Thursday, July 29, 2010

scuba scare

Jeff and I were in the airport
about to get on an airplane
our only vacation of the summer

off to Carmel
California
here is where we disagree
I like warm ocean water
he likes cold
or he just like California
and northern California is very cold

however
we are about to leave the hot state of texas
and go to this cool cool place
when my cell phone rings
a phone number I don't know

it is Karen's counselor
from her Road Less Traveled trip
Karen got upset that day
she was not allowed to scuba
only snorkel
and she was only one of 3
I could sense it before he told me
she got antsy
she felt picked on

he said she got teary at one point
and said he could tell by her body language
that something was wrong
he wanted to know more about
her seizure disorder
he said she wanted to talk to us
was that okay?
of course

we hung up
I told Jeff the story
if you know him
you can imagine how he was acting
all antsy himself
worried our trip was already over
before it would begin
worried for himself
for us
and for her
she called us

yes
she was sad
she did feel picked on
she didn't know that she wasn't going to scuba that day
until they were already on the boat
and I know her
she was afraid she would never get to scuba
ever
on the whole trip
both of us talked to her
listened to her
told her we believed in her
knew she could do it
she just need help
learning to clear her mask
we got her calm
we both asked her
if she wanted to come home
tell us now
we said
and we won't get on our plane

but
she is stronger than she thinks
she said
she wanted to stay
because if she didn't
she would never know
and if she stayed
she would try
really hard
to succeed

i kept the counselor's cell phone number
and continued to text him throughout the weekend
telling him she could call us anytime
we would talk to her at anytime
but he kept texting me back
that all was good
she made it
and she got to scuba on sunday
we were relived

she got to call us back again
this week
and told us all about some of her trips
under water
she loved it
she enjoyed it
she was having fun
she was proud of herself
and
that made all the difference

Monday, July 12, 2010

Camp

camp is real life
the rest is commentary

i know
many people think camp is not real life
but
i would much rather live there
than at home

i spent so much time
at camp this summer
working during the first session
in the infirmary
as a nursing assistant
watching my kids
from a far
playing with my friends
at night
when the kids went to sleep

it was the camp's
35th reunion
it was a blast
saw old friends
new friends
old campers
old faces
so many memories
in so many buildings

in so many ways
the place stays the same
just the faces change
it is beautiful
and
going back to camp
reminds me of being young
and when I am there
with my best friend
we act like we are teenagers

we hang around
the staff members
who could probably be
our kids
if push came to shove

but
thank goodness they are not
the camp director
has been there forever
and we
sometimes act like teenagers
in his presence
it is so funny

but
a camp experience
is another one of those things
that can't be explained
you just have to be there
again and again

Thursday, July 8, 2010

Grasshoppers causing car accidents

i was so sad
i didn't want to leave
but
the session was over

time to leave camp
at least not for too long this time
just for a couple of days

we were
as usual
one of the last to leave

we went to Bethany's
camp area
put some of her things
in my car
but
she was coming back
for another session
when
I wasn't allowed to be there

then we went to Lucy's cabin
Bethany ran to tell her last friend goodbye
Lucy's stuff was everywhere
ugh
that frustrated me
why can't she get her stuff
together
for once

we got it
all in my car
she was mad at me
so she sat in the back on the car
thank goodness
I realized later

driving through camp
no seat belts
at about 8 miles an hour
I had the windows down
a grasshopper hopped into my car
colorful that he was
I laughed at it
and tried to swat it away
i was so focused on the
grasshopper
that I didn't pay attention
and the next thing I knew
CRASH
was the sound I heard
Lucy was screaming
crying
I was hurting
but I ran to her
she thought she was bleeding
I had hit a utility pole
while playing
with the grasshopper
I forgot the first rule of driving
keep your eyes on the road

my car was a mess
Lucy was a mess
i was driving back to the infirmary
where I slept
where I stayed
where I worked
many nurses were there
they turned off the lights
checked Lucy out
called the camp director
he came running
checked us out
then went to check the pole
"the pole is stronger than alyson's car"
was the quote
thank goodness
I thought

I started to drive
Jeff got upset
he wanted someone to follow me
and to get Lucy to the doctor

it ended up being so much easier than I thought
a friend from camp
followed me
on the access road
I couldn't get on the highway
my car was making funny noises
my best friend met up with me on the way
she took Lucy to the urgent care
my friend followed me
to the body shop
that my insurance told me
to go to
she brought me and Bethany
to the urgent care
BFF and Bethany drove home
Lucy and I saw the doctor
all was good
Enterprise picked us up
just like in the commercials
and we got the new car
filled it up
with all our stuff
then drove
the 2 hours home

i said it was camp karma
camp didn't want me to leave
but
neither did I