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But I was late. Real late. My car skidded to a halt cantered left in one of the dirt parking spots. Dozens of cars were already here and no one else was in the parking lot. I jerked the keys out of the ignition, kicked the door open and grabbed my pack. The staff meeting had started over an hour ago. I ran. The mess hall was the center of daily camp life. At least three activities, breakfast, lunch and dinner happened here every day. Sometimes sing-a-longs or movies at night, weather depending. I ran around the backside and entered through the kitchen. The director was a real stickler for rules - don't be late to meetings, don't stay out after lights-out, don't be late from a weekend. Yadda, yadda, yadda - Jesus, that guy could babble on. A couple of big pots simmered on the huge stoves in the center of the room, but the staff was absent. I turned off the lights and pushed the swinging door open slowly.
"Topeka, get your ass over here!" Shit. Dan had seen me. Everyone turned around and looked in my direction. "You're fucking late as usual, Topeka. Find a seat if you can manage it." Everyone chuckled at that, recalling my difficulties with a prickly pear cactus meeting my backside last year. Fuck, what a start.