One night a group of us spontaneously decided to go camping. I don't remember where we went, but I do remember it wasn't super close to home. Even though we were old enough to get a campsite, we were young enough to quickly become the Ranger's surveillance project.
Our first encounter was when Andrew B. thought it would be fun to roll up some dry leaves (oak, maple, etc.) to pretend to smoke them. He was trying to light them when the Ranger came up from behind with his bright flash light and demanded an explanation. Andrew dropped the half lit leaves to the ground, and luckily no fire resulted. He was satisfied with the explanation that they were just leaves and left with an impression that he wanted us to know he was watching us--Warning #1.
Next a few of us went to the playground area and struck up a conversation with a few teenage girls who were camping too. Our conversation was not loud, in fact it was no more than whisper, certainly quieter than the loud Bluegrass music coming out of the camper next to us (which sparked no warnings from the Ranger of course). But yet again the flash came from behind and the Ranger said that the playground was closed and off limits at night. He basically indicated that everything was now off limits and that we should be confined to our campsite, and I think he would even "discourage" us from using the facilities--Warning #2.
We finally settled in, but as often is the case we stayed awake talking, most assuredly about girls. We weren't very loud, again quieter than the older campers around us, but we were his number one target for the night. The flash light appeared and the Ranger was giving us Warning #3 and was about to kick us out right there and then. Luckily we convinced him that we lived too far and that it would cause too great a difficulty for us to depart in the middle of the night. He warned that if he "heard on more peep....." We all looked at Andrew worried that we would hear one more peep...of course Andrew did say "peep," but not loud enough for our new friend Ranger "Bob" to hear.
Ok, the YW camp at the Laney Farm....At church Nathan D. came up and told us about the YW camp out and said that the YW leaders invited us to attend, as long as we set up our own camps away from their own. It sounded fishy but he assured us it was true, and of course teenage boys need little convincing to go to a girls camp. Now as an adult it is very easy to understand that the YM shouldn't go to a YW camp without YM advisers. Anyway, I'll let Nathan divulge the nature of the invitation and how he got the timing and directions of the camp out...I just don't know.
Anyway, we all know that the NUJ made its way there. I won't go into the details of the camp...as we all know and can expect the drama that would stem from such a scenario...but I would like to briefly mention the aftermath.
All involved remember being called into Bishop Rollins' office the next Sunday. On the mere mention of the camp out, and before Bishop Rollins could get out his first question, Jugghead bursts out a confession of the drama that took place, which he himself was not a party to, and the Bishop said that he actually just wanted to know why we were there in the first place, but he would now like to discuss the drama as well. Anyway, it was probably the first and hopefully the last time many of us were called into the Bishop's office for a rebuke. Fun times....
So what played out on the girls' side in terms of being rebuked?
12 comments:
MAN DAVE! You have a great memory! I vaguely remember all these events. Must have been all those dry leaves (oak, maple, etc.) I smoked with Andrew B.
Where was I for the trip to the girls camp? I would have remembered that... Oh the insanity! I do remember Andrew and the leaves. Those we good times.
Yeah, I wasn't there for that camp out either... Maybe that's good thing. If Rollins was Bishop it must have been '95, '96? I was at BYU in '95. Wait... exactly how old WERE you guys?
Dave's memory is amazing! The first camp out took place at White Water park in Harrison, OH. It's like the Winton Woods park but in Harrison and it is far. I do remember many of the events that night. I clearly remember Ranger Bob telling us not to make another peep and I remember being very afraid that Andrew wouldn't be able to resist saying "Peep!" I thought for sure that it had been heard when he did it and that we would be thrown out, but thankfully we were not. He was such a jerk to target us!
I do remember Paul at the YW camp out at the Laney's farm. We sleeped in the NUJ because it started raining. There were complaints of farts. Was the "drama" the triangle between Nathan D, Abbey R. and Kristi M.?
I had completely forgotten about the Bishop's office...I am glad David remembered that. I don't know why we were invited to that campout. Wasn't there some drama that night between Andrew and Anna F.?
I remember another campout in Iowa, when we went to Nauvoo I believe...there was a nice breeze!
Yes, I do remember the nice breeze! Matt F. enjoyed it too, didn't he?
If I recall correctly we were enjoying the breeze at the bottom of a steep path by a lake. I remember you, me, and Matt F. I made a comment about us talking in the Celestial kingdom together and reminiscing about our great times together like the one we were having at that moment. I wish I could be as good and pure in heart as I was that day.
I thought about making a comment about the breeze last night, but I wasn't sure how to properly approach it.
I think Jill Carmack was on that trip and campout. Her parents are active today in the Oxford branch.
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