Chances and Changes: My Journey with Molly

We follow the guard who says that he will call Camp Gowonagin to tell them that we are okay. Then he can give us a ride back. He says we can wait in the library. Molly is surprised they have a library. But the guard says they also have classrooms, and sports fields, and an outdoor stage to put on concerts and shows. We have a lot of musicians here. He leaves to give Camp Gowonagin a call, and we look around the library. Men are writing letters and reading. When the guard returns, we follow him and climb into a jeep. As we ride home, the guard explains that now that the war in Europe is over, enemy soldiers are surrendering or being captured by the thousands. There’s no space for them in Europe, so they’re shipped here. There are seven hundred Prisoner of War camps in the U.S., and nearly half a million prisoners.

Linda asks if the camps are top secret, and the guard says no. Communities near them know about them because prisoners often work outside the camps doing construction projects and harvesting on farms, orchards, and vineyards. They do the work that needs to be done because our own women and men are away fighting. Molly says that Johann is more of a boy than a man. He seems too young to be a soldier. The guard says that a lot of the boys didn’t have a choice. They were conscripted, which means they were forced to join the German army. Some were threatened with death, or their families were threatened. He says they will all be shipped back home eventually. Speaking of home, we’re now at Camp Gowonagin.

We let out a chorus of thank yous, and as I climb out of the jeep, I realize how tired I am. Molly and Linda look tired, too. We hardly talk as we finish the last part of our hike. Slowly, we trudge down the road to Camp Gowonagin. We didn’t get to see the secret pond. But we got to see something important and unforgettable.

Linda says that she doesn’t know what to think. These boys like Johann were our enemies. They were fighting against our own soldiers. The Germans have done terrible things and they’ve killed millions of innocent people, especially Jewish people. Are we supposed to be the Germans’ friends now and forgive and forget?

Molly says we should not forget. And she’s not sure if some things can be forgiven. I think about how worried I’ve been about Bea forgiving me if I go to music camp. That seems like such a small matter now compared to Molly and Linda’s worries. They lived through a war! The questions they have about forgiveness are difficult, maybe even impossible, to answer. Now I understand what Molly’s dad meant when he said that camp is a good break because the war is hard on kids. I admire Molly and Linda, and I’m inspired by how they’ve kept open minds and hearts when it comes to forgiveness.

When we reach the Recreation Hall, Molly and Linda start walking towards the office to talk to Miss Butternut. But I stop them. I tell them that I’ll be going home now. I’ve got to ask someone to forgive me. Molly asks if it’s about Bea. I nod. Molly says that she’s my friend. Friends forgive each other. I tell them that I’ll never forget how much I’ve learned from them and how kind they’ve been to me.

Linda asks how I’ll get home, and I tell them that I’ve got my ticket right here. I’ve had it the whole time. I’ve just been very Margaret Maybe about deciding to use it. Molly, Linda, and I say goodbye to one another, and my heart is full of sadness about leaving. But I’m also happy about going home. And I’m grateful for my wonderful experience with Linda and Molly. There’s no maybe about that.

I watch Molly and Linda disappear around the Dining Hall, and then I duck behind one of the big trees and take the pin out of my pocket. I take a deep breath, rub the white stone, and Whoosh. I’m sitting on the rotted step, holding the pin in my palm. I set off for Bea’s house. The woods smell piney and the gentle breeze at my back helps me on my way. I hear Bea before I see her. She’s in the paddock, singing to Moon Shadow.

She stops singing when she sees me, and we both apologize at the same time. Bea says that she wasn’t understanding about my music camp news. She was too busy freaking out about me being gone instead of thinking about how much I would love it. She said she shouldn’t have acted that way. I apologize and say that I’m sorry for changing the summer plans. I would never miss out on Moon Shadow’s first few weeks if it wasn’t important. Bea nods and says she knows. She forgives me. But then, she quotes Molly as she says, “That’s what friends do, right?”