In Jamaica, if you told someone you were going to Camp, they would ask you if you meant “Up Park Camp” which is a well known military base and detention center. While in America, their youth are always anxiously waiting for the days of summer to begin, so they can gladly scamper off to the independence of Camp.

As a teenager, living in America provided me with many adventurous opportunities, however the one that resonates in my mind, is the invitation to “Camp Hole In The Wall”.

It was supposed to be a retreat for Pre-teens, to bond with nature and be all you could possibly be.

Granny and I engaged in many hours of dialogue regarding this Camp excursion. I was apprehensive to go, because it was in a remote location and I thought I would not know anyone there. After presenting my arguments to Granny, convincing her it would be an excellent “vacation” for her. She eventually gave in to my reasoning and decided to join fifteen hyperactive thirteen year olds at Camp.

I was determined to bring Granny to Camp with me, regardless if she had to go kicking and screaming. Days before, as we sat packing items to take with us, Granny kept saying.

“When I was a child, what did we know about camp? We went swimming by the lake or went for a nice stroll in the Mango Groves, and that was enough to keep us occupied. Now, they have these children going off to these God forsaken places. Clear up into the bushes. You know, you children are so hyper that the adults are always racking their brains to find things to make you folks tired.”

I looked at Granny intently as she rambled on and on. In my mind I knew she wanted me to say, “Never mind Granny, you don’t have to go. But I was not letting her off the hook that easily. For Granny, being in a remote part of the world meant being away from Church and her Holy work for too long. I finally convinced her, that she was doing the Lord’s work by coming with me, I said, “Granny, who knows what mischief the devil could persuade fifteen teenagers to do?”

With that question presented to her, she felt like she had a new mission in life. To save the teenagers from “The Big, Bad Camp”.

As we embarked the Tumble Weed Bus to head out to the Catskills, Granny looked around.

“This bus is very bright and colorful, they will surely see us coming in this contraption. This looks like “mayreach”. Lord Jesus, please get us there in one piece.”

I must admit the bus was a bit festive looking, with neon green, purple and about a million expressive decals. We had two other chaperones, the Nuns from school, so Granny became a bit more relaxed, because she felt she was in good company. Sr. Bernadette , Sr. Carol and Granny had lots to talk about on the long trip to the Catskills.

It took us several hours to make our way there. Just before dusk our very colorful bus pulled up near the camp site. Everyone was elated to finally reach their destination. Each student was happy to find out their bunking arrangements. Suddenly, the super eager faces turned into a frown, when Sr. Bernadette announced, “Girls! We’re going to be roughing it. If you didn’t bring sleeping bags, you can get them at the Clubhouse!”

Granny glanced at me. “Mags, was there something you forget to tell me?”

“No…not really, You know Granny, I thought it was one of those multiple choice questions. I thought sleeping bags were optional, I thought for sure we would have deluxe accommodations.”

Granny looked at me with exasperation,“Magsie ,Sweetheart, perhaps you were thinking a bit much?”

“Anything’s possible Gran, I was anxious about this trip…so maybe, I confused a few details.’

Granny commented, “It’s a good thing I’m a prepared traveler”.

By being prepared, my Grandmother meant, instead of bringing a tiny duffel bag and knapsack. My Granny brought a trunk and two suitcases. No wonder the bus was putting all the way. In the trunk, Granny had blankets, towels, two kerosene lamps, cans of corn beef, sardines and condense milk.

I was amazed. Where did she find the time to pack all these items, then get them on the bus without creating a commotion. That was Granny, always staying one step ahead.

As we sat contemplating our seven days of bonding with nature, Granny and I decided to opt for tents at the Club house shop. The other students had retrieved their camping items and were well on their way to Campsite "Hole In The Wall".

We purchased our tent and then dragged some of the belongings up the hill to what Granny called “Mount Olive”. It took us three trips to finally get all the “brica-brac” together. After speaking to several of the other girls, they too were in astonishment about the arrangements. I felt a sense of relief. At least we were not the only ones semi-prepared.

Granny questioned me as we were making our way to the others, "Mags what is the name of this camp again?"

Squirming and cringing, I answered, "C-a-m-p Hole-i-n-t-h-e-wall" Granny.

Granny ranted, "I should have known! If you had told me the name of this camp, I would have figured out that it was clear into owie-owie...Is only the Lord can help us now."

Granny and I fumbled with the tent, until we had it upright and standing. It didn’t matter that it looked more like a Teepee, as long as it protected us from the elements, we were ecstatic.

Then, the tallest man I had ever seen appeared from behind the bushes . In a Mike Tyson kind of voice he began talking, "Excuse me, I'm the Forest Ranger, Mr. Jukanski, can I help you young ladies with anything?"

Granny looked at the man good, with her, "I am a child of the Almighty glance", then responded, "Thank you very much sir, but the girls and I have everything under control, have a nice night!"

Granny grabbed my hand and yelled out to the girls to stay close, "Huddle together girls! Huddle together!".

I turned to her, "But Granny what kind of name is Jukanski ? It sound like a play-play name to me. You know, that man seems kind of creepy, like someone you would see in "Dark Shadows".

Granny scolded, "Ok Mags, let's not give everyone a fright, let's keep close to each other and try to hold onto our nerves."

We never saw the man again, I guess Granny must have scared the daylights out of him. We continued our task of preparing for our "no frills" Holiday.

As we looked around, we realized that one group of girls had managed to bring a luxurious Coleman tent with all the fineries of home, equipped with barbeque grill, picnic table and chairs. They were like the “Beverly Hills Hillibillies“.

Although with all the luxuries, they had forgotten simple items, such as soap, toilet paper, shampoo, and laundry detergent. They weren’t the only ones, it seems as if everyone else was expecting four walls of lodging, with little samples of shampoo and toothpaste, etc.

Granny was in her shining glory.

“Thank God, I come from Jamaica! Or else I could never survive this bush these people bring us to.”

The next morning Granny took everyone on a tour of nature. We found heathers, jasmine bushes and aloe vera plants.

Granny took everyone to the river, gathering several bushels of the plants. She dropped large pieces of the heathers and jasmine in the water and urged the girls to have their baths. The aroma was intoxicating.

She continued, “ There will be no stinky-winkies while Granny is around, now girls, take the aloe vera plant, peel it slightly and make a lather with the juice, rub the plant on your hair, it will create a natural shampoo.”

After our bathing experience with Granny, the girls and I emerged sweet smelling and shining. We were ready for the next adventure. Even Sr. Carol and Sr,. Bernadette were enthused with Granny’s skills.

She then instructed us to get twigs off the trees and brush our teeth. She began laughing. “You know girls, where I come from the Rastas use chew sticks to keep their teeth white and pretty. I have never seen a Rastaman with rotten teeth. They just glisten.”

The girls started whining. “Mrs. B, what are we going to do about our dirty clothes?”

“Oh yes, we don’t want to carry bundles of laundry back and forth do we? Most river banks have huge stones, go to the side and soak your clothes in the water, then rub the garments against the stone, it will loosen the dirt. Rinse them out a few times in the water and lay them flat on the stone to dry. You‘ll see how nice and clean they come out.”

Granny had learned this particular tidbit when she was a girl living in the countryside. She used to see the Helpers washing the clothes down by the river against the stones. An activity she had shown me as a little girl.

Later on that night, after a full day of exhausting activities, the girls came over to Granny.

“Mrs. B, we are down to a few pieces of T.P. It is miles from here to the clubhouse and there aren’t any stores in sight what are we going to do?”

Granny went looking in her trunk to see how much toilet paper we had left and it was barely one roll.

She said, “Girls, stringent times, call for stringent methods!”

We looked at her in awe.

Granny dug deep down in her trunk and suitcase. Like every old Jamaican person, she had a few copies of the old gleaner with her.

Granny commented, “Use this, until morning if you have to go. In the olden days in Jamaica, the country people used old newspapers before they knew about TP. You can either use the bushes or TP. With the bushes, you might get poison ivy, poison oak , lime disease or worst yet, prickles. I think the paper is your best bet….just until morning. Hopefully, we will get some help then.”

The girls thought Granny was Inspector Gadget, she had an answer for every lack. For the remainder of the time. Granny was dubbed Troup Leader. She lead Sr. Bernadette, Sr. Carol and the group to a fantastic “Country Life Experience”.

We even made up a song, “Country life is the best life, it relieves all stress and strife, we never want to fight, because we’ve got country life…….la, la, la….”

Camp Hole In The Wall proved to be a learning experience. It taught us to respect and appreciate the natural resources that we have around us.

Teenagers tend to be self-indulgent and caught up in the high-tech era. For a week, we communed with nature and grew to love it.

What would teenagers today do without being connected to modern technology?

They would probably get terrified by their own thoughts.

Granny always used to say, “A wise man keepeth a still tongue.”

Sometimes it’s better to observe and experience. It is during the quietness that life’s answers unfold.

“SSSSHHHHHHHH!”

In Loving Memory of Violet Louise Brown