Each year packing for camp, I dig to the bottom of my
drawers and the back of my closets. I’m
not looking for a missing flashlight or a stash of bouncy balls; rather, I am searching
for my ‘Camp Clothes’.
‘Camp Clothes’ are those special items that are too
outlandish to wear in school. They are
brightly colored, oddly patterned, and often display peculiar images (such as a
dolphin sipping a smoothie, a pack of wolves howling at the moon, or
ducks). They are icebreakers and friend
makers. They make us laugh.
As summer begins, the special time of the year arrives when
I can free my dormant ‘Camp Clothes.’
Finally, my bright pink shirt with 40 staring cats and my Everlast
parachute pants will see the light of day.
My ornithological sweater will get
fresh air, rightfully so.
These clothes define us.
Just as this attire hides deep beneath the clothes that we wear during
the rest of the year, deep down, these clothes represent who we truly are.
Jacob Massa
