Music At the Campground ALWAYS played a huge part of my growing up. I have a few different soundtracks, of my life there. Ironically, these songs didn't really play a part of my growing up... well, with a couple of exceptions.
Time Passages • AL Stewart / Peter White
Here’s the thing… The other day, I finally had an Appetizer and Cocktail night, at my new camper. One of the people at my appetizer night was brother Jeff, and another was my cousin Kim. Growing up, my family had a camper at the Campground, and right behind us at another site, was my cousin Kim. The rest of my cousins were sprinkled in round our sites as well.
At one point, Jeff and Kim went for a walk around the campground… I’d been there for months now, and I knew, the two of them would want to reminisce. There were so many stories of our childhood, told around this Campground. After all, it was about 3 months a year for close to fifteen or so that we all spent here.
Too much time on my hands - Tommy Shaw
There’s an anchor, large for an old sailing ship that used to poly the waters, a hundred or two hundred years ago. It sat, outside the bathhouse, and was a gathering spot. My cousins and I would play on it, first, as young kids, imagining all the sea adventures, the anchor was witness to. Pirates, Whaling Ships, Traders playing the waters of New England, to The Caribbean, and back… maybe even across the big pond, to England!
Some days, we’d lay back taking turns on Starry Starry Nights, staring in the white speckled dark, looking for comets, or shooting stars. Later, as teens, we had too much time on our hands, and perhaps too many bratty ideas… Sure, not one of us, nor two could move it, but get enough determined and misbehaving teens, and the anchor was but a weee little ingot of iron, to be tossed about. We’d flip it, to face the other direction. We’d move it across the street. Nothing too egregious, but enough to feel satisfied we’d done something.
If I Could Turn Back Time • Diane Eve Warren
Not really, but every once in a blue moon, I do miss those days… thinking back on that freedom. Never knowing what comes next, and yet knowing exactly. Days were spent on the beach, tanning, surfing, and lunch. About 11 am, each day, my mom and my aunts would pack coolers, while the dads and uncles packed the beach chairs, gathered towels, and floats or boards, for the beach. Most days, the decision on where to go, was based on the tides… high tide mean the bay… the ocean was too rough, the undertow too dangerous for children and even adults to swim. Low tide meant the ocean side, where breakers were happening and we’d surf, swim or play in the wild waves.
Time of the Season • R Argent
Some days were special though. Each of my uncles and my dad owned a four wheel drive vehicle, and occasionally, not always but occasionally, a trip was planned where we’d head out for a day on the dunes of Cape Cod, and spend the time, on some remote beach, away from everyone and everything. The dads packed special gear for overland sand trips. Air tanks, and wood and special jacks and tow ropes. It was mysterious to little kids, until much late run my life when I learned all about recovery in sand and getting out of bad situations by the waterline, or at the bottom of a sand pit.
These were special days, and mostly, happened in late August and early September weekends. The Gulf Stream was warmest then, for us, so the ocean was extremely mild. And the crowds were mostly back to school.
A car fully packed, and trucking out onto the dunes. We’d stop at the entrance, and deflate the tires for more traction in the soft sands. We’d proceed cautiously. Mostly. It was here, on the sand dunes that I learned to drive. Most kids in the US (well, except for farm kids - they learn of necessity.) most learned to drive after 16. I learned at 12. My brother tried once at 14 and proceeded to plant the Jeep into the sand nose first after flying over top a steep sand dune. It took all four of the dads about half an hour to unbury the Jeep that day.
Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is? • Robert William Lamm
As we grew older, we all learned there were others around us. My cousins and I learned about relationships with the other camper’s kids. I was maybe 11 or 12, when I noticed my dad and my uncles being teased mercilessly one night around the camp fire by my mom and aunts. It all revolved around another camper named Queenie. We didn’t actually know her name, that’s just what the mom’s all called her.
Thinking back, she was perhaps 17 or 18 to my 12. Most of the campers were from our state, some from New England states, and a few from New York. She was. Her dad drove a big fancy black car, and towed a small pop up tent-camper. She had her own Tent next to her parents place. When they were setting up, her dad did all the work, and inflated a big air mattress for her tent. I assumed it was that, that earned her her nickname.
I remember her, walking past our camp site, her shoulders pulled back, wearing the tiniest bikini I ever saw. She was tanned, and lean, and always moved with a grace and strut I never saw before. I was 12, and never understood it, but the dads all gathered to watch her walk by. All work or conversation stopped when she did. And later that night, at the campfires, the mom’s all talked about Queenie. They’d roll their eyes, and make fun of the dads, and their behavior. I sorta understood and didn’t at all. The mom’s complaining and all… Usually there’d be some remark about “Oh, great, now, I’m in for another night of it” from one of my aunts or mom. I thought I knew… I really didn’t. The next day, mom and my aunts were usually really relaxed and happy. Laughing a bit more. Dad and my uncles just as silly as always.
Thinking back in time, I can see her walking, her body, that bikini, and hear my aunts and mom's comments.
Time After Time • Cyndi Lauper / Robert Hyman
As I mentioned, first my cousin Tony, then later, my cousin Melissa pulled off and brought some other camper into our circle of friends. At the time, I though it was like other friends we met, except, at the kids campfires, their new friends sat on together, crushed against each other. I thought it oddly uncomfortable. I’d soon learn.
When I say kids campfires, at first, we’d have a camp fire at one family site. All of us, all ages. Later, there were nights when the moms and dads had their own fire, and lots of our laughing and Greeks are good at that. They’d gather, play a Bouzouki (Greek stringed instrument), the Doumbek (Greek Drums), some other percussion and lots of singing. Of course the parents all were drinking too.
Some days, we kids made our own smaller fire. Some days, we’d wander off and explore. Eventually, we would wander to the beaches at night, and find a bon fire in the night sands, and stop and crash the party. Soon, we’d bring our own entertainment: instruments, singing and our own adult beverages, too.
Time Is On My Side • Jerry Ragovoy
It was at one of these beach parties, that I met my own "friend” Tammy. Turns out, she lived in a camper not far from our own with her parents. Actually, her parents would head back to the city, most of the week, and she was on her own. Except weekends when they returned.
She was a few years older than I was, Tammy was. It didn’t take long before she'd join us cousins for the walk through the woods, to the sandy fire trails and on to the beach. At one of these Bech fires, she sat herself on my lap. We’d not really spoken before, not of any consequence. We didn’t like each other much. Didn’t not like each other really, either. We simply didn’t know each other.
Days at the campsite we didn't speak much. Nights, she sat and squirmed in my lap at the beach bonfires. She’d decide when we kissed or not. I was led by her. After a while, my cousin Kim and my brother would sometimes say Tammy under their breath, as a little joke towards me.
The Time Warp • Richard OBrien
By high school, my Theater friends and I (Jeff was part of the theater crowd as well) were regularly attending the late night Saturday Movie showing of the Rocky Horror Picture Show. We’d all go in costume and bring the props and act out the movie in person, in the aisles of the Theater. I’d been to well over a few hundred of these movie showing/ performances, in dozens of cities, by now. One night, at the Camp Ground, my aunts were curious and asking my brother Jeff and I about Rocky Horror.
It was a late night, again a midnight showing. Now, Rocky Horror is a cult movie of sorts. The fans were crazy, lots of performers, and the themes for the movie are VERY ADULT. By now, my brother and I knew our aunts were very conservative, but, they’d been to Provincetown, which is a whole story in itself. That town is very open and liberal. It has a huge liberal Arts Community. AND a very big gay and lesbian community. In fact, it is an LGBT destination worldwide. Many make the trip to be free from their oppressed lives back home.
People simply step away, out of their conservative lives at home and are free to the who they truly are, deep inside. While it is true that one in 11 people have either same sex or bi curious tendencies, most simply have to hide themselves. Not in Provincetown.
So, off we head at midnight, to a movie, with my extended family, We made them dress up a little, and gave them each a pack of props for the movie… told them to follow our lead. Jeff and I were dressed to the nines, as they say, and fully into the movie, as usual.
I won’t say we played it up or played it over the top, because, for Jeff and I, it was a normal midnight on a weekend, at Rocky Horror. We never hid who we are, or were. Not even from the conservative family.
We simply stepped out of our normal family roles and into the Time Warp that is The Rocky Horror Picture Show. Some in the family never asked again about the movie. I saw many blanched embarrassed faces, on my Aunts and Uncles. I still step out of boring role and Do the Time Warp to this day. And I know I raised my daughters right, since they too, have done quite a few Rocky Horror Nights as well. We've since introduced some of my conservative cousins' kids to Rocky Horror!
Time • David Jon Gilmour / George Roger Waters / Nicholas Berkeley Mason / Richard William Wright
So, full circle, back to the Appetizer night with friends, family and my brother Jeff and cousin Kim. We’re all three telling everyone present stories about the old days at the camp ground. Somehow, my cousin Kim mentioned Queenie, and immediately my Aunt spit out, to my Uncle, “Don’t even get any ideas tonight!” Kim rolled her own eyes and said “Gross!”
As the silence came over the few picnic tables I had at our site, and the few dozen or so people gathers, both Jeff and Kim rather loudly at the same time, said “Tammy” and we all started laughing.
Home, home again
I like to be here when I can
And when I come home cold and tired
It's good to warm my bones beside the fire
Time • Pink Floyd
All Photos by Bluefin Studios unless specified.
