Ask me about my dream summer plans and I’ll come up with plenty: a trip to Europe hikes in the woods sleeping in a tent daily trips to the ice cream store (with unlimited fudge). But there are dreams of other kinds and I was yet to learn that. 

Summer fever is in full swing and as Mrs. Levine drones on about the difference between a shva na and shva nach I am just itching to bolt out of my seat and tan in the sunshine. Then comes hashkafah class and I listen — sort of. I hear one sentence then tune out for the next then catch another few words. I close my notebook with relief when the bell rings but there is something niggling in my brain like there is something I desperately want to remember. Mrs. Berman just said something that sparked my interest touched a lost dream but now it is elusive again. 

At night I lie in bed dreaming again of summer. All my dreams are just dreams but I am happy to indulge them anyway. I am going to good ol’ sleepaway camp and maybe we’ll venture into the woods behind our bunkhouse during the day (and not night) for a few brave moments but nothing more adventurous will be on the agenda. Again I sense that urgent buzz in my brain: There is something I want to do this summer something I want to remember. What is it? 

As the last day of school draws near my anticipation mounts and my lists grow too. Every day I add another item to my camp list. I am the Girl Who Has Everything in Camp — from existential items like safety pins to fun stuff like bats and balls and Sudoku booklets.