Scratch. The last reveille of 1959 would have us jumping, shivering out of our beds, with both excitement and chills. (If camp had lasted a day longer, we would have needed our winter coats...) The only items left in our cubbies were our traveling outfits, which we needed no encouragement to put on. Next, we stripped our cots, and packed the bedding into our duffles. This all was done in a matter of minutes, and was probably the fastest any of us ever moved all summer long. The last "warning"...The last "soupee." The last grace... Breakfast was always a little more subdued on the last day of camp. (But no less nutritious!) I'm sure there were last minute announcements and final "farewells" from the Directors. After our meal, we headed back to our bunks for final clean-up, And we couldn't slack on this, even if it was the last day of camp. All our floors were clear of dust bunnies before we left. I'm not sure if Bobby came by for a "final inspection." But, it wouldn't surprise me at all if she did.
A short time later, the buses arrived to take us to the train station, for our trip back home.* Last hugs to friends, counselors...Last looks. More tears. As the buses pulled away, we all started singing, "Here We Are" one more time, all of us waving to the Directors and staff through the bus windows. Down the tree-lined road and through the narrow stone gate, we kept singing. Most of us, already planning for our next summer at Lenore.
*(By 1962, Lenore had switched from trains to "motor coaches" for our trips to and from camp. No doubt for cost and convenience. Our buses left from the Roosevelt Field shopping center, on Long Island)
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Beth, other buses left from some station near the GW bridge, I was from Brooklyn and that's where we went to get the bus.
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