Friday, July 16, 2010

My Scary Camp Story


Several of my kids went to summer camp a few weeks ago. They went to the same camp I grew up going to.  A place called Hume Lake. Isn't it a beautiful lake? It always bring back memories of the first time I attended camp there when I was eleven years old. Most of the memories are wonderful, but I had one night that really gave me a scare.

We arrived at camp and were given a very small cabin. It had 4 bunk beds, very close together. My friend Janice and I grabbed top bunks, right next to each other and put our pillows head to head so that we could chat at night.

However, Janice wasn’t the night owl that I was, and the first night she went to sleep very quickly. In fact the whole cabin was asleep and I laid there listening to every sound.

Janice snored.

It was a just a bit annoying at first, but she kept getting louder, and I started fretting about ever getting to sleep. Somewhere in the back of my mind I seemed to remember that if you plugged someone’s nose, they would start breathing through their mouth and stop snoring.

I needed her to stop snoring.

I reached over and grabbed her nose and held it. She didn’t wake up. Lo and behold, when I unplugged her nose, she was no longer snoring. Oh good, now I could get to sleep!

Then I started to listen and I realized that I didn’t hear anything. Nothing at all. I started to worry.

What if I’d held her nose too long?

What if I’d killed her?

Remember I was only 11 years old. I really thought she might be dead.  Now, I desperately needed Janice to be awake. I wanted to know that I hadn’t committed murder.

I thought about trying to wake her up, but what if she didn’t wake up, and someone else did? Then they’d know, that I knew, she was dead already, and they’d suspect me. Isn’t that awful? I was trying to figure out a way to get out of the crime I might have committed.

Then I started to wonder...what  if they fingerprint her nose?

Seriously, I did.

Oh no, I thought. They’d find my fingerprints and I’d be put in jail. My parents would visit me and shake their heads. My mother would cry. My mind was really getting the better of me.

After contemplating my life in prison, I started to cry. Quietly, of course, I didn’t want to wake anyone up. If they found her dead in the morning, they might not suspect me! Talk about wanting to cover your tracks. Guilt was strong, but self-preservation was stronger.

The awful thoughts went on, but I finally drifted off to sleep...with my friend's “possibly” dead body, laying right by me. Yes, it was a fitful sleep, to say the least.

I woke up the next morning after everyone else... as I’d been awake half the night. Janice was alive and well, getting dressed and telling me I needed to get up, it was almost time for breakfast!

I never told her about her brush with death…or about the fact that I wasn’t really a very good friend. It sure made me realize a few truths about myself though, and I wasn't very proud of them.

And if someone is snoring now?

Well, my husband might tell you that I have a mean kick to get him turn over on his side, but I can guarantee that I’m not going to be the one plugging anybody's nose :-)

We’re headed to a shipboard wedding on The Queen Mary this Saturday. I’ll try to take some photos while I’m there and bring them back to share.

Have a wonderful weekend.
Blessings,
Marcia

25 comments:

  1. What a great memory you have. I'm sure it wasn't funny then, as it is now. Looks like a beautiful place to go to camp.
    Enjoy the wedding, look forward to seeing pictures.

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  2. Oh goodness! What a restless night that was. So happy you didn't kill your friend....and that you could go on being friends. Isn't it crazy how our minds work??

    Enjoy the wedding. That sounds like fun!

    Becky K.

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  3. I'm so glad you didn't kill your friend! :) Isn't it funny the way our minds work sometimes??

    Have a great time at the wedding. Hope you can get some pictures to share with us!

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  4. That's a funny story! Wow, a wedding on the Queen Mary, that's pretty cool!

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  5. What a great story! You poor thing...I'm glad Janice was all right in the end. Too cute! :)

    Both my daughters went to Hume Lake Christian camp from fourth grade through high school. They both loved it! In fact, my oldest daughter Megan lived and worked there for a year. She worked as summer staff, and then went through the Joshua Wilderness Institute program (for college age kids). She loved it there, but hasn't been able to go back for a few years.

    I hope you enjoy the wedding on the Queen Mary. That sounds like fun!

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  6. LOL...that is a sad but very funny story! So sorry that you had to suffer all night because of a snoring friend! Did you ever tell her? :D

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  7. Okay, that probably didn't seem funny at the time, but it's hilarious now!

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  8. Oh my word, that totally cracked me up! And yet I could relate to you in a way. Weird.

    I started snoring recently. Remind me to never bunk next to you at camp! LOL

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  9. this is a HILARIOUS post!! i can see myself in that position - lol! beautiful camp too :0)

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  10. Oh sometimes I wish the comments could really show how funny I think something is! And it usually something on your blog!
    I have been lauging (and still am) right out loud through this entire post!
    Oh Marcia, I wish I could spend some time with you and hear these stories told! : )
    I hope you have a great time at the wedding!
    Leanne

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  11. Hi Marcia,
    Isn't it amazing what our minds think of sometimes. When were kids we just don't have the maturity to understand and decipher. I used to think my Dad was chopping up my Mom with the powersaw when I was in bed at night. I had no reason, he wasn't mean to her at all. Just childish thoughts.
    Have fun at the wedding, sounds wonderful!
    Cindy

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  12. What detail memory...I just have the big picture in my mind.
    What a neat thing for your children to be able to enjoy the same camp...that is awesome.
    Have fun at the wedding...we have one this weekend also...now all our kids friend's are getting married.

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  13. MWAHAHAHAHA! That's a precious story. I think you send her your blog address........

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  14. LOL! You poor thing! I can just imagine how upset you must have been! My husband would tell you I have a mean shove to get him to turn over!

    Manuela

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  15. Marcia, what a great photo and quite an interesting story! :) Cigar Man snores - I can guarantee you I won't be holding his nose. LOL! Thanks for checking on me. I'm getting back to normal now. check out my blog and you'll see why. :)

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  16. Very cute story...it is so funny what goes through a mind of a child.
    Thank you for sharing. xoxoo

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  17. Great scary story, Marcia. The mind of an 11 yr old can be scary in itself.
    My granddaughter went to Hume a couple of weeks ago for the first time. She had a great time.
    Can't wait to see pictures of the wedding on the Queen Mary.

    Giveaway over on my blog today!!

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  18. Hume Lake is so beautiful. I went to Camp Natoma by Paso Robles. Every year. So fun. Glad your parents didn't have to visit you in jail. Mimi

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  19. Oh my goodness, that is hilarious!!!

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  20. Bless your little girl heart!! What a scary night for you.

    Hume Lake truly is the best. My nephew was a guest speaker there for many many years.

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  21. Oh that was to funny!
    Thanks for the laugh!

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  22. Your story cracked me up!!
    We have never camped at Hume Lake, but we used to go there every summer, at least once, for milkshakes.
    We always camped at Bearskin Meadows, with is the diabetes camp right next to Hume Lake. I wish we were going this summer......sigh. Sweet memories.

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  23. I laughed all the way through. Tooooo funny! Only I'm sure for an 11 year old it wasn't a laughing matter at the time! My husbands knows my kicks well too!!

    warmly,
    tricia

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  24. Marcia, I'm just going through your archives and came upon this post. I went to Hume Lake for high school camp a few times. Wasn't it the best? Your story is too, too funny. The things that go through our minds...you were so worried, yet you did fall asleep. Very funny!

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Thanks so much for stopping by :)
Blessings,
Marcia