It's 11:56 P.M. Bracken is leaving after spending some time talking to the boys in the loft. I'm at my desk once again writing this post to our faithful readers. We are in the thick of the summer's fifth, one night Overnight Camp. Tonight we have 42 campers with us (12 girls and 30 boys). The girls are sleeping in a classroom on the other side of the school.
Bracken just asked if I was doing another late night post. "Why don't you get just three hours of sleep," he said while gathering up his things and walking out the Briefing Room door. It was nice of him to comment on the continuation of the "Enemy From the Dark" story. He has an issue with being written as the Master of the Obvious.
"I'm tossing you a bone," I said in so many words without actually saying it that way.
The school's front door just latched shut. He's gone and I'm left with the light from my desk lamp and the computer screen. The loft is creaking again. I don't like to sleep boys in the loft because of the creaking of the platform they sleep on. Every time they move I hear the sound. Tonight we had no choice with 30 boys. We are wall to wall bodies. It would be nice to have a few more girls on the camp to even out the numbers. Mind you, Lorrine is perfectly happy to have fewer girls to tend on her end of the school.
Tonight we have Emily telling "Canada" in the Voyager; Rachel telling "No More Secrets" in the Galileo; Adam telling "Can't Remember" in the Odyssey; Bracken telling "Murphy's Law" in the Phoenix; and Brittney telling "The Guardian" in the Magellan.
One of the boys has climbed down the ladder from the Loft. "I've got to go to the bathroom," he said.
"We had our last bathroom break thirty minutes ago," I reminded him. I don't know why I took the time to say that. It was a waste of his time listening, and my time stating what he already knew. Reminding him that we had a bathroom break thirty minutes ago won't change the fact that he has to go to the bathroom right now. So.... saying "We had our last bathroom break thirty minutes ago," was just my way of saying "I'm annoyed that you're asking to go to the bathroom now after I gave everyone a bathroom break thirty minutes ago!"
"Go," I said.
He's back. He and his friends are making strange animal noises from the loft. I'm getting annoyed.
"Who ever I sleep in the loft has to be tired and ready to go straight to sleep," I said to the boys as I parceled them out to the sleeping areas earlier.
"We want the loft," one of the boys said.
"You're tired and ready to go straight to sleep?" I asked. He nodded his head. I took them at their word. I may live to regret that decision before this night is through.
I'm going to talk to them. They're getting louder. Time to get out my 'I'm not a happy camper' mannerisms and talk sternly using just enough threat to get them to cooperate without forcing me to move one of them to the staff sleeping area. I'll bid all of you a very goodnight. I'll go deal with hyper boys and an upset stomach.
Mr. Williamson
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