Counselors: Cathy (20), Lisa (18), Becky (17), Elisa (16) Mandy (15)
 
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Becky and Mandy lined up the girls in one line and the boys in another and led the way out of the gym. Three doors down, they came to a halt in front of the cafeteria which was almost empty except for two girls apparently finishing desserts.
 
“OK, girls,” Mandy said. “Take a tray from the pile on the right and go through the food line. Take as much as you want, but not more than you can eat. We don’t believe in wasting food at Camp Ronamoc. Boys, follow me.”
 
Mandy led the five naked boys into a small room next to the cafeteria. She handed each boy a metal pan and a large spoon. “OK, boys, take what you want from the bowls on the table. If you can’t find anything you like, there are some sandwiches at the end of the table.”
 
The boys looked at the table in dismay. There were about a dozen metal bowls on the table, each containing scraps of various types of food. Much of it looked like it had been scraped off other plates and just dumped into the bowl. There were some identifiable bits of meat and vegetables, but much of it was a multicolored mush.
 
Joey looked at Mandy in despair. “This looks like garbage. Can’t we get real food like the girls?”
 
Mandy snorted. “I told you we don’t believe in wasting food here. This is all good food that the girls left on their plates at dinner. It may not look fancy, but it is perfectly healthy. We don’t believe in coddling boys here. If you don’t like this stuff, get a sandwich and a pack of milk.”
 
Matt moved to the pile of individually wrapped sandwiches and looked at them carefully. “These are vending machine sandwiches and they are all 3-4 days past their expiration dates.”
 
Billy chimed in, “So are the milk packets.”
 
“Whine, whine, whine,” Mandy snapped in irritation. “It’s all safe to eat. If you don’t want the milk, there are some cans of generic soda in the ice tub at the end of the table. Now, eat or not, you have a half hour before bedtime. Anybody who makes a fuss will get his bottom paddled.”
 
Mandy stomped out of the room, locking the door behind her and went to eat with the girls. Joey looked around at the dubious prospects and shrugged. “Well if that’s all these bitches are going to serve us, we better eat it. Otherwise we’ll starve to death before the summer is out.”
 
Jeff picked up a sandwich. “I wish they had given us some mustard or mayo or something to put on these sandwiches. They are dry as dust.”
 
Joey nodded. “Try washing them down with milk or soda. I am going to try some of the goop in the bowls. It can’t be more than a couple hours old, it’s still fairly warm. Damn, I’d like to get the Health Department in here. Or Child Welfare, for that matter.”
 
Jeff laughed. “Wouldn’t do any good. I’m sure they’d just bribe the inspectors.”
 
A few minutes later, Becky came into the room. “OK, boys, time to clean up now. Matt and Billy, carry the milk and soda coolers. Jeff, gather up the sandwiches. Joey and David, dump what’s left in the bowls into the big bucket. Then take the bucket and bowls and follow me.”
 
She led the way into the hall and into the cafeteria where the girls were just finishing up their meals. Joey saw spaghetti, meatballs, garlic bread and salad on the plates and his mouth watered in anticipation. But it was not to be.
 
“Dump the bucket into the garbage can over there, Joey. David, put the bowls into the big sink and run hot water into it. Jeff and Matt, take the soda, milk and sandwiches into the walk-in refrigerator and put them on the big shelf in the back. Then dump the ice in the coolers into the mop sink. Billy, take the salad bowl off the counter and put it into the refrigerator. There may be another batch of girls coming in later.”
 
As she was talking, Becky lowered the lids on the steam table covering the hot foods. “Go ahead and take the girls to the dorm now, Mandy,” she directed. I’ll have the boys finish the cleanup. Girls, leave your trays on the tables.”
 
When the girls had left the room, Becky pointed to the tables. “OK boys, if you want any more food, grab a fork and you can eat whatever the girls have left on their plates.”
 
The younger three boys looked bewildered. “But the girls have been eating off those plates,” Billy said plaintively. Matt and David nodded in agreement.
 
Joey grunted. “Look guys,” he growled. “if today is any sample about what the rest of the summer will be like, you better grab all the food you can, regardless of who else has been nibbling on it. It’s not like you believe in ‘girl cooties’ at your age, right?”
 
Jeff looked like he wanted to say something, but looked at Becky and closed his mouth. “Joey’s right, guys. Let’s get what we can while we can get it.”
 
Jeff and Joey sat down at the tables that seemed to have the most leftover food on them and started eating. The other three boys followed suit. Since nobody had eaten much of the leftovers in the other room, they soon cleaned all the trays of every edible scrap.
 
Becky watched in amusement and went back to put the bowls, tins and spoons from the other room into one of the large dishwashers. As they finished, the five boys rinsed off their trays and stowed them in the dishwasher as well.
 
“Anybody need to use the bathroom?” She asked.
 
Matt and Jeff raised their hands, so Becky led the group down the hallway to the boys’ bathroom. She shooed them all inside and entered herself. David started to object but Joey cut him off. “But she’s a girl,” the little boy muttered. “She shouldn’t be in the boys’ bathroom with us.”
 
Joey shook his head. “We’ve got new rules now, buddy. Don’t make any waves or we’ll all suffer for it. Pretend she’s your babysitter, like when you were little. We may not get another chance at the bathroom before morning.”
 
So, the boys all attended to their bowel and bladder needs. After a glare from Joey, nobody objected when Becky checked their bottoms with a baby wipe and used another to clean off their penis and testicles.
 
When everybody was done, Becky led the group to another room, totally bare except for a dozen twin-size mattresses on the floor. There was a window, but it was closed and barred. “OK, boys, get settled. Lights out in five minutes.” She left the room then closed and locked the door.
 
“Bummer,” Jeff grumbled. “We don’t even have sheets and pillows. And what if we do if there’s a fire or something? This is total bullshit.”
 
Joey had checked the window. “There’s a breaker bar here that will open the window in case of emergency. But it will set off the alarm if we use it.”
 
Matt piped up. “Why don’t we wait until the counselors are asleep and just go out the window and escape?”
 
Joey snorted. “Right, five naked boys running through the desert at night with no idea where to go or what to do. We don’t even have a quarter for a phone call, assuming we knew who to call. Do you really want to fight the coyotes and jaguars with your bare hands?”
 
At that point, the lights went out and the boys found their way to unoccupied mattresses. One of the younger boys was crying and another said, “I’m scared.”
 
Joey was quick to respond. “So am I, so are we all. You’d have to be an idiot not to be scared right now. But if we stick together and help each other we can make it through this. Are you with me, men?”
 
The crying stopped and there were four whispered “With you Joey’s” from the group. Jeff leaned over and whispered to Joey. “Looks like you’re the leader. I’ll back you in whatever you want to do, OK?”
 
“OK, Jeff,” Joey said. “I appreciate the confidence.”
 
Jeff laughed. “Confidence, my ass. I’m scared shitless right now, just like you are, but we have to do what we can for the little kids.”
 
After a while, there were only the sounds of deep breathing and an occasional whimper as the night passed.
 
 
 
End of Part 9
 
 

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