the first-day-of-camp events had already begun. name tags slapped on, teams announced, wristbands fastened. we all gathered in the pole barn for the official beginnings, i filed into a line awaiting the cabin distribution, and all of us girls were called into the chapel for the giving of the rules. afterwards, i dashed to the gazebo for the green team meeting, where we determined that we should all be wearing green shirts. luckily, i had just bought the green camp t-shirt about an hour earlier. while running toward the parking lot to grab it from the van, i remembered a rule i had just been given: don't go to your car without permission. so, i needed to find someone in charge. someone who worked at the camp. i spotted some guys who looked like staff a few feet away from me. they were wearing walkie-talkies and walking to the staff entrance of clarke hall.

the guy who was closest to me turned around.

him: "yeah?"

me: "um, is it okay if i go get something from my car?"

him: "what do you need?"

me: "i need to get the green t-shirt i just bought from the camp store."

him: "okay."

me: "thanks!"

he turned around and kept walking. i rushed over to my car, thinking about how glad i was that the permission part was over. wondering what he thought of me. thankful that i wasn't mistaken about him being staff. thankful that i hadn't made a fool of myself. reassuring myself that my question was completely reasonable. wondering if he would remember me. wondering why i cared so much.

later in the week, after finding out who grant was from the girls in cabin 7, i realized that he was the guy. the one who had given me permission. grant harms had said yes to me. well.. he had said "okay." but, even so, the whole thing was rather thrilling. grant's attention was a privileged thing to have held. even for just a moment.

and that was our first encounter. face to face. no names. no introduction. no flirtation. just a girl camper and just a guy staffer. but that adds to the mysterious and memorable quality. and don't think there wasn't any noticing going on during this meeting. because there was. how could i not notice that he was tall, lean, sun-tanned, and distractingly handsome? he was wearing his customary camp getup. and no one could wear it better. shorts that fit just loosely perfect, a worn t-shirt, flip-flops, and keys + walkie-talkie. that's him to a t. and man oh man, does he look swell. so boyish. so campish. i can't wait to see him break out the uniform again this summer. the sight of him in his camp threads brings back so many good memories.

and now you know how we first "met." if you were looking for romance, i'm sure i left you high & dry. but please bear with me. this is just the beginning. it's all part of the fairy tale.

photo by kaitlin haack