The sunlight flashed off the rear bumper of the car that had just dropped Adam off at camp. This year all ceremony had been cut off. His parents simply wanted him, and his mouth, gone, with the result that he was one of the first people to arrive. Adam was nothing short of a 15 year old terror at home. He had gotten himself suspended and expelled from no less then five separate schools since 6th grade. Really, as his mom saw it, getting him back to this camp was something of a miracle. Adam had ended up in a fight with the son of the camp's manager. He was almost sent home on the spot, but, apparently, the son, Shawn, had convinced his dad to let Adam come back.
And so Adam stood on the dusty road outside the main lodge. They'd already taken his luggage to the cabin, all that was left was to check in, and torment, er...meet, people. The lodge was pleasantly cool, after the dry heat outside. The check-in was set up in a circle. You got your name button, cabin and bunk assignment, turned in any medication you had, and got your camp shirt.
"Let's see here...Adam. What's your last name?"
"Graham"
The guy shuffled papers, and started to look really confused.
"We don't have any Adam Graham's registered"
"Of course you don't! I'm Adam Middleditch!"
He broke out into a fit of laughter.
The registrar glanced at his papers, and a wicked smile spread across his face.
"Oh! /That/ Adam. Of course...You'll be in Raccoon Cabin. NEXT!"
Adam was handed his button, and shoved out of the way before he could protest the fact that Raccoon Cabin was where the 7 year olds stayed. He didn't have any medicine. So he went over to the shirt lady.
"Cabin?"
"uh...which cabin are 15 year olds in?"
"Porcupine. Here..."
She reached in to a box, but then caught sight of his button.
"You're in Raccoon Cabin! What size do you wear?"
"Look lady! Do I /look/ 7 years old to you?"
"I don't care how old you look. You're registered as a Raccoon. What size?"
"XL..not like you'll have any"
The shirt hit him in the face. He shook it out and found it absurdly childish. The sleeves were striped black and gray, and there was a big sketch of a group of raccoons curled up in bunks.
Clearly his registration was in error, so he went over to the main cabin, where the manager would be. After their last encounter, the manager was understandably unhappy to see him, but seemed to be doing his best to cover it up.
"What can I do for you, Adam?"
"I've been assigned to the wrong bunk. I should be a porcupine, but I was assigned to raccoon."
The manager typed momentarily on the computer, and then chuckled. "My, my. You do seem to have been misassigned. How embarrassing. We can definitely fix that."
Adam breathed a sigh of relief.
"But it'll take a few days. You'll just have to tough it out in raccoon until we get things shuffled around."
Adam's jaw dropped. "You can't be serious."
The manager shrugged. "Sorry."
Stunned, Adam walked slowly towards his temporary cabin (muttering a brief, unrepeatable comment loudly enough for the manager to hear). The counselor, a slightly over-enthusiastic college student raced over to him.
"Hi, camper!"
"Look, I'm not really in raccoon. I'm just here until a mixup is sorted out."
The counselor just grinned. "Sure you are. So, are you excited to be here at camp?"
Adam looked at him in annoyance. "I've been coming here for years, you idiot. I'm not a little kid."
The counselor ignored the insult. "Say, are you Adam?"
"Yes."
"Something was left for you on your bed."
Adam walked over to the cabin, and saw a plush tails doll sitting on the bed under his name tag. Now furious, he stormed out of the cabin.
"I don't know who..."
The camp nurse, who had come by while he was in the cabin, interrupted him.
"Adam, your medical records are incomplete. We're going to have to do an eye exam for you."
Annoyed, but glad to get away from the cabin, he followed her to the nurse's office, where she instructed him to sit down. She took out a device and began shining it in his eye while making small talk.
"So, you're a raccoon this year?"
The light in his eye was making him feel a little dizzy. "Not really..."
"Oh? Because you have a raccoon button on."
"Well, yeah, but..."
"And I assumed that would mean you're a raccoon. Are you sure you aren't?"
"Well, I am, except..."
"Oh, so you are in raccoon cabin."
"I guess..."
"That must be exciting. I'll bet you really like raccoons." She began talking more quickly, and, as the eye exam continued, Adam was feeling more and more dizzy anyway, so he just let her talk. "You must be so excited to meet the other boys. Aren't you looking forward to all the games?"
Here she finished the exam. Still feeling odd, Adam responded with a vague, "yeah, sure" and wandered back to the cabin, where several more campers had apparently arrived.
"Seven year olds," he was thinking, "immature, bratty, snotty nosed kids who probably won't shower all week." He glowered as he walked back in. Almost immediately he was knocked onto a bunk by a kid who ran up and gave him a big hug.
"Hi there!" The kid said, ignoring Adams surprise and growing anger, "I'm Kevin! Isn't it so cool that we're raccoons?"
The word raccoon seemed to echo in Adam's head. He forgot all about being mad. "Yeah! Raccoons are the mostest coolest animals ever!"
Somewhere inside Adam winced. Mostest coolest...where had that come from? And why wasn't he pounding Kevin into the ground for hugging him?
"Wanna hear a secret?"
"YEAH!"
"I think our counselor has raccoon tails for us to wear."
"Whoa! Super-coolness!"
Adam walked over to his bunk and pulled out...his luggage? But the bag was all wrong! He had thrown stuff for the week in a black duffel bag. But here was a real suitcase, covered in raccoons, with his name blazoned across the top. He felt like he was ready to scream, but at the same time, couldn't contain how cool he thought the raccoons were. Inside he found enough clothes for the week, much more neatly packed then if he had done it.
"Mommy musta done it for me," he thought.
Mommy? I haven't called her that in years!
The counselor had come back in the room and was greeting all the boys, as well as informing them that, "Adam over there doesn't seem to be having a very good time. You guys are gonna have to make sure he has fun, OK?"
The boys went to their job with a passion. Adam was ready to scream if he heard one more statement about how cool camp was. He opened his mouth, and said, "Thanks guys! Camp sounds like it's gonna be a blast!" And he was, what's more, smiling at the little twerps! That seemed to content them, and they let him be for the time being. Each set about preparing their bunks.
Soon after, when all the boys had arrived, the counselor, Mr. Davies ("just call me Mr. D") called the boys together. "Chow is in about 10 minutes guys. Before we go over there, I want you to find a buddy to stick with this week, and then I have to explain how to be a raccoon!"
Adam listened in horror as "Mr. D." informed them that, in order to enter the bunk they would have to "chitter like a raccoon." After he demonstrated it twice, he asked for a volunteer to try it. Even after Mr. D. gestured in his direction and said "Go ahead," it took Adam several seconds to realize that he had raised his hand without noticing. After he "chittered," he found himself giggling along with the rest of his bunkmates.
"Also, I got raccoon tails." He held up a bag with plush tails. "And you'll all be able to earn them as prizes." He paused for cheers from the boys. "I have enough for all of you, so I hope you each earn one. You can get one if you keep your bed completely clean at bed check for three days in a row, or if you do a chore extra well, or if you do something exceptional in any of your activities. Are there any questions?" After a moments pause, he continued. "Okay! Then lets go to dinner!"
The kids all ran towards the dinner hall.
Once there, Adam was saw his bunkmates from the year before sitting together with some other kids his age at the far end of the room. His wanted to go join them, but he knew he wasn't allowed to separate from his group. He tried to leave the line, but felt too afraid. Even though he knew he was one of the older kids there, he couldn't shake the intimidation, as if he really belonged in raccoon bunk.
He suffered through most of dinner listening to his seven year old "friends" chattering. A few times he tried to make fun of them, but each time he said something just as stupid instead. Then, one of his old friends saw him. Adam could see him point in his direction, and within a few moments the entire table was snickering.
Gathering all his will, Adam stood up and walked over to them. "Guys, this sounds really weird but..." he was so happy that something he said finally came out the way he intended that he barely noticed when his friend interrupted him.
"So, Adam, I see you're a raccoon this year."
A raccoon...
"Yeah! It's so cool! I'm having so much fun!"
The giggles turned quickly into uproarious laughter, and Adam found himself unable to speak, or tell them that it was a mixup. His face was really hot, and there might have even been a tear trickling down his cheek as he ran back and hugged Mr. D.
"Those kids are mean!"
Mr. D had been about ready to reprimand Adam for leaving the group, but his tears and the strong hug were enough punishment, Mr. D thought.
"Come on raccoons, I think it's time to head back to the bunk."
Rubbing his eyes, Adam followed Mr. D back. As they got to the entrance, Mr. D stopped. "Wait a minute. We have to chitter before entering." He chittered, and then walked in the door. Each of the kids in turn chittered, and Mr. D would let them in. A few had to try a few times, and all the kids would giggle.
"Officially, it's bed time now." Mr. D waited a moment for the groans that followed. "But, since it's the first night, if you all get changed for bed, I'll let you stay up for half an hour."
Adam found himself scrambling along with the other kids to put on his pajamas, excited at the prospect of getting a whole half hour more to play. When he thought about it, it didn't make much sense, since he'd really rather go to bed, but he changed anyway.
He hadn't noticed what he'd put on until one of the other other kids shouted "That's so cool! Adam has raccoon p.j.s!" Adam looked down and realized that he was wearing striped, footed sleepers with a big raccoon on his chest. Even though he'd never seen them before, he heard himself say, "Yeah. They're my favorite."
As the boys were stuck in the bunk not much more excitement occurred that night. They soon drifted off to sleep, dreaming of camp, and the raccoon tails they hoped to earn soon. Adam had a bit of trouble getting to sleep. Everything seemed to be going great...people were even jealous of his pajamas...but everything was flat out wrong, too...
Then he remembered the Tails stuffie that someone had left for him. It was still sitting there, right next to his pillow. He picked it up and imagined what Tails would be like if he were a raccoon. With that presumably happy thought, Adam drifted off to sleep.
Adam woke up earlier then any of his bunkmates...simply by force of habit. He remembered that none of them had to catch a bus to High School. They were just little third graders, barely old enough to go to camp in the first place. And he was almost a sophomore, but he was still stuck in a bunk with them!
Furious at the unfairness of it all, he stomped out of the bunk, stopping only long enough to throw some sandals on. He went to the Director's cabin and pounded on the door. A bleary eyed man came to the door, and a hint of a smile played across his face as he saw Adam's attire.
"Good morning my little raccoon. How's camp going for you?"
"YOU SAID YOU'D PUT ME IN PORCUPINE!" Adam punctuated his shout with a stomp of his foot.
The director yawned. "I will, everything should be arranged by tomorrow."
Adam stormed back to the bunk to see a rather upset Mr. D waiting for him. As Adam tried to walk past him into the cabin, he blocked the way.
"Two problems Adam. First, you have to chitter, and second you're not allowed to leave the bunk without permission. We had no idea where you were."
Adam was in a bad mood, and didn't have the patience to deal with this garbage. "Okay, first, I'm not going to do the stupid chittering. Second, I'm not one of these little kids. I'm a high school student, and the way I'm being treated is absurd."
"Look Adam, I'm sorry your not happy with your bunk assignment, and I hope the director can fix it, but as long as you're in this bunk, you have to follow this bunk's rules. Now, I know it's only the first day, and you might not have realized, and you're aren't going to be in trouble, but you're definitely not going to get a tail today."
"A tail?" Did he mean those idiotic raccoon tails? That was what he wanted to use to punish him.
"Yes, a raccoon tail. You only get them if you're extra-good."
"Ooh. I'm really sorry. Please can I have one? They're so cool." What was he saying?! "I'll be really good! I promise!"
"Not today. But if you're good, maybe you can get one tomorrow. Now, if you chitter, you can go in the bunk."
Adam could barely stop giggling long enough to chitter properly, but after a couple tries he got it right. It was so cool that they had to be like raccoons to enter the raccoon bunk.
He wasn't sure what to make of the situation inside...the kids had heard him say how dumb the were, but now he wanted to be reaccepted...how could he do that?
"Kevin?" He looked to the first kid who had been nice to him..."I'll trade you t-shirts...I've got a really cool raccoon one..."
Adam pulled out a shirt and waved it at Kevin. Slowly, Kevin grinned and said, "Sure!"
Kevin pulled out a beat up shirt with a sports logo on it..."I don't have any neat raccoon shirts, sorry..."
Adam smiled, understanding that Kevin probably didn't have much at all. "It's OK Kevin. I like baseball! You can keep that shirt, OK?"
Kevin smiled, and a tear ran down his face. "Really?"
"Really."
Kevin jumped into Adam's much bigger arms. "You're the best raccoon ever!"
Breakfast went smoothly, and Adam didn't even notice the porcupines snickering at him. After that was swimming. As they changed into bathing suits, it occurred to Adam that he had done a lot more swimming that any of these kids.
They got in the water one by one, most of them staying in the shallow end while the stragglers finished changing, but Adam swam out a ways and started treading water.
"Okay raccoons, over here!" Mr. D shouted.
Suddenly, Adam forgot how to swim. He started flailing about, and after a moment Mr. D grabbed him and helped him over to the shallow end.
"Adam has reminded us all that we have to be careful and not swim too deep."
Adam was flustered by the experience, but managed a weak, "yeah!" for the other raccoons benefit.
Swimming time went on, and the raccoons didn't really do much in the way of swimming, but they did a lot in the way of a water fight. It lasted until they all ganged up on Mr. D, who then declared swimming time over, and that they needed to go back to their bunks and change before they had lunch. Of course, the kids didn't see any reason they really needed to change, but Mr. D seemed firm about it.
They filed back to their cabin, and each one chittered before going in, once they got through their usual tentative giggling fit.
"Don't forget, raccoons, today is picture day, so wear your camp shirts, and don't make a mess at lunch!"
All the boys put on their camp shirts, which they all felt were the neatest thing at camp so far, and headed over to the chow hall. The meal was made to be non messy so that the little kids wouldn't ruin their shirts.
Afterwards they went over to get their bunk picture taken. Adam's attempts to get his picture taken with the porcupines (since, after all, he'd be with them the next day) were rebuffed, and he was stuck in the back row with the raccoons. Embarrassed that the whole embarrassing incident would be recorded, he planned to duck down and avoid actually being seen.
And so, when the man taking the picture shouted, "Okay, smile raccoons!" Adam ducked down. And then as the man finished the sentence, he realized how much fun he was having, and hopped up again.
The next picture, at Mr. D's instructions, was of all of them chittering. Adam participated enthusiastically.
With pictures taken, the raccoons headed back to their bunk for nap time. They all complained about it, but state law forced the younger kids to take a half hour rest period. Adam saw an opportunity to get back on Mr. D's good side, so he said "Com'on guys, if we sleep well, we might even dream what it's like to be a raccoon!"
His idea was met with much enthusiasm, and they all ran back to their bunks. None of them actually slept, of course. They just lay on their bunks, planning the afternoon, and counting off the minutes.
Adam was the last one to leave, and the only one not to dash wildly out the door at the announcement of free time. Mr. D was looking at him strangely, almost sadly.
"Adam, I know you don't want to hear this, but you should think about staying in in this bunk...think how much fun you're having here..." and the sentence faded away. Adam didn't know what to think. He want to be treated his own age, but Raccoon was a lot of fun, too.
He shook his head clear. "This kid stuff is stupid. I should be in Porcupine."
Mr D. shrugged. "Alright. It's your decision."
And while the other raccoons went to play, Adam grabbed his bag and ran over to join his old friends in Porcupine bunk, forgetting entirely the raccoon on his shirt which he'd been so proud of earlier.
His arrival in Porcupine bunk was greeted with barely restrained snickers.
"Hey Adam. Got bored of playing with the little kids?" asked Jeff, one of Adam's friends from the previous year.
"There was some sort of mixup, and I got assigned to the wrong bunk. But it's straightened out. I'm back with you guys."
"You sure you want to be here? Because you know, you seemed to be having fun with the seven year olds."
"Very funny."
"And, you do have that raccoon on your shirt."
Suddenly, Adam felt intimidated by all the big kids around him.
"That's just cuz I don't have a Porcupine shirt, yet!"
The other kids grinned. Jeff said, "And you don't get one unless you make it all the way through our camping trip tonight."
"Camping trip?"
"Yup! It's a Porcupine tradition. No porcupine would ever get scared on a little camping trip. But your little friends might. So we get to see whether you're really ready to be a Porcupine."
They guys snickered and slapped a few high fives around the room. Adam was seriously getting worried. Maybe he should just go back and enjoy being a raccoon, but then the big kids would think he was a baby.
"I'm not scared!" he shouted as he stuck his tongue out at them.
"Sure ya aren't. C'mon little kit. Get your stuff together."
"Kit?"
"It means baby. We call you that till you prove you're a real porcupine."
Adam wasn't sure that made sense. Giving out tails made sense, but these word games were weird.
Adam found an empty bunk and got stuff together for the hike. He'd need his sleeping bag, and Tails, of course. He stuffed his sleeper into the sleeping bag, hoping no one noticed it. Then he tossed and extra set of clothes and shoes in to his bag and said, "I'm all set!"
The boys all looked at him expectantly. He waited. They waited. Finally Jeff said, "Aren't you going to change?"
Adam was surprised. "What's wrong with what I have on?"
"It's that raccoon shirt. I thought you wanted to be porcupine."
"Well...I like this shirt anyway. I'm only gonna wear it till ya give me my other shirt."
"Jeff looked around. "If you say so, kit."
With that, the boys headed up the mountain ready for an overnighter that Adam wasn't likely to ever forget.
Adam was proud that he had kept up with the big boys on the hike. They hadn't even said anything about him falling behind! Maybe he could be a porcupine. If he was lucky, and careful.
The boys set up their tents, which the biggest boys had brought along. Adam was given the smallest and oldest one. It had obviously seen plenty of action, but it looked sturdy and mostly waterproof. He had a little trouble dealing with the old poles, and no one offered to help him. Given some time, and a few small nicks and cuts, he managed to get it up.
The real porcupines continued their blatant ignorance of Adam's needs. He got the last bits of dinner "because he took so long with his tent," according to them. No one offered him marshmallows, and he hadn't brought any of his own, so he sat on a log and watched, and listened as they began to tell ghost stories.
"Once upon a time, there was a boy named Ricky who liked to hike in the woods. He went out often, and over time the animals in the forest came to like him, because he was always nice to them. His favorite animals were a group of little raccoons, who liked him because he played with them all the time."
This statement elicited giggles from the group.
Adam looked mad. "You made that up! LIAR!"
"Nope. It's part of the story.
Now one day Ricky went hiking at night. He usually didn't because he was really too young, but he snuck out and pretended to be brave.
He hiked to the very middle of the forest, where a big gnarled old tree stood. Lots of people said the tree was possessed, or something worse, but it never bothered the boy. He snuck up to the tree and used his pocketknife to carve his initials there. He figured that would prove how brave he was, and anyone could go see his initials there.
After that he snuck home, and went to sleep.
The next day he told everyone what he had done and dared them to go see his initials in the tree: RN. A few of the bolder boys checked it out. They came back and said, "What's your middle name?"
Ricky told them, "Charles"
"You lied then! The tree says RAN, and that's not you!"
Of course, this made Ricky feel even worse. He ran into the forest to the tree. Funny, it didn't say RN like he'd carved, or RAN like the boys said. Now it said RACN. That didn't make any sense at all. How could new letter appear on the tree like that? It didn't look like anyone had scratched them out.
A few of his raccoon friends gathered around Ricky. They could tell something was bothering him, even if they didn't know what. He played with them for a while, then went home. He didn't see it but the writing on the tree now said RACCN.
Ricky was getting ready for bed. He washed his hands, then started running them through his hair. He didn't know why, but that just felt right. He looked in the mirror, and realized why. In the mirror, he had grown a muzzle, and pointy grey ears, and a raccoon's mask!
He lifted up his hands and saw deft and flexible black paws!
RACC..N. Of course! The tree was turning him into a raccoon. He ran out of the house and into the woods. He heard a tearing sound and saw a big fluffy tail sticking out behind him.
He ran as fast as he could but he tripped as he got to the tree. Tripped over his own tail! And he saw an eerie green glow carved the last letter into the tree."
Jeff's voice had gotten very soft at this point. Then he looked around, pointed at Adam and shouted, "RACCOON!"
Adam had gotten more and more suspicious during the story, and the final accusation sent him to tears. He fled to his tent, and stayed there, sobbing, while the other kids sat around the fire laughing and telling more stories.
After a while, Adam calmed down. He realized that he'd gotten far too upset over a silly story, and, worse, had embarrassed himself further by crying in front of his bunkmates. He wiped his tears away, and crept to his tent's entrance when he overheard Jeff. "...riddance to that stupid raccoon kit."
Suddenly the memories of how upset he'd been came rushing back. He didn't want to play with the mean big kids; he didn't even remember why he'd wanted to in the first place. With nothing to do, he changed into his sleeper and went to bed.
Before he'd fallen asleep, the counselor noticed that he'd left, and opened the tent entrance wide. "Adam, why don't you come out and join us?"
The rest of the campers looked, and saw Adam sitting on his sleeping bag in his raccoon sleeper, clutching his Tails doll. Of course, they started laughing harder than they'd laughed all evening, and Adam, eyes filling with tears, ran into the woods.
He'd only run a little distance when, to his surprise, he ran right into the camp manager.
"Whoa there, Adam. Shouldn't you be with your bunk?"
Adam sniffed. "They're all mean to me! And they laughed at my pajamas!"
"They laughed at your pajamas? Why? They seem pretty cool to me."
"Well...I like 'em...but they said that porcupines don't wear little kids pajamas."
"That's too bad. I take it you like your pajamas?"
"Well, they're kinda different. But I like them"
"But I guess you'll get laughed at it if you wear them in porcupine bunk. That's too bad. Are you going to stop wearing your raccoon pajamas for them?"
"I don't know. They're the only pajamas I have."
"Oh. So what do you want to do?"
"I don't know. Mr D. said I should have stayed. But I'm not a little kid!"
"So you don't want to go back to raccoon bunk?"
"I don't know...The big kids make fun of me there.
"So you don't want to go back with the porcupines, because they make fun of you, but you don't want to go to the raccoons because they're younger than you are."
"Yeah...a lot younger. If we were closer if might be OK."
"So you'd like to be one of the raccoons if you could be the same age?"
"Well...if I was their age then the big kids wouldn't make fun of me. I could be a raccoon because I'm supposed to be a raccoon"
"Well, you have to go somewhere. Do you want to go back to the porcupines?"
"NO! I can't go back up there!"
"Then I guess your other choice is to join the raccoons"
"They aren't mean, at least. But won't Mr. D be mad that I left?"
"I'm sure he'll be thrilled to have you back."
Adam follow the manager back down the hill and away from the laughter of the porcupines. The manager was a tall man, and Adam was having trouble keeping up with him.
"You're going too fast!"
The manager slowed down, and even caught a hold of Adam's hand to help him down. As the lights of the camp came in sight, Adam stepped on the leg of his sleeper, tripped, and rolled down the hill a few feet.
"OOF!"
The manager jogged down, helped Adam up. As he brushed him off, he asked, "You OK, little guy?"
Adam looked down glumly. "Yeah, I'm OK. But I tore my pajamas, look..."
He pointed at the tears in both legs and one sleeve.
"It's OK Adam. C'mon, I'll carry you back to the bunk.
He lifted Adam on his shoulder and carried him back to the raccoon bunk, where the lights were out and the kids were talking in excited whispers.
When the manager opened the door, all the kids immediately went quiet, afraid that they would get in trouble for talking after lights out.
The manager announced loudly, "Well Adam, I guess everyone's asleep, but you can talk to them when they wake up." He put Adam down.
By now Adam's pajamas hung on him absurdly, and he tugged on the manager's sleeve.
"My pajamas are ripped, and they don't fit right!"
"I think there's a new pair on your bed."
Adam ran over, and indeed there were new raccoon pajamas on his bed. He changed into them, and the manager quietly closed the door and left. After a few minutes, when it was clear that the manager was really gone, the other kids ran out of bed to talk to Adam, shouting over each other in their excitement. It was only then that Adam noticed that the other kids were as tall as he was.
Finally Mr. D. asked, "So Adam, will you be staying with us?"
Adam grinned. "Why wouldn't I? This is where I belong."