Yours Till Niagara Falls, Abby

by Jane O'Connor

  “She looks mean,” Emily announced in a stage whisper.

  Abby poked her sister and covered up with a smile as introductions were being made.

  “So. Here are the two girls. Who is who?” Aunt Tillie asked in imperious tones.

  “That’s Merle,” offered Mrs. Diamond. Merle seemed to shrink behind her mother.

  “Don’t be bashful, Merle. You must learn to speak up.” Aunt Tillie switched her penetrating gaze. “And this must be Abigail.”

  “Only everybody calls me Abby.” Abby hoped she didn’t sound as timid as she felt.

  “You are the girl who wrote me—I like a girl with initiative!” Aunt Tillie followed that pronouncement by removing all the pictures on one wall of the living room. “Now, let’s get down to business, shall we?” She bustled about, moving chairs, setting up her projector, shooing off all efforts of Daddy and Mr. Diamond to help.

  Merle rolled her eyes at Abby, which made her feel uneasy. She burrowed deeper into her armchair. This wasn’t how she had pictured Aunt Tillie at all. She seemed too much like a principal. But of course! Abby smiled to herself. Now she understood. Aunt Tillie was probably like all those old pioneer women in westerns—gruff on the outside but underneath very kind and lovable.

  With this consoling picture, Abby settled back to watch the slides that flashed on the living room wall while Aunt Tillie described a typical day at Pinecrest. “A bugle awakens the whole camp at 7:00,” Aunt Tillie began, “and by 7:20 everybody is at the flagpole field for ‘The Pledge of Allegiance.’ ” As Aunt Tillie ran through the schedule, it seemed to Abby as if they’d need about fifty hours in a day to pack in all the activities. Why there was one sport—something called new-combe—that she’d never even heard of! Abby stole a sideways glance at Merle who looked positively ashen. Everyone else, however, seemed impressed.

  “Ooh, Bambi!” Emily squealed over a slide of a deer while all the parents kept oohing and ahhing over the beautiful scenery.

  “It does look gorgeous, ”Abby whispered encouragingly to Merle. “With the lake and all those pine trees.”

  “They don’t have tents like you said,” Merle whispered back.

  “I think the cabins look nice. They’re probably more comfortable than tents anyway.” She wished Merle would stop being so negative.

  Mrs. Diamond beamed at every mention of “healthy outdoor life” and Ma nodded enthusiastically when Aunt Tillie mentioned “instilling a sense of responsibility in each girl.”

  “To me camp is first and foremost a learning experience,” Aunt Tillie said with an emphatic finger pointed at her audience. Abby avoided Merle’s eyes. “Eight weeks at Pinecrest can’t fail to change a girl.”

  Abby did not like the sound of those words. But then it suddenly hit her why Aunt Tillie was acting this way. Abby almost laughed out loud. Boy was she dumb for not figuring it out sooner!

  As soon as Aunt Tillie left with a firm handshake for everybody and a promise to see the girls on June 28th, Merle beat a hasty retreat to Abby’s room and flopped on her bed. “Talk about strict! I knew it was going to be like that. I just knew it. Only half an hour free period a day. In bed by 8:30. Brother!”

  Abby sat down in her rocker and tried to reason with Merle. “Relax. You’re getting all worked up over nothing. ”

  “I won’t last a week at that place,” Merle insisted.

  “Look, Merle, I admit I was getting a little nervous, too, until I figured out what was going on.” Abby leaned forward in her rocker. “Don’t you see? She has to make it sound that way. You saw how my mother was falling for it. Yours too. If Aunt Tillie made camp sound like too much fun, I bet nobody would send their kids there.”

  Merle hesitated. “Do you really think that’s it?”

  “I’m sure. Listen, you read the brochures too. Didn’t they make the place sound like fun?” Merle gave a small nod. “Well? So stop worrying. The brochures can’t lie. Otherwise, Aunt Tillie could be sued for false advertising!”

  “Gee, I hadn’t thought of it like that, ” Merle said.

  Abby smiled. She could always get Merle to see things her way. “Just think how terrific it will be. The whole summer together. No parents around to bug us. No Emily!”

  “You’re right, Ab,” Merle said. “It’s going to be great.” And Abby noted with satisfaction that finally Merle sounded enthusiastic.

  “If only it weren’t so far off.” Abby turned to the “Great Moments from the Movies” calendar above her head. “We’ve got all of April and May and practically all of June to get through.” She fished in one of her desk drawers and pulled out a red marker. “Well, we might as well start our countdown now,” she said and ceremoniously made a nice, neat X through the date.

  Each morning after that, as soon as she got up, Abby made sure to cross out one more box on her calendar. Time seemed to creep by with maddening slowness. But soon Abby had a whole week of X’s, and eventually a month’s worth, and finally, FINALLY, all the days had X’s through them. It was June 27th. She and Merle were actually leaving for camp the next day.

  Abby was beside herself with excitement. She couldn’t even concentrate on packing. She kept folding and refolding the same Pinecrest T-shirt over and over again.

  Ma was sewing one last name tape onto a pair of green camp shorts. “Calm down, honey,” she said. “You look like you’re going to jump out of your skin.”

  “I can’t help it.” Abby distractedly crammed the T-shirt into her overstuffed suitcase. “I’ve waited so long and now it’s almost here—my super-fantabulous, perfectly perfect summer.”

  Ma put a gentle hand on Abby’s shoulder. “Just remember, Abby, nothing’ s ever exactly the way you expect. Every new experience takes some adjusting to.”

  Abby wasn’t listening. She glanced at her clock. “Only eighteen hours and seven minutes till BLAST-OFF !”

  “Are you ever coming back?” Emily asked on the verge of tears. She was sitting forlornly on her tricycle and had been unusually quiet all afternoon.

  “Of course I am, silly.”

  Emily’s face brightened.

  “I’ll even write you—letters especially to you.” Abby checked the clock again. “Now if only Merle would get here. We have to go through the movie magazines and decide which ones we’re taking.”

  Merle was supposed to come over as soon as her dance lesson was over, but by five-thirty there was still no Merle, and no answer at her apartment. Then right before dinner, the phone rang.

  “It’s me,” Merle’s voice had a funny echo.

  “I know that,” Abby said. “Where have you been?”

  Merle sounded like she was taking a deep breath. “You’re not going to believe this,” she said quickly, “but I’m at Lenox Hill Hospital. During dance class, I fell and broke my ankle.”

  “BROKE YOUR ANKLE?” Abby stared into the phone.

  “I slipped when I pirouetted. The doctor just finished setting it. It doesn’t hurt, but,” Merle paused and continued in a small voice, “I’m going to be in a cast for at least four weeks.”

  “FOUR WEEKS! You poor kid.” That was a shocker! But there was a bright side. “Hey, now you won’t have to worry about any of the sports stuff at camp!” Abby couldn’t help giggling at this strange stroke of good fortune. “Half the summer will be over before you even have to think about picking up a baseball bat.”

  There was another uneasy pause. “Abby, don’t you see? ... I can’t go.”

  Abby was speechless. That was impossible. Just impossible.

  “Abby, please don’t be mad.” Merle’s voice was full of urgency. “It’s not my fault, honest.”

  “Of course it’s not,” Abby mumbled, stunned. “I just don’t understand is all.”

  “You know the whole reason my parents were so big on camp was because of all the outdoor stuff and now I can hardly walk, much less swim or do anything else. You know if it was up to me I’d still go just to be with you, but Mom already called Aunt Tilli
e. They’re taking me to Cape Cod with them right before July Fourth weekend.” Merle paused. “Hey, listen. This man’s yelling ’cause he wants to use the phone. I’ll call you as soon as I get home.”

  Abby mumbled goodbye and hung up.

  “What is it, honey?” Ma had just come into the room. “You look like you just lost your best friend.”

  “Funny you should say that.” Then Abby burst out crying.

  4

  “I DIDN’T expect so many kids,” Abby said nervously. She was standing with Emily and her parents under the Pinecrest banner in the middle of the stifling hot bus terminal. All around her, screaming and waving to each other, were girls of every shape and size, each wearing the same green shorts and green blazer.

  “I feel like I’m in the middle of a leprechaun convention,” Daddy remarked.

  Abby smiled weakly. If only her stomach would stop turning cartwheels. Daddy could joke about the girls but they didn’t look at all funny to her. They looked impressive—especially the older ones whose blazers were covered with medals and ribbons. Abby wished her own glaringly new blazer didn’t look so bare. Then she tugged at her hair. “Ma, can I see your mirror, please?”

  “Honey, I keep telling you. You look fine. ” Ma dug down into her purse.

  “I look awful,” Abby wailed. “That haircut Mr. Bert gave me is gross. My hair looks like shredded wheat.” Abby gazed at herself in Ma’s mirror. Did she look like a fun-loving Pinecrest type, she wondered, or just a scrawny short kid with dark frizzy hair? What if nobody liked her? Abby felt as if she were setting forth into completely unknown territory. And she didn’t like it. Not a bit.

  “I know it’s a big disappointment, Merle not coming.” Ma squeezed her hand reassuringly. “But you’ll see. The summer will turn out fine.”

  The whole point of the summer was to be with Merle, Abby thought to herself as she ducked out of the way of two girls who raced toward each other, hugging and shrieking. Best friends, obviously. They slapped their thighs, whirled around once, flapping their elbows like chicken wings, and clasped arms.

  “The Pinecrest shake, I guess,” Abby said. She’d seen lots of girls doing it. “Either that, or there’s a new dance craze I missed.”

  “Now that’s my girl,” Daddy laughed. “Just keep your sense of humor and you’ll be fine.” That was what Daddy always told her. If you laughed and pretended everything was okay, you could usually fool yourself into believing it was true. Abby figured that was a pretty good way to be, only a lot of times she just couldn’t fake it.

  “Now, Emily, don’t pull away from me,” Ma was saying, and then she began rattling on about how Abby should remember to write Grandma and shouldn’t forget to put in her bite plate each night.

  Abby nodded without listening. Once again she rolled back yesterday’s events and refilmed them in her mind. Merle’s bus would get stuck in traffic and she’d miss her lesson. Or the dancing teacher would get sick and cancel the class.... The least little change and Merle would be here right now.

  “Accidents happen, and there’s nothing you can do about them,” Ma had said last night but Abby didn’t consider that any explanation at all. What was the point in making plans if you couldn’t count on them?

  She felt for the small wrapped package in her pocket. She and Merle had exchanged presents this morning. Her hand felt funny now without her small blue enamel heart ring, but Merle was always saying how much she loved it.

  The big digital clock in the bus terminal suddenly clicked to 9:30, and in an instant the counselors began blowing their whistles. Everybody started grabbing for their suitcases and kissing their parents goodbye.

  “This is it,” Abby said. She took a deep breath and turned to Ma and Daddy.

  Then without warning, Emily broke loose from Ma and bolted into the forest of Pinecrest campers.

  “Where’s she gone to now?” Ma looked worried and exasperated.

  Daddy shouted for Emily who was not so easy to spot since she had insisted on wearing a white T-shirt and green shorts “just like Abby’s” except that hers had a frog on the front pocket.

  “Terrific,” Abby fumed. “The kid sure has perfect timing.”

  “Sweety, we’ve got to find her.” Ma sounded rushed and apologetic.

  “Over there—I think I see her,” Daddy shouted. They both grabbed Abby, smothered her with a fast hug and kiss, and were swallowed up by the crowd.

  “Leave it to Emily.” Forcing back angry tears Abby headed toward the buses, carried along by the tide of campers.

  “Abby! Wait!”

  Good old Ma! Abby turned expectantly. She knew Ma couldn’t leave. Not without a real goodbye.

  “Your suitcase,” Ma was yelling over the crowd. “You’re leaving without your suitcase!”

  Oops! Abby doubled back through the mob, grabbed her suitcase, then rejoined the crush of girls.

  July 1

  Dear Merle,

  You are the very first person I’m writing, so feel honored. I miss you tons already. I have your locket on right now and I swear I’m not taking it off all summer. Are you wearing my ring?

  Don’t feel guilty but so far I’m miserable. Were you ever right about it being strict. There are rules for everything. Everybody is scared stiff of Aunt Tillie—even the counselors.

  Some of the kids in my bunk are okay but there’s nobody who is really on my wavelength (nobody with a warped enough mind, ha! ha!). There’s only one other new kid besides me. Her name is Eileen. She’s very sweet but shy and spends most of the time in the Nature Hut with her gerbils, Rudy and Trudy. Eileen’s a vegetarian so she has special permission and doesn’t have to eat meat which, if you ask me, is verrry smart because you should see the gross stuff they serve. Another kid, Lisa, seems okay but a real goody-goody. She’s always first up at flag-raising, first to finish her job during cleanup, and is always buttering up the counselors—you know the type. She was the prize camper for our group last year and I think she’ll have a cow if she doesn’t get it again this year. The other two girls, Phyllis and Bonnie, I really don’t like. Phyllis is pretty but mean. She has long braids and looks sort of like Laura in “Little House on the Prairie.” Bonnie is very tall with red hair that’s even curlier than mine. Phyllis worships Bonnie and follows her around doing whatever dumb stuff Bonnie tells her. Yesterday they started making fun of Eileen who has a little lisp. I told them to cut it out so now they pick on me instead. This morning they put toothpaste on the toilet seat when I wasn’t looking. And last night they frenched my bed. Hardy har! har!

  One thing I have to say about Bonnie, she is really a great athlete. You should see her hit a softball. She’s also the only one who sticks out in front and boy is she sensitive about it. She won’t let anybody see her when she gets undressed.

  The last kid who’s named Roberta still hasn’t shown up because she got chicken pox. She’ll be here in about a week, but everybody says she’s a creep anyway.

  Our counselor Marty is no prize either. Most of the time she tries to act like we’re invisible but sometimes she gets mean for no good reason. Like last night she took down all the snapshots Eileen had taped to the wall of her sheepdog, Ruggles. Marty said it was against the rules. Anyway, she tore one of the pictures and Eileen got very upset.

  Oops! There goes the bell for dinner. I miss you sooo much. I hope your leg is feeling better. I’m glad I got to sign your cast. Please write S-O-O-N.

  Yours till Niagara Falls,

  Abby

  July I

  Dear Ma and Daddy,

  How are you? I am fine. The bunk I’m in is called Buttercup. Be sure you put that on when you write. The girls in my bunk seem pretty nice. My counselor’s name is Marty. She has a big rear end and bad skin but is all right. I miss you all a lot. Say hi to Emily. I’ll write again soon.

  Love,

  Me

  5

  THE EVENING activity—charades in the Rec Hall—was over and Abby and Eileen were heading
back to Buttercup. The whole camp was built on a steep hill covered with pines and graceful birch trees. At the top, which leveled off into a wide grassy field, were the tennis courts, the softball diamond, the arts and crafts shack, the Nature Hut, and the Rec Hall. Strung down along the side of the hill were the bunks, all named after flowers because Aunt Tillie expected her girls to “grow and blossom.” And at the bottom was Lake Pocahontas.

  Abby pretended to stagger the last few steps to Buttercup. “I’m beat. I swear I thought this day would never end,” she said to Eileen. “Run up the hill for softball, run down to the lake for boating, run back up for archery. ” Abby put her hands on her hips and mimicked the counselors. “‘Abby Kimmel, that’s not what I call rowing!’ ... ‘Abby Kimmel, can’t you run any faster than that?’ ” Abby made a face. “I’m gonna have a heart attack if they keep this up.”

  Eileen giggled shyly. “I wish they’d give us more stuff like nature and arts and crafts,” she said in her whispery voice. “The only time I get to see my gerbils is during free period.” Then she looked up at the sky. “But it sure is pretty here.”

  “Yeah. You never see this many stars in the city.” The inky expanse of sky certainly was beautiful but so vast and deep that just looking at it sent a wave of loneliness through Abby. She gulped and blinked quickly. “Where’s the Big Dipper?” she asked to distract herself. “I can never find it.” Abby began scanning the black sky, trying to pick out the right stars, when she heard Marty shouting from the bunk porch. “Inside, you two!”

  Marty was standing by the door, her chunky arms folded, tapping her foot impatiently. “I thought I had made it perfectly clear,” she barked as Abby and Eileen hurried down that path. “But in case I didn’t, I will repeat—in simple English: after evening activity, I want you straight back here, and no dawdling.”

  “Geez, we’re not late or anything,” Abby said as she was rudely hustled inside. That Marty. All she was interested in was getting to the counselors’ shack where she played cards with Josie who was some sorority sister of hers from college. Abby remembered Marty’s very first words to the bunk. “Don’t bug me and I won’t bug you. But give me trouble and I can get very nasty.”