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Not
Too Bright by Glenn Fuchs
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The second year that we had TSC Cross Country summer camp was better than the first. Camp was held at the formerly TSC owned facility called Camp Mohican, in Blairstown, NJ. This was the perfect place for running, lots of hills and long windy roads with little or no traffic all set in the woods. The camp itself, which was way back off the semi-beaten path, sat on top of a mountain alongside a large rattlesnake inhabited lake. There were only about a dozen cabins in the camp and they were very well spaced out. Each cabin could house approximately 30 people in wooden bunkbeds. Pat McStravick, one of our most intelligent team mates, was one of our team captains. I remember pulling up to the camp that summer and seeing the large sign at the main gate that read “gate is locked at 10PM daily”. We checked us into the camp and rode to our cabin, which was not only the biggest one, but the furthest away too. The only other memorable item was the first cabin on the road that was occupied by a latina sorority from TSC that week. Our days consisted of getting up at 7AM, running by 8AM for approximately 7-10 miles, showers and breakfast, free time, lunch, afternoon run of a longer duration than the morning, showers and free time, and dinner with a speaker or activity. By the end of our week of torture we decided to go out on the town for some fun. Someone suggested going to a night club in Randolph, NJ called Obsessions. Pat McStravick drove the team van up there, I think it was around an hours drive. Our first stop before going to the club was a liquor store since most of us were too young to drink at the club. We figured we’d drive the van to a secluded spot and the 14 or so of us would get drunk and then go to the club. We found this deserted dirt road out by the train tracks and began drinking beer. A bunch of guys drinking beer in the dark is a bit odd looking back on it. We decided that our plan if anyone, namely the police, came around and caught us, we’d throw the beer cans we were drinking from in the bushes and run like bats out of hell. Sure enough, someone came walking up the tracks towards us and we all freaked. That poor guy who was walking his dog probably soiled his pants when he heard and saw a bunch off people scatter in every direction while throwing objects into the surrounding bushes. We all regrouped 20 minutes later back at the van and need somewhere else to go. Since Fast Mike Arico lived nearby we crashed his parents house. Mr. and Mrs. Arico were so incredibly hospitable that night. When we showed up they immediately insisted we al come in and have a seat. Then, they brought out drinks and snacks for us all and insisted that we eat and drink and relax with them. We were all so incredibly surprised that 2 parents who didn’t really know any of us too well were so kind and generous. Thank you Mr. Arico and God bless you Mrs. Arico! Our next stop was at Obsessions and judging by the lack of people inside, not the happening place to be. While most of us just tried to hang out and have fun, Pat McStravick put his charm to work on a cute little number sitting at the bar. Pat must have talked with this girl for about an hour and a half. All of a sudden he got up and left her sitting there and he didn’t look too happy. Apparently, the girl that Pat had been talking to was even younger than most of us. So young in fact that she didn’t know any of the television references that Pat had made during their conversation. Pat must have realized that not only were the rest of us were bored to tears and wanted to go back to camp to bed, but that his chances of scoring with a different girl were slim to none since we were all sure that he’d been seen with this younger girl most of his time in the club. We headed on back to camp and when we got there it was approximately midnight and surprise, the gate was locked. Because the gate was locked and it was now raining, everyone was complaining about the long walk in the dark and rain up to our cabin. Realizing we had no choice and no flashlight we all started walking. Suddenly we realized that Pat McStravick wasn’t with us. We looked and saw him walking up to the first cabin on the road where the latina sorority girls from TSC were staying. Pat started knocking at their door hollering if anyone was home and had a flashlight to lend us. Big surprise, the girls all started screaming thinking someone was coming to get them. I don’t know if Pat really was trying to borrow a flashlight or just hoping to get invited inside their cabin to try and not make the evening a total loss. After the girls started screaming for him to get away and the rest of us started running up the road in the rain to our cabin, Pat got the idea he wasn’t wanted there and ran after us. The next morning the sun was out and all was well. Of course, first thing in the morning the camp director came knocking at our door and reprimanded us for coming back after the gate was locked and for scaring the latina sorority girls. The previous night’s activity wasn’t one of Pat McStravick’s brightest ideas at all. However, all these years later, Pat has redeemed himself and is a highly successful lawyer. |
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