Climbing the Walls (OFFICIALLY RESUMED!)

Chapter 1: Summer Sweetness

CHAPTER 1 : Summer Sweetness

As usual, I hear her before I see her:

 “Ohhh, BETHY-BOO-BOO-BOO,” she screams, “ARE YOU READY FOR THE BEST SUMMER OF YOUR LIFE?” Marissa is fist-pumping and bounding up the stairs to my bedroom. I’m Beth: 21, self-described as 'normal,' and best friends with that lunatic - the overly-excited, loud and crazy brunette. We’ve been inseperable since we were born; our parents were old friends from the same cities, our birthdays are months apart, and the rest is history...

She dances into my room and jumps, squealing, onto the pile of clothes that has accumulated on my bed. Packing is hard. Although we aren’t leaving for another few hours, Marissa has somehow been completely packed for almost a week.

This summer, we will be working TOGETHER at a children’s sleep-away camp. “Twin Lakes” is the name - both Mere and I have attended the multi-week camp numerous times as kids, crafting, singing and playing away five whole summers of our youth. Now, after numerous applications and over-the-phone interviews, we will actually get to be Councillors there! Although each of the “Camps” lasts just a couple of weeks, we will be spending some of June, the entirety of July and most of August several hours away from home, sleeping in bunk beds in special cabins, teaching, supervising, and playing with children aged 5-12. I can't freakin' wait!

“Who let you in?” I tease as Mere plops onto the carpet and rolls cat-like, tossing and catching a balled-up pair of grey socks. She sasses,

“haven’t you learned by now that I always let myself in?” We giggle. “How come you aren’t packed yet? I thought you said you were almost ready?” She pries, sitting straight up.

“I AM almost ready.. Some of us like to double-check our bags before we leave for the whole summer.”

“Not me. I packed all of my clothes - clean and dirty, aaaand anything I thought would be fun! Some sandals, shoes, hats, scarves, make-up.. Umm, a flash light.. Swim stuff. Random junk. And some air-heads!”

“Candy? Mere, you seriously packed candy?” I laugh, not actually surprised at her lack of concern. She shrugs. Marissa, or ‘Mere’ as I usually call her, hasn’t ever been the worrying type.. While I, on the other hand, had recently begun taking medication for my nervousness. Polar opposites in so many ways; maybe that's why we've become such good pals over the years?

“Hey! You never know.. We haven’t been there in years! Maybe they downgraded? What would I do if there was nowhere to get a sugar fix?”

Looking into my open bag, I do a quick analysis of my life’s contents: a first aid kit with extra bandages, a rain poncho, two flashlights (with extra batteries), bug spray & a fresh tube of Polysporin antiseptic ointment. Yup, polar opposites..

Sighing, I crumple the long check-list I have just completed, and begin to zip the bag.

“SO ARE YOU DONE? CAN WE LEAVE EARLY?” Marissa yells a victory cry, springing to her feet and grabbing my camera bag.

“I WANT TO GET ICE-CREAM FOR THE ROAD,” she yells from the hallway, before I hear her stomping down over the stairs and out to the car, slamming the door behind her.

I can just nod and laugh, shaking my head at her overzealous attitude. In a few short hours, we will arrive at Twin Lakes. Will this finally be a summer free of worry and anxiety, far away from office jobs and college woes?

Already, this summer is heading in one direction, and I can't wait to see what it holds in store!