(Author Note: This is the eighteenth story in a series. The characters and situations were introduced in the episodes:
Camp Torowa Falls 1964 - 01: A Fair To Remember
Read that episode first! Then read episodes 2 thru 17 before reading this one.)
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By the morning of Tuesday, July 28th, Corey could barely feel the effects of the paddling he received on Sunday night. He hadn't spoken to Anna since their meeting in the Chaplain's Cottage that night. It turned out that the Bellings were only staying at their new cottage on the grounds of Camp Torowa Falls from Thursday evenings until Monday mornings. The other half of each week was spent at the chaplain's personally-owned retirement home in a nearby mountain village. While not ideal, it was still better than only being able to see Anna on Sundays.

Sandy Welles had obviously forgiven Corey, and was back to attempting to participate in conversations, at least most of the time. Sandy still occasionally fell into silences which could last for hours at time. Alan surmised that Sandy just had a lot to think about. If so, Sandy wasn't the only one.

On Tuesday night after dinner Corey led Jerry, Eric and Alan off the path into the woods on the way back to their cabin. A little privacy was called for, since Corey had finally decided to share the information that Sandy had revealed to him on Sunday, about how Sandy's father arranged their presence together with Jeff as their counselor.

Jerry was just as surprised as Corey had been by these revelations. Eric and Alan did not seem surprised to hear this news. "So you two already knew about Sandy's dad arranging all of this?" said Corey, a little annoyed.

"Not specifically, no," said Eric. "But we had discussed the fact that the whole setup seemed so unlikely."

"A lot of unlikely stuff happens here," said Jerry, "in case you hadn't noticed."

"A lot of unlikely stuff happens all over the world," said Corey. "Besides, we all asked to be placed with each other, didn't we?"

"True," admitted Alan. "I did ask for you three. But I'm still only twelve, at least for another week."

"But you will be thirteen before the end of the session," said Jerry. "The only really unlikely part of it was Sandy getting assigned to our cabin."

Yeah," said Eric, "but that part was so darned unlikely that it made the entire setup suspect."

"That and having Jeff as our counselor again," said Alan. "That was very unlikely too. As a final year counselor, Jeff was most likely to be assigned to one of the 15-16 cabins."

Corey knew that Jeff was going to be a senior in college in the fall, making it likely that 1964 was his last summer as a camp counselor. "But that's not really set in stone, is it?"

"Well, no," admitted Eric. "But younger counselors usually handle younger cabins, and more experienced counselors handle the older cabins."

"I guess that makes a kind of sense," said Jerry. "I had never thought of it before."

"Me neither," said Corey. In fact he didn't really care about it. Corey would worry about counselor scheduling when and if he became a counselor. First he had to survive three more years as a camper, and then two years as an Asscon.

"However it happened," said Jerry, "this isn't Sandy's fault anymore than it's ours."

"True," said Eric, "none of us can control what our parents do."

"Right," said Alan, "so we won't hold it against Sandy."

"Agreed," said Corey. "And we'll all keep this information between the four of us?"

The other three friends readily agreed.

Wednesday was rainy, and the weather cancelled most of the outdoor activities. This meant more anguish and embarrassment for Corey, since they spent the morning on their craft project. The first craft project for that summer was a leather belt pouch with turquoise bead trim. Corey hadn't gotten any better at arts and crafts since the previous summer. When he voiced this opinion of himself, it caused great amusement among his friends.

"Better?" said Eric, chuckling. "If anything, you've gotten worse at it!"

"Har de har, har!" said Corey. He actually managed to make some progress that morning, helped in no small part by Alan. As Corey watched the meticulous way Alan worked with the leather, he asked, "Are you planning to become a surgeon, Alan?"

"Probably," said Alan. "I'm not sure what kind of surgeon yet, though."

"Well, whatever you choose," said Corey, "I'm sure you'll be great at it."

"Thanks," said Alan, grinning.

Wednesdays would be laundry day for Wolf Cabin in 1964. So that afternoon the 10 campers lined up behind the 9 and 10-year-old campers from Squirrel Cabin. Sandy experienced another culture shock moment when he heard the sound of Miss Bertha's laundry brush hitting the bottoms of the little Squirrels who had soiled their underwear.

Roland had already explained laundry room procedures to Sandy back in the cabin as the campers filled their laundry bags. Jerry explained them again as the Wolf Cabin campers waited in line. But the young man from Manhattan was still stunned when Mike Olson was made to remove his briefs for inspection and eventually climb up on Miss Bertha's lap to receive 4 sharp swats from her big laundry brush for having two soiled pairs of briefs in his laundry bag. Once again Sandy spent some time shaking his head in disbelief.

On Thursday morning Corey and friends entered the Bath House to take their morning shower. They were immediately confronted with an amazing sight - four naked young boys were lined up facing the wall outside the showers, and Andy Miller, a 17-year-old in his first year as an Asscon, was spanking them.

Most spankings at Camp Torowa Falls were administered by either counselors or staff members. Asscons were denied the use of paddles or other implements, and were only allowed to spank campers with their open hands. Asscons were also not allowed to spank on the bare bottom, unless the camper happened to already be naked, because of having been caught acting up in the Bath House or showers.

Obviously this is what had just happened, as Andy Miller walked up and down the row, planting sharp open-handed spanks on the eight reddening cheeks being presented by the four naughty dripping wet boys. Corey glanced over at Sandy and sure enough, Anna's cousin was shaking his head in amazement once again.

Corey didn't recognize any of the four boys being spanked, who all looked to be under 12 years old. Eventually Corey started to think that this spanking was getting out of hand. The four trembling backsides were quite red now, and Corey had no idea how long the spanking had been going on before he and his friends had arrived. Corey glanced at his friends and could see that Jerry, at least, was becoming alarmed as well. Eventually it looked like Jerry was about to interfere in the situation. Corey was trying to decide if he should stop Jerry or help him.

They were both saved from having to interfere when Craig Sherman, the Moose Cabin patrol leader, emerged from the showers and said, "That's enough, Andy!"

Andy, who looked annoyed at being interrupted, said, "Mind your own business, Craig - unless you want to join them."

"Hah!" said Craig derisively, "We can take the matter to Boss Lemmon if you want."

"Let's," said Andy, confidently, "you'll be in more trouble than me."

"I'm willing to give it a go," said Craig, brimming with confidence.

"Never mind," said Andy, no longer exuding confidence. "I'll let you off this time." The Asscon looked at the trembling bottoms of the boys lining the wall almost longingly, then said, "And you four! I'll let you off the rest of your well deserved spankings, too. Get out of my sight!"

The four spanked boys didn't need to be told twice, they all scrambled away, clutching their sore backsides as they fled.

"That was weird," said Eric, as they walked back to the cabin a short time later.

"Yeah," said Corey, "I don't know what Andy was thinking."

"That was way out of line," said Jerry.

"Whoa!" said Sandy. "What's this? A punishment at last that you guys think is out of line? And it was just a hand spanking!"

"True," said Jerry, "but Andy exceeded his authority."

"That's the most important factor?" said Sandy, clearly in disbelief.

"Of course," said Alan. "We accept that we can be punished severely, and that's okay provided all the rules are followed."

"So wait," said Sandy. "You four wouldn't have had a problem with those little guys getting the razor strop from Boss Lemmon at evening assembly?"

"No," said Eric. "Not as long as they had actually done something seriously wrong, and all the procedures had been followed."

"One of our campers from Fox Cabin got the razor strop last summer," said Corey, "and he was 11-years-old."

"What did he get the strop for?" said Sandy, looking sick at the very thought.

"Assault," said Jerry. "Namely, for punching Corey in the nose."

"I can understand that impulse," said Sandy, suddenly grinning. "I felt like doing that once or twice myself in the past week."

"I think we all did," said Jerry. He began laughing, and was joined by all the other boys, including - eventually - Corey.

On Saturday morning Corey and Jerry were on the bus to Glens Falls. Once again their primary mission was to shop for gifts for Alan Dunson, whose birthday was on Tuesday, August 4th. They managed to get the required gifts, more film and flashbulbs for Eric the shutterbug, and a load of candy and other treats for themselves.

On the bus trip back to camp, Corey said, "Well, at least we managed to avoid all the misadventures we had on the same trip last year."

"Yeah, but no fireworks to have fun with," said Jerry.

"You call that a problem?" said Corey. "The fireworks worked out really well last year." He shifted in his seat, remembering the terrible sting from the switching they had received for the cherry bomb fiasco the previous year.

"Not to mention on the Fourth of July this year," said Jerry, chuckling ironically.

"Oh yeah," said Corey. "Maybe we should both try to avoid fireworks in the future."

"Yeah," said Jerry. "At least until we get into the military and can play with really big explosives."

Sunday morning was unseasonably cool, and Corey had no trouble staying awake during the sermon. In fact after church none of the friends (Corey, Jerry, Eric, Alan, Anna and Sandy) were called out to be spanked for "fooling around in church". This may have been a first. They hung around watching 2 girls and 18 boys get spanked by Miss Bertha. As Anna and Corey strolled away afterwards, they made the mistake of holding hands. They were immediately targeted by some of the littleuns who sang the old playground rhyme....

Corey and Anna sitting in a tree,
K-I-S-S-I-N-G.
First comes love,
Then comes marriage,
Then comes Jerry in a baby carriage.

"Hey! Clear out of here you little brats!" yelled Jerry, as he lunged at the impromptu choir, scattering the giggling youngsters. Jerry made a special effort to chase his 9-year-old cousin Robby, who had been one of the ringleaders.

Corey and Anna had a good laugh as they walked on - still holding hands - towards the lakeside picnic ground where lunch would be served. They were amused by the little kid's taunt, and they were really amused by Jerry's reaction to it.

"So I guess our secret is out?" said Anna.

"That we spend all our spare time sitting in a tree kissing?" said Corey. "I'm game if you are."

"I didn't think you liked climbing trees." said Anna.

"I don't," said Corey. "But if you're sitting in a tree ready to kiss me, I'll be up there in a flash."

"Nah," said Anna. "I'm not a big fan of climbing trees either."

After a minute Corey said, "I seem to recall that kisses can happen in places other than trees."

"I think I remember that too," said Anna. "We might have to investigate that possibility later on."

"Anytime."

After the Sunday picnic lunch, the friends all went back to their respective cabins/cottages to change into their bathing suits. Corey and Jerry had reserved sloops again for Sunday afternoon. Corey was accompanied by Anna and Sandy. Jerry was accompanied by Eric, Alan and his cousin Robby.

The afternoon's sail was cut short by thunderstorms that rolled in by mid-afternoon. Even though they weren't officially "licensed" to operate camp sloops, both Anna and Sandy were experienced sailors and helped Corey get their boat back safely. As they checked their sloop back in with Peter Linsey, the Asscon assigned the task, the three friends were glad to learn that all the camp sloops made it back to dock safely.

On Monday, August 3rd, Wolf Cabin departed for their three-night wilderness campout. Alan's birthday was on Tuesday, so his "official" birthday celebration would have to wait until Thursday. On this trip the ten campers and Jeff would be accompanied by John Ludlow, one of the Asscons.

So on Monday morning the ten campers stood in front of the Camp Director's Cabin, being inspected by Boss Lemmon. The director insisted on making sure each camper had their bathing suits packed for the trip. He made it crystal clear that skinny dipping was not acceptable behavior for campers or counselors from Camp Torowa Falls.

After Boss Lemmon had determined that everyone was equipped in a proper manner, he addressed them. "All right, campers. I want you all to have a good time out there in the woods. Jeff is your unit commander - everyone will obey his orders at all times. John is his second in command. You all know the rules, but be certain to remember the most important rule of all, stick together! No camper is to ever leave the group - even just to pee - without first getting permission from Jeff or John. Understood?"

"Yes, Boss!" the campers all chanted.

"Very well," said Boss Lemmon. "Jeff, John, boys...have a good trip, and we will see you all again on Thursday afternoon."

With that, the boys all heaved their heavy packs up onto their shoulders and began the long march into the woods. Corey had been through this three times before. The first two times had gone relatively normally. Last year the campers from Fox Cabin had encountered two lost little girls out in the wilderness while camping. The two little girls were, in fact, the younger sisters of Sandy Welles.

So in an indirect way, last year's Fox Cabin camping trip led to Sandy being in Wolf Cabin for this years camp out. Sandy, for his part, seemed less than thrilled with this trip, as the group marched up and down the steep Adirondack foothills. Corey smiled - Sandy was still trying to cope with these "rustic environments" that his father loved so much.

Corey was astonished when Jeff led them back to the exact same camping location they had used the previous year with Fox Cabin. Jerry, Eric and Alan also recognized the spot, of course. "We're using the same spot as last year, Jeff?" said Jerry.

"Sure," said Jeff. "You have any objections? Any of you?"

"No way," said Eric, "It's a great spot." Jerry and the others quickly agreed with Eric.

The team quickly set up their six tents, Jerry helping with any pairs of campers who needed help. Corey and Jerry shared a tent as always, and Eric and Alan were also sharing as usual. Sandy had teamed up with Tim Sheffield, who seemed to get along with Sandy as well as anybody in camp. The final camper pairings were Roland Bell with Mike Olson and Vince Palmer with Eddie Gray.

Once the encampment was set up to Jeff's satisfaction, the counselor laid down the ground rules. The only major difference from the previous year was no skinny dipping! "Boss Lemmon wasn't kidding," said Jeff. "He was very upset that Sandy's sisters stumbled into us last year while the Fox cabin boys were all bare-assed. I will take a switch to the bare ass of anybody I catch skinny dipping. If you want to hear about how well I can do that, ask the Four Musketeers here. So everybody change into your trunks, and let's start having fun."

The other campers didn't have to ask who Jeff meant when he talked about 'the Four Musketeers'. "So Jeff took a switch to you guys last year?" said Roland.

"Yes," said Eric. "It hurt a lot, and we don't recommend you try Jeff by skinny dipping. Other than that, we have no comment on anything that happened last year." The other three musketeers stood by this statement and refused to answer any questions about the switching they all received the year before.

Generally speaking, the camping location was just as nice as it was the year before. But the four friends agreed that as great as the swimming hole was, it just wasn't quite the same wearing trunks as it had been skinny dipping. "Well you know," said Jerry, loud enough so that everyone could hear. "It's getting to the point where I really should wear trunks or at least a jock. Otherwise I might accidentally put somebody's eye out."

"How?" said Eric. "You're dick's not quite that ugly."

Jerry chased Eric around for a while in mock anger, accompanied by the laughter of the other boys.

On Tuesday morning Alan Dunson was running around the camp site bare assed, but Jeff didn't threaten to take a switch to him. It was Alan's thirteenth birthday, and Eric had taken Alan's briefs from him before they hit their sleeping bags the previous night. By old Camp Torowa Falls tradition, birthday boys must begin the day in their birthday suits. Sandy was once again shaking his head in disbelief. Corey wondered if Sandy might be in danger of damaging his neck from all that shaking.

There was no 'happy birthday' tape to put around Alan's shoulders. The other campers did swat Alan's newly teenaged backside whenever they could. Before breakfast Alan received his official birthday spanking, the same one he would have received back in the cabin.

Eric was chosen to "assist" Alan during his spanking this year. There were no chairs, so Eric just sat crosslegged on the ground and had Alan lay across his lap. The eight other boys lined up and took turns planting a solid Swaatt! on each cheek of Alan's backside. Jeff and John each took a turn giving the birthday boy his swats as well. After they were done, Eric delivered three more Swaatts to each cheek, for a total of thirteen, which left Alan wriggling a bit in pain over Eric's lap, although the birthday boy managed to refrain from yelping. Then came the "one to grow on", except each cheek got an extra. Afterwards Alan was given his clothes back, and he put on his trunks. He would receive his party and gifts after dinner on Thursday night, their first night back at camp.

Later on Tuesday morning there was an unfortunate incident during the exploration of the area surrounding the campsite. Tim Sheffield and Sandy Welles managed to get into a patch of poison ivy when searching for "something interesting" to discuss back at camp. Tim really had a problem, since he had relieved himself before he realized what had happened. Poor Tim not only had the poison ivy rash on his hands, but on his weenie as well!

Poison ivy rashes were not the most uncommon mishap encountered by campers, particularly on the wilderness overnight trips. So Jeff had a jar of Calamine lotion and some rubber gloves in his pack and was able to help the infected campers out. Needless to say Tim was mortified to have to present his rash-infected willy for treatment, but he had no choice.

Tim did luck out in one way - his fellow campers were so disturbed by the idea of a poison ivy rash on their private parts that there was very little razzing directed his way over the matter.

On Wednesday night the campers were sitting around the campfire. It was their last night in the wilderness. They hadn't seen anyone else since leaving camp on Monday. "At least we didn't run into any lost little girls this time," said Alan.

"I'm just glad you guys found my sisters last year," said Sandy.

"I know exactly what you mean, Sandy," said Corey. "I have a little sister too. I'd be frantic if she was lost in the wilderness like that."

"I was frantic last year," said Sandy. "So were my parents."

"My little sister can go straight to hell," said Vince Palmer.

"Whoa!" said Jeff. "First of all, watch your language, Vince. And how can you talk about your own sister like that?"

"She's a little pain in the ass," said Vince. "My family would be better off if she disappeared."

"Knock it off, Vince!" said Jeff. "This is your final warning on that bad language. Let's try to keep things positive."

"Or maybe she could overdose like Marilyn Monroe," said Vince, "and solve everybody's problem."

Corey was horrified by this statement, but he forgot what it would mean to Jerry until he saw this best friend's fist connecting with Vince Palmer's nose. After decking Vince, Jerry ran off into the darkness.

"What the hell!" yelled Jeff. "Jerry, get back here!

"Wait!" said Corey, grabbing Jeff's arm as the counselor moved to try and pursue Jerry.

"What the hell's wrong with Jerry?" said Jeff, looking at Corey suspiciously, like he had something to do with his friend's sudden attack.

Corey weighed the situation, and decided that he had to reveal his best friend's secret. "Jerry's mother died of an accidental overdose, just like Marilyn Monroe."

Jeff looked stunned. "Oh, shit!"

"That's still no call for him to hit me!" said Vince, holding his bloody nose. "And stop cursing, Jeff!"

"You, shut up!" said Jeff, glaring at Vince. "I told you to knock it off." He turned to address John, "John, please fix up that idiot's nose."

"You got it, Jeff," said John. "I'll get the first aid kit from our tent."

As John rushed to the tent he shared with Jeff, Corey said, "Jeff, let me go find Jerry."

Jeff shook his head and said, "I can't have two campers out there in the dark alone."

"Please, Jeff! Gimme just a few minutes to try. I know I can convince him to come back to camp!"

"Well, okay," said Jeff. "But only for fifteen minutes. Take a flashlight and whistle with you."

Two minutes later Corey was moving carefully through the woods in the general direction Jerry was moving when he disappeared. Corey occasionally called his friend's name, but so far there was no answer. Corey didn't see or hear any sign of Jerry. But he kept moving slowly into the wilderness. He wondered what would happen if he didn't find Jerry within fifteen minutes, because he sure as hell wasn't going back to the campsite without his best friend.

You can contact the author at: mrbwatson (at) gmail.com