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Bird-Man of Camp Magee

Ugh! Bird poop. Jonathan wrinkled his nose in disgust and pushed his glasses back up on his thin face. He was getting tired of slipping and sliding around in bird droppings every Saturday morning. Eleven-year-old kids were supposed to hang out with their friends on Saturdays not go on nature hikes with their parents. Of course, he didn't have a whole lot of friends.

"Look! There's one." His mother pointed at a brown bird perched in a distant tree. "It's an immature eagle."

"Yes, M-M-Mother." Jonathan tallied it on his clipboard. This Saturday they were doing a bald eagle count.

One thing was for sure: he didn't want to spend this summer bird-watching with his parents. Trouble was, he didn't know how he was going to get out of it.

The opportunity presented itself unexpectedly that evening at the supper table.

"Jonathan, how would you feel about going to summer camp this year?" asked his mother. "Your father and I have been invited to go birding in England with Paul and Julia for a few weeks. We thought you should have the choice either to go with us or to summer camp. Think it over, dear."

Summer camp? Wow! Jonathan had never been to summer camp. This was the chance he'd been waiting for!

Jonathan marked the days on his calendar and finally the big day arrived. His parents dropped him at Camp Magee on their way to the airport.

With a giddy feeling of freedom, Jonathan waved until his parents were out of sight. Then he picked up his bags and wandered off in search of cabin 2 and somebody named "Danny", who was supposed to be his roommate.

"Hey, you! Hey, four-eyes!"

The pit of his stomach turned to ice as he slowly turned. "Who, m-m-me?"

The boy who sauntered up stood a full head taller and at least twenty pounds heavier than Jonathan. He had cold blue eyes and a shaved head, and Jonathan could see pink scalp through the stubbles.

Jonathan's mouth went dry. "D-D-Danny?"

"D-D-Danny? That's a laugh. No, I'm S-S-Sam. Sam-the-Man. And I make the rules around this place. You got any problems, four-eyes, you come to me. You hear?" The big boy laughed.

The door to cabin 2 opened and a slight, blond-haired boy about Jonathan's age stepped out on the porch.

"Sam, leave him alone or I'll tell Noah," said the blond boy. "Jonathan? I'm Danny. Come on in."

Sam glared at Danny and stomped off.

Danny helped Jonathan settle in and then they went to eat supper. Afterward, Danny took Jonathan on a tour of the camp grounds.

They stopped at the lake and skipped

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