Our Favorite Gifts - Annie

Annie's favorite gift wasn't at Christmas - but it goes to show that a thoughtful, well-timed gift can make up for a lot of crap...

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It was the summer of 1989 and I just turned 6 when my sister and I went to girl's summer camp for five days and nights. 

Sounds fun right?

Wrong! I vomited, fainted, got mud thrown in my face, and had to sleep in an outdoor hut that stank of urine.

That's right my roommates just peed their beds every night so after a couple of nights it was like sleeping in public restroom. 

You had to leave your hut in the dark and walk to the bathroom building and I guess the task was too just daunting for them. I remember a counselor coming by on about the third night and asking “why does it smell so bad in here?” 

I promptly ratted them out and got moved to another tent. It was gross in there, I had no loyalty to them.

There were also mean older girls that we would occasionally be forced to interact with “for fun.” They would turn otherwise fun games like tag and foot races into opportunities to mock us and push us around. 

Let's not forget the constant mosquitoes and the quaint woodsy touch of a spider nest over my bed. 

What about activities? How about a crap-ton of non-optional hiking in the thick humidity and 100 degree temperatures that central Florida has to offer. 

I do remember one night that could have been fun - they planned a luau and grilled chicken legs (the only thing I remember actually eating at camp beyond cereal.) After dinner, however,, the camp counselors planned a mud fight between the older and younger girls. WTF how was that ever going to end well? 

I'm not joking, I contemplated escape. I was going to climb the fence.

BUT when my parents came to pick us up from this hell they had gave us the best present ever! 

I sprinted into the mini-van dirty, disheveled, down a couple pounds from not eating much and all the hiking and sweating. I jumped in the back seat so happy to be back with my parents and leaving camp.  Then my parents both turned around and said, “look under the seat!” Under the seat was a Nintendo! 

We had not been begging for one nor did we ever expect that our very practical and non-techy parents would ever buy us one - but there it was in all its glory! 

It was a total and complete surprise to us. This was the original Nintendo, it came in a big black box and it had Super Mario Brothers and Duck Hunt with the cool gun. It was amazing and my sister and I jumped up and down and cheered!  

The rest of the summer was spent in 'the great indoors.' 

It was such a great contrast to the misery of summer camp. I loved playing nintendo with my sister, it was something we could do together with minimal sibling fighting. With every princess we saved and goomba we crushed it was clear to me that this was the best present ever and our parents were awesome for surprising us with it.

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For the record I still hate camping, unless there's booze, and even then can it take place inside with a bed and a bathroom? Nope, on second thought I just hate it.

Also, for the record, my parents have apologized to me many times for sending me to camp, they had no idea it was going to be totally awful.