POEM - Victorio, Ho!

Scout camp happened unexpectedly

I’d lived in Tucson exactly one week

By the time I was sent off with strangers

For a week of scouting at Camp Victorio

I’d met almost everyone exactly twice

When I was being whisked away

To a place only 50 miles from Mexico

I wasn’t exactly sure

This sounded like a good idea

As far as scout camps go

This one was rugged

As far as kids go

They were an eclectic crowd

I was allowed into the group

Because there was another Aaron

He was the short one

And I was tall enough

And strong enough

To give him rides around camp

Then there was Fletcher

A year older and acting like Joe Scout

We, for reasons still unclear

Did not get along

So I was ostracized from the group tent

Relegated to the flimsy two man

Chris took pity on me

Moved in so I wasn’t alone

Talked all night and didn’t stop

For the rest of camp

Even when the rains came

And the river formed between us

Down the middle of the tent

I survived and thrived

Even made friends

            With everyone, surprisingly

When we met back up in high school

Fletcher and I were thick as thieves

The memory of Victorio an odd anomaly

Cherished, necessary and unexplained