The boys are going to CAMP. VII - Headin' Home.

Camp was all but over. Everyone had breakfast, and was on the way back to their cabins to finish packing when it happened. "What happened Henry", you ask? Well I'll be glad to tell you. Everyday while leaving the chow hall Jarred and Stephen would grab a stone from around the bushes, that were next to the stairs, and try and throw it over the pine trees close to the welcome sign. And every day they would not even come close to making it over. So this last departure from the chow hall seemed to them to be a special last chance challenge. They were the first out of the hall, and they had decided to pick up 3 stones each. They threw stone one, and missed by about 10 feet. They threw stone two, and missed by about 5 feet this time. When they each threw their third stone they missed again by 5 feet. But this time Jarred didn't hear the normal sounds of the stones bouncing off of branches on the way down. This time he heard a soft kind of thud. "Well that's that." Stephen said turning away toward the cabin. "We hit something up there." Jarred answered back. And then with a scared kind of wonderment in his voice "Stephen, Wait." "Forget it dude. We're never gonna get over those trees." Stephen said still walking away. The chow hall was still emptying when Jarred raised his voice a bit "Stephen do you hear that?" Stephen turn back toward Jarred "Hear What?!?" "That, that humming sound." "I don't hear anythi..." Stephen replied. "OH MAN!" Jarred hollered backing away from the trees and then turned and ran. "EVERYBODY RUN!!!" But everyone just stood there watching Jarred run toward the lake. That boy is crazy they all thought for a few seconds. Then out of the blue. "OUCH" "HEY, OW" "What is that?" "OUCH" and then somebody bellowed out "RUN FOR THE LAKE, IT'S BEE'S" screams came from everywhere. Kids were swatting and running and jumping into the water. Several others were still inside the chow hall looking out at everyone from behind the screen door that now had more than 50 bees crawling on and flying around it. After it was all over we had found out that Stephen and/or Jarred (were still not sure which one) had hit and knocked down a 45 lb honey bee's nest. I mean can you imagine a 45 lb blob of honey just hanging off a branch of some 60 foot pine tree? It was huge.

Boys had been running to and from everywhere. Most of them made it to the lake and were playing the bobbing camper every time a bee flew over head. Mr. Brydare was well aware that there could be nests of all sorts out there in the woods, and was prepared for just such an occasion. He had tucked away in his quarters several smoke bombs. No, not those little round gum-ball sized things you light with a match. He had military issue smoke grenades. And no sooner did he pulled the ring on two of them grenades and tossed them into the bivouac area did those bees start to clear out. He had also given word to the camp nurse/secretary to call someone to come and clear out the nest. Once the Bee Man arrived all he had to do was find the queen and then the other bees would follow. He and his Wive brought two man made bees nests and a couple extra queens in case they couldn't find the original. In all it took about 3 hours to clear 'em out. And those bee's were not to happy about it. They even tried to attack those two in their protective suits.

The grand total of stings was 83. The most stings received by anyone was 17. Franky was the lucky one with that tally. And there was only one kid that had an allergic reaction to the sting he got. Nurse Wilson was quick to act, and gave him the shot needed to keep him from going into shock. So After the excitement was over, and all the bags were packed and ready to be loaded on the buses, the boys all said their good-byes with a few hand shakes and several punches in the arm. The Antlers Cabin Counselor Mike came running up to Jarred and Stephen and handed them both a copy of the picture of all three of their bald heads. Then standing between the two of them with an arm around each ones shoulder he said " Here. Something to remember camp by." And just as the boys were about to say thank you, in one quick motion Mike grabbed hold of their tightie whities and gave them each an off the ground wedgie. That's when your feet are no longer touching the ground. "And this is for the bee sting I got on my back side you big honkin' goobers." He finished, laughing and setting them back down. Others laughed, Stephen and Jarred just cringed a bit and did what they could to loosen up their under sides. (Ooooo that's gotta hurt.) Mike shook their hands and said "You guys be good." "See ya Mike. Thanks for the great time" They simultaneously replied like the alien twins that they are. And then, well, Camp was over.


Henry the dog.