It was the best month at camp I had ever had. I had the most fantastic, super, counsellor at camp. My camp was in Algonquin Park and my counsellor's name was Elsebeth. She was the greatest. Elsebeth played with us, swam with us, and even sang with us . We had just gotten back from our canoe trip to Big Porcupine lake. And that was when it all started.My cabinmate and I were sitting on a rock beside the lake when Rita, my best friend in the cabin said, "I can't believe it's almost the end of the month! It feels like yesterday we were arguing about who gets the soft bed and who gets the lumpy one."
We all laughed remembering the experience when Elsebeth came along and asked us to come inside the cabin. "O.K., guys I want you to come straight back to the cabin after canoeing (which was our last activity before dinner). I have something I need to talk to you about.
After canoeing we came back to the cabin and I said, "Maybe Elsebeth has a surprise for us ," "I don't know Maddie, she seemed sort of upset," said Rita.
Elsebeth came in and we all stopped talking and Elsebeth started to talk."I have some bad news. I have to leave early, a family member is sick and I have to go.....home.
We all burst into tears. I couldn't believe it. I knew it wasn't true. I could read Elsebeth like a book. Later on when Elsebeth was gone I explained my theory, my cabin mates believed me and thought I might be right so we went to check it out. We decided to go to Jonie, a good friend of Elsebeth's.
We asked her and Jonie was still. Then she spoke, "All right, Elsebeth wasn't telling the truth, she was caught smoking and was fired so she has to leave." Jonie stopped.
I couldn't believe it! Something burst inside me. We all were stunned and went to dinner. Elsebeth wasn't there because she had to pack but all the other counsellors knew and came over to try to comfort us but nothing, not anything could heal the wound.
What I couldn't understand was why would she break the rules? Elsebeth had been at the camp for ten years!
That night Elsebeth left. We cried ourselves to sleep and cried all the next day. I don't think I will ever forget that month at camp or Elsebeth.
