Part 1: Barr’s Meadow
Germination
It is early June, 1962. In a small town in central North Carolina, Julian Forrest has just turned thirteen years old. He and his mother, single parent Francine Forrest, are formerly of Joliet, Illinois. Julian recently finished his first year of Junior High School. Adolescence has taken him by storm, and he is in a hurry to grow up. His main focus has been Cub Scouts, and he has completed all the levels offered by the organization. His dream now is to become a Boy Scout.
Their neighbor, Mark Schaefer, is a manager in a locally owned department store. His wife of three years is a nurse who is studying to become a physician. Mark is scoutmaster of the Boy Scout Troop sponsored by the same church that sponsors Julian’s Cub Scout Pack. He invites Julian to join Troop Nine. This is a dream come true for Julian, who has long had a fixation on Mark.
First Day: Sunday, June 9, 1963
Julian has been in the Boy Scout Troop for a year. He moved up in rank rapidly. He was recently promoted from Second to First Class, just in time for the annual summer camp. His new Troop Nine scrapbook has made him known in the troop. Mark has given him leadership opportunities, and he has handled them well.
The first day of summer camp begins with a long bus trip west. The drive provides a glimpse of what is to come in the next two weeks. The Troop hikes to the camp and the scouts get set up in their tents at Barr’s Meadow, the prize campsite. The first day is given to orientation and registration activity.
Several other scouts in the troop are introduced. Many of them will be important in the events of the next two weeks. Sid Thomas and Jeremy Baker are Julian’s closest friends, and they are in his patrol. They moved up from the same Cub Scout pack. Tom Dawson, Danny Laskey and Nick Harrison are members of the Flaming Arrow, the exclusive troop leadership patrol.
The primary event takes place at the end of the day: the start of Julian’s relationship with Mark. Mark makes the decision to open the door for Julian by inviting him to stay in the cabin.
Second Day: Monday
It is the first full day of regular camp activity. Julian’s routine as a member of the leadership patrol is established. He gets to know each member of The Flaming Arrow. Tom Dawson, the Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, is accustomed to being the kingpin. He spots Julian first thing and sets out to add him to his very long list of sexual initiates. Nick Harrison, the Troop Scribe, has been assigned to mentor Julian as a troop journalist. He is savvy about Tom and engineers escape plans without either Julian or Tom’s becoming aware. Danny Laskey, the Senior Patrol Leader, is also new to the patrol; he is assigned to team with Julian in camp operations. He has a crush on Julian and lures him into a private space where he hopes to establish himself as Julian’s steady boyfriend. His clumsiness and inexperience make it possible for Julian to turn the event into an exploratory game.
Mark discovers that his forbidden adventure has a dynamic that needs to be recognized and mastered. At days end Julian and Mark’s romance is verified; Julian witnesses Mark shaving, satisfying a long held wish.
Leonard Stafford, the staff member in charge at the lake is introduced. The lake is a major center of what happens at the camp—much of that is because of Leonard’s efficient but benign rule.
Merit badge study is a major part of scout camp, and Julian attends his first class meetings. Justin Blake, a younger scout that Julian has been mentoring, is with him in Forestry, and Cory Summers, the scout with a water phobia, is Julian’s Archery partner.
The highlight for Julian’s day is helping Nick qualify for his Lifesaving merit badge. His pretend drowning fools everyone. He becomes friends with Nick, who makes a passing comment about Julian’s derrière that preoccupies Julian for days. He has been oblivious to backsides until now, and sets out to study the phenomenon of Choice Buns.
The first Troop Nine campfire is held. The process of selecting a Troop Skit is begun. Max Webster’s is the first to be presented. It is a fable and involves the entire troop. They are divided into small choral groups that punctuate the narrated story line similar in style to the ancient Greek chorus.
The major event of the day comes after lights out: the relationship between Nick and Tom is explored. Nick surprises Tom and himself with a sexual maneuver of his own. Neither had guessed that a familiar after hour activity could be so consequential. Nick succeeds in shattering Tom’s shallow self-indulgent frame of mind—sexual gratification as he has understood it is transformed.
Read an excerpt
Germination
It is early June, 1962. In a small town in central North Carolina, Julian Forrest has just turned thirteen years old. He and his mother, single parent Francine Forrest, are formerly of Joliet, Illinois. Julian recently finished his first year of Junior High School. Adolescence has taken him by storm, and he is in a hurry to grow up. His main focus has been Cub Scouts, and he has completed all the levels offered by the organization. His dream now is to become a Boy Scout.
Their neighbor, Mark Schaefer, is a manager in a locally owned department store. His wife of three years is a nurse who is studying to become a physician. Mark is scoutmaster of the Boy Scout Troop sponsored by the same church that sponsors Julian’s Cub Scout Pack. He invites Julian to join Troop Nine. This is a dream come true for Julian, who has long had a fixation on Mark.
First Day: Sunday, June 9, 1963
Julian has been in the Boy Scout Troop for a year. He moved up in rank rapidly. He was recently promoted from Second to First Class, just in time for the annual summer camp. His new Troop Nine scrapbook has made him known in the troop. Mark has given him leadership opportunities, and he has handled them well.
The first day of summer camp begins with a long bus trip west. The drive provides a glimpse of what is to come in the next two weeks. The Troop hikes to the camp and the scouts get set up in their tents at Barr’s Meadow, the prize campsite. The first day is given to orientation and registration activity.
Several other scouts in the troop are introduced. Many of them will be important in the events of the next two weeks. Sid Thomas and Jeremy Baker are Julian’s closest friends, and they are in his patrol. They moved up from the same Cub Scout pack. Tom Dawson, Danny Laskey and Nick Harrison are members of the Flaming Arrow, the exclusive troop leadership patrol.
The primary event takes place at the end of the day: the start of Julian’s relationship with Mark. Mark makes the decision to open the door for Julian by inviting him to stay in the cabin.
Second Day: Monday
It is the first full day of regular camp activity. Julian’s routine as a member of the leadership patrol is established. He gets to know each member of The Flaming Arrow. Tom Dawson, the Junior Assistant Scoutmaster, is accustomed to being the kingpin. He spots Julian first thing and sets out to add him to his very long list of sexual initiates. Nick Harrison, the Troop Scribe, has been assigned to mentor Julian as a troop journalist. He is savvy about Tom and engineers escape plans without either Julian or Tom’s becoming aware. Danny Laskey, the Senior Patrol Leader, is also new to the patrol; he is assigned to team with Julian in camp operations. He has a crush on Julian and lures him into a private space where he hopes to establish himself as Julian’s steady boyfriend. His clumsiness and inexperience make it possible for Julian to turn the event into an exploratory game.
Mark discovers that his forbidden adventure has a dynamic that needs to be recognized and mastered. At days end Julian and Mark’s romance is verified; Julian witnesses Mark shaving, satisfying a long held wish.
Leonard Stafford, the staff member in charge at the lake is introduced. The lake is a major center of what happens at the camp—much of that is because of Leonard’s efficient but benign rule.
Merit badge study is a major part of scout camp, and Julian attends his first class meetings. Justin Blake, a younger scout that Julian has been mentoring, is with him in Forestry, and Cory Summers, the scout with a water phobia, is Julian’s Archery partner.
The highlight for Julian’s day is helping Nick qualify for his Lifesaving merit badge. His pretend drowning fools everyone. He becomes friends with Nick, who makes a passing comment about Julian’s derrière that preoccupies Julian for days. He has been oblivious to backsides until now, and sets out to study the phenomenon of Choice Buns.
The first Troop Nine campfire is held. The process of selecting a Troop Skit is begun. Max Webster’s is the first to be presented. It is a fable and involves the entire troop. They are divided into small choral groups that punctuate the narrated story line similar in style to the ancient Greek chorus.
The major event of the day comes after lights out: the relationship between Nick and Tom is explored. Nick surprises Tom and himself with a sexual maneuver of his own. Neither had guessed that a familiar after hour activity could be so consequential. Nick succeeds in shattering Tom’s shallow self-indulgent frame of mind—sexual gratification as he has understood it is transformed.
Read an excerpt