Aly and Me

A little over a year ago I was laying on my bunk in Cabin 5A here at Camp Gilead. The Cabin was full of strangers who would become a tight knit family in a matter of days. Two bunks down, Heather Simmons was talking about monkeys for some odd reason. I really wasn't in the conversation but since I heard the words monkey I rolled over onto my side and in a casual sleepy like voice I simply said,  "You know in Kansas monkeys fly." Heather laughed at the comment. Five minutes later the lights had gone out and everyone was settling int their bunks when from the other side of the room a burst of laughter erupted! "I GET IT!" she shouted. That is the moment I met Alyssa Sera.
     There was just something about the youngest member of our little group. Maybe it was her quiet smile, her infectious laughter, or her genuine enthusiasm. Perhaps it was her apparent lack of fear for any creature under the sun, or her capable life-gaurding skills. It could have been the way her cabin was always well behaved and squeaky clean. More than likely it was her constant encouraging words and the ability to be excited for you, rather than jealous, when things were good. Whatever it was, the girl grew on me. But, it wasn't until Elementary week that we bonded.
     It was the biggest week of the summer. All the Cabins were used and full. I was a counselor in 8A and Aly was in 8B. We had some good times being neighbors. The thing about the 8 cabins is they are old and rarely used. They also don't have indoor bathrooms so we have to share the G.O.B (Girls Outdoor Bathroom) with 2 other cabins. Every day it was something new. A leak, a clogged toilet, a roaming lizard. But, Aly and I took care of it like a boss. Then there was shower time. We took turns being in the G.O.B. We would usher girls in and out and keep the showers moving. I mean 4 showers for 56 girls in 1 hour!!! Talk about crazy! It was so steamy and humid in that bathroom during shower time. We had to prop both doors open so the air would get in. And that's when it happened. One afternoon we forgot to close the doors. After dinner the campers went in to get ready for bed and as Aly and I stood in front of our cabins we heard screams come from the bathroom. As we went to investigate, we found the entire bathroom completely covered in flying ants!!! I'm not talking about just a lot of bugs. I'm talking covering ever surface! That night after our campers were in bed and asleep, Aly and I spent an hour moping out all the bugs and cleaning every surface of the G.O.B.

"I wish I could keep you but that might be considered kidnapping and God probably wouldn't like that."- Alyssa Serna

     As summer came to a close, I was excited to go home, yet sad to leave such good friends behind. Yet, Aly seemed to know something I didn't. "I am pretty positive I will see you again. I'm not worried at all." She told me.  A couple months later I stepped out of my loaded down car after driving for 24 hours and was greeted by a familiar face and a gigantic hug. Yep, she was right we would see each-other again. We would spend some holidays together, lots of retreats and crazy conversations. I am pretty sure she didn't know what she was getting into! As I would force her to sit and listen to my random writings, my romantic novels and crazy dreams. How would I describe the two of us together? Mmmmmm........welllll, think of a little girl with curls bouncing up and down and a crooked tiara on her head, a tutu on and a pair of wings. She dances around the room with her wand, apparently in a fairy tale of some sort, with rainbows and unicorns. That's me. Now picture in the same room a little girl covered from head to toe in camo, hunched behind a couch with her weapon, ready to strike at anything that looks unfamiliar. That's Aly. And together, its indescribable. I mean I tried to explain that a romantic notion is something completely crazy and out of the ordinary, yet mystical and mysterious, like walking through thick vines that lay on the forest floor to reach a place were a log has falling half way into the creek and jumping in for a swim. Her conclusion: "Sounds like a romantic notion is the same as finding the perfect spot to hunt." Ummmmmm.........I don't think you got what I meant.
     But no matter how different we are, I am super blessed to have her as my friend. To be able to hop in a car  with her and drive all the way to one side of Florida to watch the sunrise, then pack up and drive all the way to the other side and watch the sunset. To meet her at the movie theater at midnight for the opening showing of The Hobbit, or dance in the middle of the camp parking lot to Hunter Hays songs. And that is Aly and Me in a nutshell.

"It is one of the blessings of old friends that you can afford to be stupid with them."-Ralph Waldo Emerson