - he was exhausted. And, I couldn't blame him, he was the type of who'd be exhausted after spending a full day of public speaking. Plus, I'd go on to do some water rescue training myself, and even just being the "victim" is exhausting, since you have to swim just enough to pretend you're drowning without actually drowning. "Did you bring a change of clothes with you?" I asked. Cole scowled and shook his head, then broke his silence, "Nope. This is a huge surprise to me." I laughed a bit at his misfortune and he glared at me. "Could be worse, Cole," I suggested, "I've been nothing but a gopher all day." "Well..." Cole snarled, "could you 'gopher' me a towel or something, brother?"

Cole was making a reasonable request, and I scurried off and located a stack of towels in the lifeguard shack, and returned to watch Cole be rescued over and over by another group of kids. Once they were done, Cole finally climbed out of the pool, and I handed him a towel, and he wiped his face off. "Could be worse Cole," I teased him, "at least those firemen get to see what a hunk you are." Cole actually laughed at me for a second, before he fixed me with another glare.

At this point, the camp was just about done for the day, but a group of kids had congregated around the pool. "Cole! Can we rescue you again?!" a few kids squealed. Cole slouched - he really was tired. "You ready for a different victim to tag in, Cole?" I asked. Cole wiggled his eyebrows - he liked my idea. For a moment, I worried about getting in trouble, but I was hot, tired, I'd been on my feet all day, and I was going in that pool.

"Alright everyone, let's give Cole a break," I suggested. The kids sighed, figuring it meant the fun was over. "But maybe I might need rescuing!" At that, the kids perked up again, and I took a second to pull my shoes and socks off, and setting my walky-talky aside, then hopped in the pool. The water felt great, it was the first time I'd soaked my uniform pants, and I instantly felt better after having a long, hot day. The kids enthusiastically got to work "rescuing" me, with the firefighter's help, and I quickly realized why Cole was so tired -it was actually hard work! But, at least I was in the water, and having fun.

The kids were mostly clearing out, so I only had to get "rescued" a few times before the last of the kids had left and the firefighters were packing up to go home. I notice that Cole had laid down on his back on the concrete pool deck, his sunglasses pulled over his eyes. I walked, dripping, across the pool deck a stood next to him. Despite his sunglasses, I knew exactly what facial expression he was making with his eyes. "Good day, Cole?" I asked, not expecting him to answer. Then, I noticed a problem. "Uh, Cole, look!" I said, pointed at his feet. Cole sat up and looked, then looked at me blankly - he couldn't tell because of his sunglasses. "Take your sunglasses off. Your feet are sunburned. It looks like you stepped in red paint." Cole flipped off his sunglasses and noticed that, yes, the tops of his feet were bright red. "Shi...." Cole sighed, then walked over to the pool, sat on the edge and dunked his feet in the water. He was scrunching his nose and moving his lips from side to side - his language for being frustrated. I went over and sat next to him. No sense in saying anything, Cole didn't get upset easily, but when he did, it was best to just let it pass. So we sat there a little while, and I was just happy that no one was hounding me to do anything, as folks were getting camp broken down and equipment put away. Cole and I sat there a minute, and as corny as this sounds, it was one of the moments I really remember. My brother and I didn't "talk" much - because I did all the talking, and Cole did all the listening (or, more realistically, ignored me.) But, sometimes, just sitting was nice.

Another kid, Grant, spotted us and came over. Grant was in Cole's class, and hit some of the stereotypes about young firefighters. He was kind of cocky, arrogant and full of himself, but he was nice enough and I could tolerate hanging out with him, at least up to a certain point. He'd been running around helping the kids unroll the fire hoses all day, so he was also hot and tired. He kicked off his shoes and made a big spectacle of plopping down next to me, sticking his feet in the water.

"What happened to you two?" he asked. "Water rescue training," I explained. Grant nodded. "Why didn't you just wear swim trunks?" he asked, reasonably. "Didn't know we were gonna do this," Cole grumbled. Grant nodded again. "Bet you wish you wore shorts today, eh Petey?" he asked. I shrugged, "its fine. Kids thought it was funny for me to jump in like this." Grant nodded in agreement, then gave me a gentle push on the shoulder. "You done swimming for the day?" he asked. I laughed and slid back into the pool, then turned and encouraged Grant to join me. I was kind of surprised but he got right in, and didn't even bat an eye. "That feels GOOD!" Grant exclaimed, dunking his head under water. "Come on Cole," Grant encouraged Cole, and gently grabbed his foot and gave it a tug. "Ow!" Cole grunted and aimed a kick at Grant's chest. Grant was taken aback, as anyone would be when normally-quiet Cole showed that kind of emotion. "Sorry," Cole quickly apologized, "got sunburn on my feet," he lifted his feet out of the water and pointed at his raw, red skin. "Ow, man, I'm sorry," Grant said, genuinely apologetic. "But still, come on in for a swim." Cole agreed, and Grant procured a tennis ball from somewhere, and we spent a bit horsing around, playing keep-away, and tackling each other into the water.

Finally we headed home, Cole driving us back in our crappy old van that we'd made the mistake of buying a few months earlier. Fortunately, it was in such terrible shape that we didn't care about sitting on the seats with our wet clothes. When we got home, my parents were waiting. "What happened to your two?" my mom asked as we trooped in the house, in our soaking wet clothes. "Water rescue training," I explained. "Why didn't you wear your swim trunks?" my mom asked, repeating the exact same conversation we'd had with Grant earlier. I'm not sure why she even cared, it certainly wasn't the first time we'd returned home soaking wet fully clothed, and she never had much to say about it. But then she noticed Cole's sunburn. "Cole!" she admonished. "Sun screen!" My mom was a fanatic about reminding us to wear sunscreen whenever we went outside, due to our light skin and the risk of skin cancer. Cole grumbled, annoyed, "I didn't know I'd be barefoot all day!" He was peeling off his wet clothes and tossing them in the dryer, then sulked upstairs to shower. My mom turned her attention on me - if Cole ever did something to upset her, she automatically assumed it was my fault, and started grilling me on why we weren't prepared for the day. I tried to placate her as best I could while I started the laundry, then tried to work my way upstairs to shower once Cole was done.

The next day was rough. Cole and I were both sore from the previous day's activities, and we were both having feet trouble - Cole with his sunburn, me with my blister. I was faring a little better, as at least a bandaid and some gauze helped me. But, if you've ever had sunburn on the top of your feet, you know that there's really nothing you can do to avoid being miserable, short of being barefoot. And since Cole would have to have his shoes on all day, he was in for a rough day.

Fortunately, this would be an easier day for all of us, and we actually knew what to expect. The fire trucks would be spraying out a bunch of foam for the kids to play in. Back then we all thought it was great fun to play in that stuff - today we know its actually really bad for you, so if my future kids all end up with three eyes and 6 fingers and 12 toes, its probably because I was exposed to that foam for all those years. They also had an inflatable water slide thing setup, where two kids at a time could scurry up and down different parts of the inflatable and at the end splash down into a shallow pool. Cole was smart enough to volunteer to "supervise" that activity, and got to stand in the ankle-deep water and make sure the kids weren't getting hurt as they splashed down from the slide. I'm not sure if that would have been his favorite job on any other day, but at that moment it worked out great for him, as he at least got to have his shoes off and his feet in cool water. Grant and I started off "supervising" the foam, and the firefighters who had brought their truck out and were spraying the foam had gotten to know both of us a bit, and started off by blasting us both with a direct shot of foam right from the fire hose. It felt awesome, and obviously the kids watching thought it was hilarious. We then rotated over to the water slide and raced each other through it (I won), which had the effect of rinsing the foam off. Cole, who had gotten pretty soaked just from having a bunch of crazy kids splashing around him, actually agreed to do a face-first slide down the water slide into the pool fully clothed, which I thought was pretty funny too.

Fortunately, this time around we were both prepared for what the day would bring, so we each had extra clothes to change into before going home. So Cole and I, along with Grant, all figured that meant we should enjoy the water activities just as much as the kids, and spent the whole day getting soaked, and not worrying a bit about what anyone else thought about it. A great time was had by all!

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