Last Chance Camp

First week of May - flowers should be blooming soon because we've had plenty of April showers.  

I started this story on Friday and Friday night one of my computer programs decided to take a vacation so....but it's late Sunday night and I just go back use of my computer, so I'm posting what's here.  Pretend it's the first installment and I'll finish it, I promise.

Have a good week everyone.

James Robert Sullivan’s entry back into life at Windsor Wells came on a Saturday in May. His grandparents ran a summer camp there years ago and Sully (as he is known) and his parents would come up and help out.  When his grandparents aged, they sold the camp and it was now owned and run by a non-profit organization that catered to wayward teens. That’s what brought Sully back to Windsor Wells; he was the new Camp Psychologist/Counselor for WW Last Chance Camp.

When he received his degree, his goal was to help people solve their problems and send them on their way to a more productive life.  After four years in private practice, he didn’t feel as if he helped one single person and began questioning his career choice.  On a fluke, his mother sent him an article she had come across on the camp’s success.  In the article, several campers told stories of how attending the camp had changed their lives.  The article went on to say the camp was expanding the program from just summers to year-round and were looking to hire additional staff, including an in-house psychologist/counselor.  Sully applied, interviewed and accepted the job. He relished the opportunity to really being able to help someone.

He arrived at the camp and memories of long ago summers began creeping into his mind. The big house where his grandparents lived had been renovated and turned into the main administration building.  He searched for other reminders of the past as he followed the map provided him and arrived at a small cottage that would serve as his office and living quarters. It looked fairly new, or at least newly painted. He unloaded his car, unpacked and walked over to the administration building.  Watching some kids playing horseshoes he wasn’t paying attention and bumped into someone, almost knocking her to the ground.

“I’m sorry,” he told her as he reached out to steady her.  “I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

“No kidding,” she said to him in a snarky manner.

“Again, I apologize.  The kids playing horseshoes distracted me, it reminded me of my youth.  By the way, I’m Dr. James Sullivan, the newly hired camp psychologist.”

“I hope you pay better attention to your clients.”

“Yes, well I’m sorry again.”  He offered his hand and she looked at him as if he had a disease, turned and walked away.

He couldn’t help but notice that perfectly rounded tush atop long slender legs as he watched her turn into the parking lot.  “Wouldn’t mind getting some of that,” he said to himself.  He climbed the steps to the building and Michelle greeted him.  Michelle, the camp nurse, introduced herself.  “I see you met Ms. Priss.”

“Ms. Priss?”

“Yes, that lady you almost knocked down is Abigail Winslow.  Her family bought this camp and started the non-profit organization that runs the camp.  She shows up a couple of times of month to hobnob with the help.  It’s a wonder she doesn’t drown in the rain. Her father attended this camp as a youngster and bought it when he made his first million; he’s much nicer and down to earth than his daughter.  He actually cares about the kids.”

“Hope to meet him someday. What’s his name?”

“Zachary Taylor Winslow.  He’s waiting to meet you in the director’s office.”

He walked down the hall to the director’s office, knocked and entered.  Sloan Cassiday, the director, stood up and welcomed him in with a handshake. 

“Dr. Sullivan, I’d like to introduce you to Zachary Winslow, our benefactor.”  Sully reached out and offered his hand. He explained Michelle told him his story and that his grandparents used to own the camp and he attended as a young boy.

“Well, glad to have you on board.  I loved this camp and glad I’m able to share it with kids that could use a little help. They deserve a chance to turn their lives around.  Given a chance many of them have and can make something of themselves.

 I’m having a get together at my house later on, I know it’s short notice but you’re invited.  I can introduce you around.”

“I’d love it.  Thanks Mr. Winslow for the invite and the opportunity to make a difference.”

“Call me Zach, everybody else does and I’ll see you around 7:00.  Sloan can give you the particulars.”

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Sully drove to the Winslow party with Sloan Cassiday.  Having only met her at his interview, it gave him an opportunity to get to know her better. The Winslow house stood atop a hill with a 360 degree view of the surrounding countryside.  One of those manor type houses that screamed money, it was beyond ostentatious, especially for the area.  It certainly didn’t fit with his impression of Zach Winslow so it had to be his wife who thought the bigger the better.  Zach immediately came to greet them and brought him over to introduce Carolyn, his wife.  Carolyn barely shifted her gaze away to acknowledge Sully.  Sully saw Zach’s embarrassment and noted his raised eyebrow and rigid posture.  Carolyn must have sensed his displeasure too because she welcomed them and engaged in some small talk before going off to join another group. 

Sully saw Abigail across the deck and acknowledged her.  She looked at him and turned away.  ‘She’s more her mother’s daughter than her father’s, that for sure,’ he thought to himself.  He found Zach standing next to him asking if he had met Abigail.  Sully explained their encounter and Zach said that was no introduction and took him over to Abigail.

“Abigail, I’d like to introduce our newest staff member, Dr. James R. Sullivan.  He is the new Camp Psychologist/Counselor.”

“Yes, we met when he almost knocked me down earlier today.”

“How thoughtful of you to remind me of our meeting, I might have forgotten otherwise,” he said with a smile.   Abigail winced, squared her shoulders and gave him an icy stare before moving away. Zach noted the putdown and grinned inwardly. Maybe Abby has finally met someone she can’t wrap around her finger – he hoped so.

The following Monday, Sully began his job in earnest.  He loved working with the kids, most of them were so happy to be there, others not so much.  Those teens were his biggest challenge and he relished the opportunity to turn them around.  He spent as much time interacting with them outside of his office as he did inside.  Little by little he gained their trust and even the most hardened of them began to soften. 

One day, after about four weeks on the job, Abigail Winslow appeared at the camp.  He and the kids were repairing a fence around the horse corral.  The sun was high in the sky and he and the other teens had removed their shirts. He walked over to the horse trough to get a drink from the hose when he noticed her standing there staring at him.  He acknowledged her presence with a head nod and grabbed his shirt out of his back pocket and pulled it over his head as he walked toward her.  “Good day Abigail, beautiful day isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.  Do you think it’s a good idea to get so familiar with these kids?  After all, they should see you as an authority figure, not one of them.”

“I’m the one with the psychology degree, Abigail.  I know what I’m doing.”

“Well, it seems to me you lose their respect when you get so familiar with them.”

“Not something that will ever happen with you, is it?”

She huffed and turned away, catching her stiletto heel in the gravel and went down on all fours.  He smiled to himself and could hear the laughter of the teens in the background.  Ms. Abigail Winslow was splayed out on the ground.  He extended his hand to help her up – she ignored and tried to get up on her own.  Her ankle gave way and down she went again.  This time he reached down, picked her up and put her over his shoulder.  She was beating on his back and yelling for him to put her down.

“How dare you? Put me down now.”

“You tried that remember, it didn’t work too well.”  The boys continued hooting and hollering saying “you go Doc,” as he carried her toward the administration building. He lowered her to a chair and noticed her ankle already swelling.  “Stay there, I’ll get some ice for that ankle.”

 “You just want to get your hands on me.”

“Listen Ms. Winslow, contrary to what you may believe not every man you flash those  blue eyes at wants to jump into bed with you.  With your prickly personality, I’d rather put you over my knee and spank some of that starch out of you.”

“How dare you speak to me like that, wait til I tell my father what you said?”

“Yeah, you go run to daddy, that’s what little girls do.” He left her sitting there sputtering and spewing.  ‘What a bitch, psychology degree be damned, she really does need a spanking, something her daddy should have done a long time ago,’ He told Meredith the situation, “Zach’s here, I’ll page him.” 

Zach came to the porch just as Sully came out the door with ice and a towel.  He handed it to her father and suggested it might be better if he doctored her ankle.  “I don’t think Abigail likes me.”

“Do you know what he said to me – he said I had a prickly personality, and  he’d sooner put me over his knee and spank me.  Can you believe that?”

Zach grinned inwardly, “I can’t say I disagree with Sully.” Abigail went pale. Zach figured the better part of valor would be to walk away and he did.

                                           ********************************

Zach noticed that Abigail spent more time at the camp lately.  She seemed friendlier and when she asked him to accompany her to a camp fundraiser dinner, he covered his surprise and agreed. After all, it was for the kids.  She ran late picking him up and tried to make up time by speeding to their location.  He suggested she slow down, but she continued to press the pedal to the floor riding down the highway at speeds of over 80 mph.  Not surprised when he heard a siren and turned to see lights flashing – Sully expected her to pull over.  He was wrong.  It wasn’t until there was a helicopter overhead and three squad cars across the road that she stopped. 

How she managed to talk her way out of going to jail was nothing short of a miracle. Three citations in hand, and they were back on the road. The fundraiser went well and they had a commitment from a major sponsor to fund next year’s       program. On the drive home, she suggested she wouldn’t be adverse to going out with him again.

“You’re too reckless for me.”

“What do you mean?” He was incredulous.

“You’re joking, right.  You’re lucky you’re not in jail, and we’re lucky we are alive. That little stunt tonight convinced me what I knew all along. You are nothing but a rich spoiled brat masquerading as an adult and need a damn good spanking.  Actually, in your case, you probably need several and often.”

“Are you man enough to take me on?” she asked in her sultry voice.

See you later for more Aimless Ramblings.