Camp Winnepamakeska

 

Camp Winnepamakeska is nestled deep in the woods, adjacent to, of course, Lake Winnepamakeska. In an activities pavilion, ROB PEREZ and TIMMY, 19, a camp counselor, sit at a picnic table.

ROB PEREZ: Timmy, thanks for taking the time.

TIMMY: I’m here all summer, I guess.

R: I hear you’ve been coming to Camp Winnepamakeska a long time?

T: Eleven years.

R: That’s quite a run.

T: Complacency plagues my generation.

R: Since you’ve been here so long, you probably know what “Winnepamakeska” means. T: I believe it’s an Ojibwe term for “white man take lake”.

R: Yikes! Quickly moving on… You must have fond memories of coming here?

T: Well, I certainly have memories of coming here.

R: And now you’re a counselor. How’s that going? T: Well, I’m away from my family for the whole summer. I like that.

R: What are your days like?

T: We start every day singing the camp song. Somebody rhymed with “Winnepamakeska”. That’s no small feat. And most days are outdoors. We hike, swim, do all kinds of sports. I’m in charge of the canoes. Wanna know a good way to tip a canoe?

R: Sure.

T: Put a kid in it.

R: Good one.

T: What’s a better way to tip a canoe? Put two kids in it.

R: Canoe jokes!

T: Yeah, kids are dumb. You should seem ‘em attempt archery. They literally shoot into the side of a mountain and half of them still miss?! How do you miss a mountain?

R: Is it a small mountain?

T: At night we’re around a campfire. Kids get jacked up on five smores, someone gets burnt, and counselors make things up about the stars.

R: They make things up?

T: Look kids, (points) Orion’s Instagram! (points) And there are Euclid’s abacus! That bright star is the planet Jimmy Neutron.

R: That sounds made up.

T: Then maybe we tell a ghost story.

R: Are they pretty scary?

T: There’s always one kid asking too many questions: (imitates little campers voice) Why would a ghost haunt a cabin? How can a canoe have a spirit? Does a ghost poop in the woods?

R: That might dampen the mood.

T: This would be a much better gig if it weren’t for the kids.

R: Well, it wouldn’t really be a gig without kids, would it?

T: Probably not.

R: Timmy, it sounds like you’re kinda down on, um, camp.

T: Yeah.

R: So why do it? T: Well, um, for the kids.

R: Really?

T: No. So, there’s this girl… Frankly, I don’t have a shot at her back in real life. She’s way too hot for me. Totally out of my league. But at camp… a smaller pond makes me a bigger fish.

R: So, are you two… hanging out?

T: Not yet. I’m waiting for the right time to make a move.

R: How long you been… laying the groundwork? T: Eight years.

R: And the dream is happily ever after? T: Usually the summer ends with: Girl ghosts Boy. That’s kind of the playbook.

R: Oh, uh, well, good luck with that.

T: Truth is… I’m not really an outdoors guy.

R: What? You’re not an outdoors guy?! So why are you here?!

T: It’s a good question. And I’ve thought about it a lot. And the answer has to be… tradition.

R: Tradition?

T: Yeah. Camp Winnepamakeska is big on tradition.

R: Well, I guess that’s something. And probably a decent place for us to end. Timmy, have a great summer.

T: You too, Rob.