Olen was excited when he heard about a guest speaker coming to deliver a sermon. So far church camp had been lacking in "spiritual experiences" of the type that he'd hoped would make this a week in the woods to remember, one that would keep him on fire for God through the school year. When the guest speaker presented an awkward hour long discussion of how he didn't like all the hugging in the modern church and how he was suspicious of the boys and men hugging his daughter Olen got a headache.
Olen and Jamie went walking in the woods. The two boys talked, not so much to each other as just out loud in each other's presence.
"That guest preacher sucked. This camp isn't very moving."
"What do you think of Jana? I think she's hot."
"I thought there'd be more worship and music and really cool speakers that had the holy spirit working in them."
"She's only two years older than us. I don't know how she became a counselor."
"I think it's up to us to invite the spirit here."
"I think I'm gonna bang Jana."
The two teenagers walked in silence then, each smiling to themselves as they thought about the night ahead.
After dinner there were brownies for dessert in the main lodge. They were amazing brownies or else they just tasted amazing because they were being eaten in the middle of the woods while a beautiful sunset lit up the sky. Olen prayed with all his might before dinner and volunteered to help clean up after. He wanted community. He wanted to feel passion and love and God. He felt mildly appreciated. It was definitely time for drastic action. Olen walked the winding path back to the cabin he shared with Jamie and two other campers, grabbed his Pink Floyd cassette tapes and the last of the daylight faded over the horizon as he made his way back to the lodge where many campfires beckoned.
Jamie had convinced Jana to sit with him around the fire which meant that a small crowd of Jana's admirers were there also. This made Olen's plans more intimidating but also more exciting. He stood up and said, "I want God in my heart. I don't want sin." and with that he tossed his Pink Floyd, A Collection of Great Dance Songs on to the fire. He heard a few gasps and Jamie muttered "What the fuck dude?" bringing a scowl from Jana. This felt right. Though he wasn't sure just what was unChristian about Pink Floyd he certainly couldn't imagine anyone arguing that they weren't wicked. That he loved their music made this act all the more valid.
The platic bent and twisted. The paper cover caught fire and flashed for a moment. A line of black smoke brought impatient coughs from camper who now moved to a different campfire. Olen reached in his pocket and pulled out another tape, this time Dark Side of The Moon which he was oddly relieved hadn't come out first. As he prepared to throw his favorite album to the flames a strong hand grabbed his wrist gently but firmly. He heard his older brother Jake whisper in his ear, "That's not what we do. Keep your tape." With an odd mix of shame and relief the tape went back in the pocket. Jake disappeared back into the darkness, graciously not causing a scene. Following his older brother's lead the distraught camper made his way back to his cabin. An hour later Jamie was back having apparently struck out with Jana. Olen put slipped Dark Side of The Moon into his Walkman and placed the headphones over his ears so that he wouldnt' have to listen to the sound of Jamie jerking off from the bunk below his.
"What an amazing album." He hadn't meant to speak outloud.
"Shut the fuck up faggot." Jamie growled.
No comments:
Post a Comment