Starlight, I hear you
Callin' out to me
Sweet love, rollin'
across my mind again.
I want you, yes I do.
I need you, yes I do.
But then you run -
You gotta stop
Foolin' around
Keep your feet
On the ground little girl,
And starlight will shine
All around little girl
You had me all
Summer long little girl
Starlight, your eyes are
Lookin' out so far away,
Constellation in the sky,
Is smiling down on me
I wonder, wonder why
I can feel you're so real,
I can see you're so near,
Moon glow, come light
The way up to my window
As you roll across the night,
Don't tell nobody
That I told you so
I want you, yes I do,
I need you, yes I do.
It was very near the end of the summer. Paul packed up the group canoes by the lake, checking each for wear and tear, and separating those which needed repair over the closed season.
The Lake was still and quiet, but the Camp wasn't. He heard the raucous voices of the kids in the End of Season Spectacular! By the sound of it they'd reached the traditional Camp Cresta anthem - catchy, simple, and a lot of foot stamping; an obvious classic to take home packed with summer memories.
The kids were being taken home over the next few hours. They weren't the only ones to be moving on. Once all had been closed up for the winter, the staff would all go their separate ways too. Unlike some of them, Paul wouln't be coming back next year. It was his final year at college and then, if all went well, there would be no more summer camps as he began his career as a Marine Biologist in the Caribbean. He caught himself shiver in the North Dakota afternoon breeze and sighed at the thought of the hot and balmy promise of his future career. Heck, he'd give it all up in a heart-beat if he could convince Jennie to run off with him, but that wasn't a reality. She had some pretty big schemes of her own and he knew he didn't figure in them.
He stored the last of the sound canoes, as the sounds of celebration turned into the distant, fevered good-byes of pubescent campers. Then he sat on the decking of the jetty, with the fibre-glass repair kit readied earlier, and made a start on the first vessle's repairs.
Most guys might have thought it great when a girl picked him for the summer, clearly stating this was their moment: this and no prospect of subsequent ones. Paul thought the same as 'most guys' and looked forward to a summer of fun and no commitments, just as Jennie promised. Lord! How soon had that changed? Not on her side. She loved the freedom from pressure the arrangement made, but it was different for Paul. He found himself lost in thought of her, drowning in memory of her, wanting her more and not less, as time wore on. He thought of Bobby's dig at him at the Pow-Wow Party, when the guys had made plans to go hunting over night. "Hadn't you better check with your wife?" Bobby laughed, and the others followed. They were right though: his first thought had been one night away from Jennie would be one night wasted.
Tonight would be their last. He wanted to make it special: just Jennie, starlight, the lake and him. The last weeks had seen him plot and plan a fine celebration of their summer love. Harve, the owner of the local Shop and Bait, had rented him a little cabin on the other side of the lake. He had to clean it out, of course; it hadn't been occupied for a few seasons. So, any spare time available, when Jennie was occupied with other things, he took one of the canoes over there and busied himself turning in into a cosy place to stay. This morning he went real early, taking a veritable menu fit for the gods. Harve had put a canister in the old gas refrigerator so he knew it wouldn't spoil. Three more fixed up canoes from now, Jennie would see for herself all the effort poured into making their last night together a memorable one.
The decking rocked and the whack of sneakers thudding down on him got closer. He turned, shielding his eyes from the setting brightness of the summer sun. It was Bobby.
"What are you doing sitting around here?" Bobby asked.
"What's it look like, Einstein?"
"Well, that's just fine then - you carry on." He turned, padding back the way he came. "After all the fuss you've been making over, Jennie, I thought you might have wanted to say good-bye to her."
Paul coudn't make his legs move properly. They were a little dead from sitting cross-legged with the canoes for so long. "Hey, wait up, Bobby! Whad'ya mean?" Finally, able bodied again he lolloped after his friend. Who, for once, looked genuinely sorry for him - it wasn't a bad joke, then.
"Her mom's here - out the front, putting her gear in the trunk. You better hurry."
Paul wasn't listening to Bobby, anyway. He had broken into a run, which eased into a trot the minute he got round the main building and saw Jennie hugging her girlfriends. Suddenly he had no idea what to do; opting to lurk hopefully between the car and the group of girls.
Jennie turned. They locked eyes and she saw the hurt and confusion in his. "Hey, Paul!" she grinned, ran up to him and gave him a big squeeze. She smelled of oranges. "You came to say good-bye! Aren't you sweet?"
Jennie broke of the embrace, pecked him lightly on the cheek and then dove back among her friends, before getting into the packed and waiting car. He stood bemused, away from the gaggle of girls, and watched her wind down the window blowing kisses, grins, and love yous through the dust ground up by the tires.
Summer was over.
(896 words) |
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