Thursday, June 2, 2016
There use to be a campground up off of Mamaroneck Avenue in White Plains. It seemed miles away to someone who was 8 or 9.
Every year the campfire girls would do an overnight camping trip to this location. Looking back on it, it was probaby more work to prep and breakdown than would seem sufficient for an overnight stay, but I think we earned beads for our vests or something like that so one was encouraged to partcpate.
One year my mom and Ms. Clifford were the chaperones. It rained that year. I'll never forget how Ms. Clifford almost willed the fire to get started wih the last of my mother's matches for her camel cigarettes. She did it though and there were hot dogs and marshmallow roastng for all, with a few matches left for my mom and her cigs.
I remember overhearing my mom and Ms. Clifford talking into the night. They had an understanding those two. Looking back on it now I can't help but think it was funny. My mom and Ms. Clifford were working moms before it was chic to be so , yet, here they were taking 10 of us 8-9 year olds off on a night of camping...makes an adult me understand what the word sacrafice means.
She was strong!
