On My Honour

Grade eight was coming to a close fast.  Each week was getting harder and harder to remain positive while at school, the bullying and teasing was relentless.  Being at the pool swimming was a happy place for me.  Another place where I loved to be was at Pathfinders.

We were getting close to the end of the season for Pathfinders too.  I was getting excited as I was going to be hosting my Gold Camp.

“Aime, what are you planning for activities, let me see your outline please.”  Tammy smiled at me, she was my Pathfinder Leader and was so supportive of all of us.  I knew I could be myself and lead while I was there too.  Leading by doing, by helping younger girls and more. 

We had gathered on a weekend before our year end camp at my house.  Sitting at our wood dining room table with the sun shining through the big window.  I remained focused on this task, yet I wanted to go and jump in my pool in the back yard.

“This looks good, a hike, some games, crafts, and you have time for the cooking and clean up as well.  And you have your food menu all outlined as well, good.”  Tammy handed back my outline. 

I was excited as completing my Gold Camp was one of the last tasks I had to do to complete my Canada Cord for Girl Guides.  And not everyone in our Unit was going to complete it.  It was another goal of mine.

The week before I had given my food list to Tammy, she and my Mum went out to buy the food needed.  I was going to oversee three, third year Girl Guides.  They were to be like my own campers.

The Friday night had finally arrived.  I went with my Mum to the camp ground, and all the girls were arriving.  The sun was still shining, and the weather was nice and warm, not to hot.  The grass was so green, and the trees were in full bloom. 

“Okay let’s set up out tent over there.”  I pointed to a flat spot at the top of the hill where we always set up our tents.  The three girls that were with me followed and we set up the tent.  Luckily myself and the other Pathfinders practiced earlier that week, so I was able to lead the 3 Girl Guides in setting up the tent, teaching them so they would learn too.

The first night went well, and the following morning was good too.  The Girl Guides that I was in charge of enjoyed the activities and the food they all helped in creating. 

“Time to get the water to wash the dishes girls.”  We had finished lunch and it was time to do up the dishes.  I went over to the stove to get the hot water as the girls got the 3 wash bins out.  We put the blue basins onto the seats of the picnic table.

I poured the hot water into the bins first.  Putting down the big pot that was silver, and heavy, I needed to use the red over mitts and two hands to lift the big pot.  And then I turned away and the wash bins became tipsy, and two of them fell and the boiling hot water ran down my lower right leg and congealed in my sock.  “OUCH!!!!”  I screamed. 

“Aime go to the water tap!”  Tammy snapped her head in my direction to see what happened fast and she got my attention to start the first aid process.

I went over to the water tap and turned it on as fast as I could.  It hurt so much.  The water gushed from the tap onto my leg.

“Take your shoe and sock off!”  I did, and let the water run over my leg and ankle. 

“Oh, my gosh, this hurts!”  I said through gritted teeth. 

We bandaged my ankle and I returned to the group.  One of the other Guiders had my three Girl Guides do up the dishes and clean up. 

“Thank you, girls, for doing the dishes.  We’re going to go to on the hike with the rest of the group next, down to the creek.  So please go and get your backpack’s ready.”  I smiled at the girls and kept myself going.  Encouraging the girls to continue too.  To not let things hold you back.

We got to the creek and Tammy said “Aime go stand in the creek.  The rushing water will be good for your ankle.”

I did as I was told.  The water was cool and felt good on my ankle.  The three Girl Guides I was responsible for had a good time too.  Investigating the plants and insects around them, and even catching little minnows.

Getting ready for dinner went along with no big concerns for my little group.  However, Tammy was cutting veggies for us, and suddenly I hear “Oh crap!  That hurts!”  I spun around and saw Tammy with a blue J-cloth on her finger.

It was decided that my Mum would drive us both to the local hospital as we were sure Tammy needed a stitch or two in her finger.

Pulling up to the Emergency Room door at the local hospital.  Tammy and I filed out of my Mum’s brown 4 door Pontiac 6000 car.  We went to the waiting area to sign in.  A woman in front of us turned around and looked at me with a bandage on my ankle, and Tammy with a bloody J-cloth on her finger.  “You can both go ahead of me.”  The woman smiled when she saw us both covered in dirt from camping, and not looking all put together like she was.

“Thank you very much.”  My Mum said to this woman.

“Okay Aime, let’s get this looked at.”  The ER doctor was nice, he was friendly and smiling at me and my Mum.

He took of the bandage and we could see the redness around the area and a blister had started to form. 

“Good that you got water on it right away and that you went and stood in the creek too.  I bet that felt nice eh?”  The doctor smiled at me.

He rebandaged it, put some cream on it too and said to go see my own doctor in a couple of days for a re-exam.

Returning back to camp the Girl Guides I was responsible for had been looked after by their Guider who was there completing her camping qualifications to be a Camp Guider for Girl Guides.

The following morning, the Area Camp Commissioner had come out to visit us, and evaluate the Guider doing her qualifications.

It was a hot sunny day and we were all under the dining area having lunch.  Aren my sister was there too with the Guide group.  She must have been getting hot, or something was not agreeing with her stomach.  She was getting an upset stomach.  She ran towards the outdoor toilets to throw up.

“Get your hat on!”  The Area Camp Commissioner called out to my sister as she was running towards the toilets.  Aren following what the Commissioner said turned around with her hands covering her mouth as to not throw up listened to the Commissioner.  Who by now was right behind my sister.  The Commissioner was about to hand Aren her hat when she puked on the Commissioner’s shoes.

“Oh dear, girl! Yes, go to the toilets!  And wash your hands too as best you can!”  The Commissioner said to my sister.

Somehow after all of that, I accomplished my Gold Camp.  My ceremony of the Canada Cord was going to happen, and I was excited!!