Wednesday, September 12th – FIRST DAY OF CAMP
In which campers arrive at LAX via airplane and shuttle to camp, and other campers arrive at camp in vehicles, and camp begins
+
IV. Let’s Get These Bros On The Road
Katrina: I woke up at 6:30. I didn’t mean to, but I guess I was just that excited. I walked to Wolf Lounge and cut up my camp shirt all special and went back to my cabin and put on my camp outfit and felt so ready for my day.
Rachel: At breakfast, we got to reunite joyfully with those staff members who had arrived in the dark of night, and then wait for campers to start arriving!
Gabby Rivera, Snatch-22 Counselor/Writer: 7am. I’m settled into the driver’s seat of a white minivan. Laura is in the passenger seat and Carmen’s riding backseat bitch.
Carmen: I woke up thirty minutes before my own shuttle to the shuttle and, being a great shuttle captain like I am, didn’t look for water and/or coffee before shuffling into the backseat of a van. Gabby was driving and Laura was riding shotgun and I was super miserably hungover.
Gabby: Part of me fell into big sister love with Carmen because in that van ride she was vulnerable, sweet and calm. The morning does that to people and I loved seeing the side of Carmen that mostly lives in her words, the stuff behind the wild and crazy she shares when in the spotlight, the just Carmen was just so perfect. I could also share that Laura is probably the best person to have as a co-pilot. Anyone that sings The Roots to me, wins life.
Laura: If you were at OG camp or read the recap, you might remember what a horrible terrible disaster transportation was.
Gabby: The three of us were ready to not only tackle the descent down dyke mountain but also ready to wrangle the gaggle of queer kitten behbehs soon to be arriving at LAX. The first A-shuttle crew was already gathered at terminal 6. Laura was checking off names and getting ready to herd everyone out the door.
Carmen: We herded the pack of wild lesbians onto the shuttle bus, which almost came on time! I was definitely in charge of a shuttle full of people from the smoker’s circle, as well as a ton of Misfits. It was super magical.
Gabby: I had a moment for a much needed cigarette. I lit up outside with my “spot the cute queer” eyes still on overdrive. A girl walked by green streaks in her hair, fresh kicks on her feet and one of those “I’m lost. Help me” looks on her face. “A-Camp?”, I asked. She met me halfway, confused and asking for a smoke, promising me she was 18. I hesitated and asked again if she was going to A-Camp. She had no idea what I was talking about. An actual A-Camper walked over and the three of us smoked in silence. Then the almost 18 year old girl with the green streaks said, “I don’t know what Autostraddle or A-Camp is but I just flew across the country. My parents found out I’m gay and they kicked me out of my house. I’ve got nowhere to go but my ex-girlfriend is picking me up here and that’s all I’ve got right now.”
Pause. I hugged her. What else are you supposed to do when someone tells you that? Fuck. I told her to come up the mountain with us, to be apart of happy homo camp. We smoked some more but it really didn’t click, the idea of what A-Camp meant that is. Then Laura was on the move with her crew of campers and they streamed out of the automatic doors to our left. One after the other, a slew of well-dressed queermos filtered out, past this girl. They came closer and the girl let me share her story with the group. All of the first shuttle campers encouraged her to come with us, some of them hugged her and then I think it all made sense. Like she got it and wanted to be a part of it and that we were real and it wasn’t just me, crazy at the airport; that we were a family of queers. Then out of nowhere Emily Goldsmith hands her a fistful of You Do You stickers. She tells the girl to look up Autostraddle because “We can’t wait to see you at next camp.”
In that moment, it clicked for me too. A-Camp is changing lives. It’s changing what we know is possible, is normal to do or think of in this fucked up world. So young girl, if you’re reading this then you’re on the right path and Emily spoke for all of us. I sure hope to see you at the next camp. Oh, and bring the ex too.
Laura: Watching you all walk towards our group huddled in Terminal 6 and try to figure out if we were your people was one of the cutest things I’ve seen in all of time and seeing the tiny pride parade of queers walk to each bus was magical.
Camper Quote: “Even though the bus was pretty late and the driver may have gotten lost (we aren’t sure but he probs did) it was still great! Laura and Gaby were awesome about making sure everyone was doing well while we waited (they even brought us real food!!!!!) and then the bus was nice once we were on it… Plus I bonded hard core with my bus mates and felt like camp started as soon as I spotted the group of homos sitting by the baggage pick up :)”
+
V. Meanwhile, Back At Camp…
Carrie: Wednesday morning was all about last-minute prep before campers arrived. Croce, Mollie and I decorated the Forever 21 cabin. I brought streamers and Croce brought lube. Somehow this seemed fitting.
Daniela: At some point I started working on making the three schedule boards happen. I obsessed over this for hours. Now I think of A-Camp every time I smell Sharpie markers.
Riese: Laneia and I spent most of the morning cutting and taping things in The Runaways cabin. We kinda wanted it to look like a ‘zine.
Laneia: I couldn’t stop taping stuff to the walls. They eventually had to drag us out.
Riese: I was pulled away from decorating because somehow the “people who need linens” list had grown between “making the linens order” and “people arriving at camp” because computers are hard, and gahhh, and so we were short on linens. Typically, this would’ve sent Robin, Marni, Alex, Laneia and I into a hot panic BUT IT DIDN’T because 1) We’re not broke! This isn’t the end of the world!, 2) Our newly-employed piratette Alex Vega was totally into exploring the San Bernadino Area all afternoon!
Alex: I spent a lot of time at two Target locations and a Bed, Bath & Beyond attempting to obtain 15 sets of sheets, covers, pillows, and towels because we thought we were going to be short on linens but it turns out we were not short at all! In fact I still have these things in my car. Just saying.
Riese: All this means is that the original number I gave was correct after all, so it was a mixed emotional situation at the end of the day, but refreshingly less expensive than anticipated! Also, this bedding will come into play later in the recamps, so stay tuned.
Carly: Wednesday morning began with Crystal and I decorating the Thundercats’ cabin until the first campers began to arrive.
Crystal: Honestly, the streamers looked terrible, they were the worst – but we had faith that our campers who would appreciate the spirit in which they were hung.
NEXT: Campers come to actual camp!
