Chances and Changes: My Journey with Molly

I make sure my pin is still safely under my pillow, and then I fall asleep and dream of horses. Especially Aurora’s foal, Moon Shadow.

The next morning, I dress in my Camp Gowonagin uniform and slip the pin in my pocket. I’m so glad that I stayed. At breakfast, I take part in a popular Camp Gowonagin tradition: a pancake-eating contest. Molly, Bobbie, Nancy, Carolyn, and Edie quit after four, but Linda and I keep eating.

Linda playfully warns me that she is last year’s champion. I take on my fifth pancake and I say that at home, Gem and I have a tradition called Syrup Sundays. I’ve had loads of practice. But after the fifth pancake, Linda asks if we can call it a tie. I say maybe but reach for another pancake.

Our tent mates continue to cheer for me. Since these just happen to be the best pancakes I’ve ever eaten, I have no trouble finishing my sixth. Linda reaches for her sixth, but she said she can’t do it. She said she’ll sink in the lake if she takes another bite. This means that I win! Betty says that it’s impressive. Molly crows that Linda loses and she raises my arm as if I won a prize fight. I’m the new pancake-eating champion.

Linda frowns. It’s only a pancake-eating contest, but I can tell she doesn’t like losing. Oh dear. If I had known it would bother Linda so much, I wouldn’t have eaten six pancakes. Now my heart feels as heavy as my pancake-packed stomach. I never intended to jeopardize the wonderful spirit of togetherness and friendship that we had last night. But it’s too late now.

Everyone that chose to be in the swim meet are scheduled for Morning Swim after arts and crafts. We go back to the tent to quickly pull on our bathing suits. I have to wriggle into mine. Quick-drying synthetic material hasn’t been invented yet. Molly is even quicker. Before the bugle blows, she’s already left for the waterfront. I fold my shirt and shorts and put them at the end of my bunk. I take the pin out of my shorts pocket and slip it under my pillow, but Linda sees. She asks what it is. When I say it’s nothing, she says she knows it’s a pin of some sort. How can I possibly explain the pin and its powers to her?

Luckily, the bugle blows, so I don’t have to answer her questions. She races off to the waterfront. I’m nervous that Linda saw me put the pin under my pillow, so I slide the pin beneath my mattress instead. Then, I follow the others to the water. Molly says that Linda and Bobbie should be buddies again. I will buddy up with Molly so that we can pick up where we left off in her lessons.

Linda looks a bit crushed. I can tell she doesn’t like being bossed around by Molly. But Molly and I flip our buddy tags and we walk out to the dock. I dive into the water and turn around to see Molly sitting on the dock dangling her legs in the water. She asked me to teach her to dive. I say I can, but first we have to get her used to putting her head underwater. We’re up to step thirteen, which is holding your nose and sinking down a little. Molly does step thirteen so well that we celebrate by having an underwater tea party.

By the end of the afternoon, she can be underwater without holding her nose at all. And when the bugle blows marking the end of the afternoon swim, most of the girls leave. But Molly and I choose to stay. Molly wants to practice staying underwater as long as she can. After that, I teach her to float on her back. She says she really likes this. It’s like being on a cloud.