Many years ago when I was in college, I was a camp counselor during the summer– Camp Seafarer in Arapahoe, NC. I had Cabin One, the youngest campers. They were there for 4 weeks and ages were 7 and 8. For many of the kids, this was their first time away from home and they were gone for four weeks.
For some reason today I thought about this one little girl who decided to write notes to a few of the other girls–anonymously and plant them in their lockers. Flash forward to the next morning and 3 of the girls find these notes as we are going through the morning routine.
I hear a scream. One of the harsher notes said, “You will be dead by sundown. Love Mommy.” The note came complete with a lovely drawing of a sundown to drive the point home. I cannot remember what the other two notes said. The tone of the one note was far funnier than it was disturbing.
What a jaw dropper
Who would have thought an 8 year old girl would think of such a scheme much less follow through with the diabolical plan? In an incident the previous day, the perpetrator had been ostracized rather cruelly by three of the girls. She was mad enough to fight back in a very creative way. She was appropriately disciplined of course. And the other girls were reassured of their safety.
I fondly remember the letters they wrote back then — downright naked, stripped of any sugarcoating, and always straight forward and devoid of transitions. We often read over the letters the campers wrote for entertainment. They were the funniest part of this summer job although I must admit this was the most imaginative writing I had ever come across.
Creativity will often make people snap to attention like nothing else
Creativity doesn’t really take as much talent as it does nerve. Sometimes when I need to snap out of a writing rut, I think about this particular letter — it’s audacity and how it stopped us in our tracks. It’s a cleansing moment and usually all I need to trash boring or overly orchestrated copy. I hate to say it, but it’s inspiring even 30 years later. I also have to wonder what this young lady is doing today. If anyone knows, let me know.
