Episode 31

It was the first day of camp, and she was fifteen. Her mother had driven her here to the campus, and before she pulled away, she called, “Make some friends, Miah! I love you!”

“I love you too, Mom!” she called back. As she watched her mother’s car drive away, she looked around at the groups of girls and boys and wondered what kind of week she was in for.

A rather short girl walked over to where she stood looking down the road. “Hi!” the girl smiled.  “My name’s Gwen.”

“I’m Miah,” she said as the girls smiled at each other.

“Which cabin are you in?” she asked. “I’m in Cabin C.”

“So am I!” Miah grinned.

Gwen laughed and they walked off together.


Throughout the week there at camp they found that they shared many common interests, especially in music.  Gwen played just about any stringed instrument you could imagine, as well as the clarinet, which she played in her school band.  Miah was inspired to learn more instruments by the way Gwen seemed to look for the most difficult instrument to play and take on the challenge with joy.  The two girls became great friends, and Gwen introduced Miah to all her friends at the camp, including a boy named Ben.

Miah didn’t think she’d ever had as much fun with anyone before she’d met Ben.  He was a year older than her, but you never would have known.  He made her laugh, she made him laugh, and their friends loved hanging out with them.  A few jokes floated around about them being ‘perfect for each other’ but neither of them thought of each other that way.  At least, they didn't admit it themselves.

When camp ended that week, they exchanged email addresses and promised to keep in touch.  Miah had moved houses again because of her dad’s job, and they didn’t meet again in person for another year, but kept in contact online.

As the years slowly passed, Miah found herself a senior, and Ben was in his first year of college.  Even though he was hundreds of miles away, he still came to visit as often as he could.  Sometimes she would visit him, too.  They’d get together with their friends one weekend and go to Sea World, or they’d go hiking and camping.  They kept up the friendship the best they could.

Miah was used to changing schools as often as her family moved, but it was a comfort to know that she’d always be able to keep in touch with the people she left behind.