I recall an incident during my very first year at summer camp that would not happen these days in our era of youth protection and political correctness. I was about to leave our campsite for the waterfront for swim instruction. But I had to go to the bathroom real bad. So I ran into our kybo (outhouse) and stopped instantly in my tracks. Sitting in the middle seat of our luxurious three seater was my Scoutmaster reading a newspaper. He looked up from his paper and stared at me with his steely green eyes. It was my move.
As an eleven-year-old I was faced with a dreadful decision. Do I turn around and wait for him to leave? Or do I choose the one of the open seats to his left or right? For some reason in my preadolescent mind, leaving seemed just pain rude.
“What would he think?”
“Would he be offended?”
“He was reading a newspaper which indicated he could be in here a long time. And I do have to go real bad and I’m already late for swim class…”
So I chose the seat on the left.
Today this gut wrenching quandary would never have to be mastered by a new scout today as adults have separate facilities or at least a sign outside the outhouse indicated when an adult is inside. But back then it was just a part of growing up.
BTW, I would love to post a picture of an old Owasippe kybo. Send me a copy if you have one and I’ll post it.
