-
Day 23 of 30: Get Chopping
Lumberjack Day at Camp Chokochakee was living up to its name, beginning with ten-ton breakfast they were serving. Flapjacks, sausage and bowls of potato and corned beef hash. My father would be excited. I’d have an easier time finding raccoons to feed out here.
And all through the morning, I could feel Jimmy Sunglasses watching me. Whenever I looked over, he’d give me the same malicious grin.
Later that morning, we moved onto wood chopping. A man clad in the hackneyed red plaid shirt and bushy beard wielded a huge double-bladed axe. His sidekick held a toothy single buck with an ornate wood handle. They showed us all about chopping, cutting and sawing. While we were mesmerized by the stereotypical lumberjacks, the counselors walked up to Jimmy, whispered something to him and he either nodded or shook his head no. He saw me watching him.
During our mid-afternoon break, Pete and I talked about the stuff we saw the night before.
“You think the counselors know everything about us?” I asked.
“Only what’s in our applications,” he said. “Why, you got some good dirt?”
“Me? No. I’m just saying.”
“Not you. Everyone knows about you.”
“What? What do they know?”
“Hey, my Tochoco buds.” Jimmy Sunglasses surprised us, smacking us on the back. “Five minutes, and we’re headed to cider milling.”
One last pat on my back filled me with panic. It didn’t help that he also did the pointing at the eyes gesture. His to mine, mine to his.
I turned to Pete. “You want to sneak out again tonight?”
Pete laughed. “Oh, yeah.”
“Good.” I had my bag mentally packed. I only needed to find my sister.