So this past weekend my team finally got a taste of living all together under one roof. Till now, whenever we go on spike we either stayed in separate tents, cabins, or rooms. But last weekend the Boys and Girls clubs had us move out of our rooms because there were actual kids coming to use the camp, honest-to-goodness campers. So we moved into one of the houses that camp owns (this one's called the doll house, there must be at least 5 just sitting empty around camp, in various states of disrepair). We spent most of last week cleaning the house out, fixing it up, and staining its floors, so it was a getting our just rewards kind of thing. Very posh.
It was interesting, but could have been cooler, because we were really only at the house for sleeping purposes. We still hung out down at the main building complex, which has the lounge (with electric lighting!) and the kitchen. A few of us still dream of a “Silver 4 House” where we all chill in the living room. Maybe one spike, but not any spike soon.
Arrgh. I’m frustrated with this camp. Not awfully so, just it’s week three of our stay here and we still have yet to find where they are hiding the board games. If they have any. Honestly, what’s the point of having no electricity if there are no board games? Cards are an option of course, but I lost my entire $5 buy-in by the second hand of poker last time, so I’m iffy on that one. I’m really not that bad, it’s just the guy I was in a bluff-off with had a higher face card (ace to my king…sigh). I’m pro.
Today was pretty fun. We splintered into three groups, and I headed off with 3 other guys to clean out the maintenance sheds. Not super fun in itself, but Camp Mendocino gets most of its equipment via donation or army surplus (apparently their official non-profit status figures in at the federal level, so they are eligible for HUGE air force dump-trucks or a military grade forklift—which was named Anthony). Plus, they’ve been a camp for over half a century, so they have a lot of cool junk accumulated, which we get to fool with before throwing out (or sometimes keeping)
They have a massive box of .22 caliber bullet casings from where there was a rifle range at the camp (now it’s politically incorrect to teach inner-city kids how to respect guns). There are two chariot (think coliseum) beds, sans wheels, waiting to be utilized. They have a large assortment of industrial grade tools—namely, wrenches that are half as tall as I am and truly a bitch to lift. The best find of the day was a piece of nameless rubber with a mini caribiner attached to it, which I have now appropriated and added to my collection.
It’s true, you can’t trust us AmeriCorps kids with anything. If given the chance, we will steal your needless junk and expired food right out from under you.
Devious little bastards, aren’t we?
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