Read Online Camp Pleasant by Richard Matheson - Free Book Online Page B

with the bad. So I guessed wrong. Okay. I’m the first one to admit it when I make a mistake. But that’s not important. The important thing is I’m here t’look after you boys—” exorbitantly gestured finger—”and that’s just what I’m gonna do. Now. I’ve sent a wire t’the board asking them t’send up a new hike counselor
right away
. In the meantime, though, we’ll try t’find someone to take over the hikes soon
as we can. Is that fair enough?”
Magnamimous raising of voice and arms.
    “Yeah, Ed.”
“Sure
, Ed!” Applause.
    In three days, Mick Curlerman was to be assigned to hikes with Sammy Wrazalowsky taking over the Craft Shop. Then, following the Counselor Takeoffs, Sammy Wrazalowsky (fresh from his triumph as the belly-bulging Big Ed) was to be found wanting in managerial know- how and demoted to ring-making again with Bill Beuchre (wood crafts) taking over the shop. No wire was ever sent to the board requesting a new counselor. I learned it from Doc Rainey some time later.
2.
    Tony was sitting on the edge of his cot looking at a comic book.
    “Howdy, lowlife,” I greeted him.
    He looked up.
“Hi-
ya, Matt!” That wide, face-halving smile I like so much. “I been waitin’.”
    “Wait no more,” I said. “Let’s go.”
    He grabbed his bat from the cot and got up. “Oh, boy, am I gonna have a game o’ball
t’day
!
“
    I placed the restraint of a weary hand on his shoulder. I removed the monstrous bat from his hand. “Now, look,” I said, “there is to be no ball playing, no lake ducking, no fishing, no hiking, no strenuous activity of any sort until your stitches heal.
You understand me?”
    “Awww,
Matt.”
    “Look,” I said, “either you promise me you’ll take it easy or you’re staying right here in the dispensary. I
mean
it now.”
    Hangdog expression Number 7-b. “Awww,
Matt.”
A tired, a sadly-patient
Awww Matt
.
    “Look, Tony.” I lifted his chin with a finger. “You’re my friend, aren’t you?”
    “Sure, Matt, but—”
    “Well then. I don’t want to see anything more happen to you. Will you promise me you’ll do as I say?”
    “Aww….”
    “For
me
, Tony?”
    “ Awww … o-
kay
.”
    I nudged a friendly fist against his jaw. “Good,” I said. “Come on, we’ll play some checkers.”
    “I don’t know how.”
    “I’ll teach you.”
    We returned to our cabin where I taught Tony the intricacies of jumping, kinging and such. I let him win two games and the edges of his grin touched both ears. This lasted about an hour or so. Then Tony read comic books while I worked out a program of easy, almost monotonal songs for Wednesday might’s movie intermissions. I padded time as much as possible but then I knew I had to go and gather up the scattered pieces of my glee club to rehearse them for the Sunday service.
    “Now, look, Tony,” I said, explaining the situation, “I’d like to stay with you but I’ve got work to do.”
    “Aw, I don’t wanna just stick around here, Matt,” he said, having finished all available comic books and lying on his bunk, chafing at invisible bit.
    “ Well….” I wracked my brain for a solution; which came even though it was a risky one.
    “Now, listen to me,” I said, sitting on his bunk. “If I let you go to the ball field will you—”
    “Oh, boy!”
    “Now,
listen!”
He closed his eager mouth. “You’ve got to promise me you’ll just sit on the bench and
watch.”
    “Awww, M—”
    “Tony.” I put my hand on his shoulder. “Look, if you don’t do that, I get into trouble. I’ll get bawled out for not taking care of you, don’t you see that? I might even lose my job. You wouldn’t like that, would you?”
    He shook his head. “No, Matt.”
    “Well then?”
    “Okay.” He shrugged. “I promise. I’ll just watch ‘em.”
    “All right,” I said. “I believe you.” As I said it, I got the distinct feeling that it might have been the first time in Tony Rocca’s young life that anyone