Carrie Link

Outdoor School Day #1

Yesterday St. Kathleen picked up Rojo and away they went to Outdoor School. The rest of the class left on a bus Sunday, but Rojo "does not go to school on Sundays," and besides, asking St. Kathleen to go up four days is A LOT, and a Sunday, too, would be even more than I would ask of a friend of whom I've asked a lot. A. Lot.

We've been going over (and over and over and...) the plan for ODS for MONTHS. He and St. Kathleen (my BFF and his one morning/week aide for the last six years) would be "day students." They would leave at 8:00 and get there at 9:00, and stay until 4:00 and get home at 5:00, just in time for garlic toast, which all of you know by now, happens AT 5:00 PM sharp each and every single day. (Yes, there was a time we were on Cinnamon Toast Crunch, but that, my friends, was but a phase. A. Brief. Phase.)

"Mom, am I janked up? Am I excited for Outdoor School? Am I hyper? Am I just so excited? Am I going to get there at 9:00 and leave at 4:00? Am I going to be janked up when I'm there? Am I going to FREAK OUT if there are bees? Am I just so excited?"

One big blanket "yes" from me, and the litany started again, and again, and again.

Sunday he was triple "janked" and Monday morning he was "janked" times 10. Poor St. Kathleen.

The sun was shining and it was a perfect 80 degree day up on the mountain, an auspicious beginning.

St. Kathleen hit traffic and didn't get home until 5:30. A very tired and overheated Rojo nearly fell from the car. But once we fed and hydrated him - and striped him of his extra sweatshirt he'd insisted on wearing to keep him safe from bees - he came back to life like a flower, and the stories began.

"My counselor's name is Griz. Who the hell has Griz for a name?"

"We went on a HIKE. A LONG hike. I do not like hiking."

"We had cabin time. I am in K.'s and N.'s cabin. They were really janked up when I got there because they were so excited to see me."

"I did not eat the lunch. I am never going to eat the lunch. I just had the Johnny Jump-Up get me water. I will just drink water every day at lunch and make the Johnny Jump-Up get it for me."

After dinner he went digging around the house looking for our old walkie-talkies - apparently the adult counselors at Outdoor School use them, and he's hoping nobody will notice if he gets in the game. I successfully convinced him to leave them at home with the promise of playing on them ALL morning and ALL night with him, instead. Can't talk now, gotta go talk on the walkie talkie...

This is sure to be a week that will change lives, probably the least of whose is Rojo's.

* Photo of Mt. Hood, near Outdoor School