The Magic of Interlochen

After arriving at 10:30 last night, today was our first full day at Interlochen.  I just can’t describe how happy we are to be here.  I’ve said it before, and everybody mirrors my sentiments, but there’s just something magical at Interlochen.  I even find that I’m missing John!  Thankfully, he’ll be arriving in less than 48 hours.

So, today also happened to be my first day of work at Interlochen.  I am working for one reason and one reason alone.  Actually, when I think about it, I’m working for two reasons:  my kids and my honey. 

My kids have lived the “boarding camper” life and have had enough of it.  To avoid them being boarding campers, there is only one option:  day campers.  The only way to be a day camper is to have a parent who works here for the entire time their camp session runs.  Physicians only work for 2 week shifts, so my older kids couldn’t be day campers.  With me working all six weeks, everybody can stay with me. 

For all three kids to attend Interlochen this summer, it was going to cost in excess of $18,000.  Yes, the comma is in the right place….  As day campers, and with John and me both working, everybody comes for less than $1,000.  That’s a deal that even I couldn’t pass up, and it saves my hard-working honey a lot of money. 

Although I am qualified to work many jobs at this camp, the hiring attitude is highly nepotistic and hard to break through.  Hence I got a job where John has worked—in health services.  It seems that I can’t get away from working as a medical secretary in my adult life.  I’m good at it, and things run smoothly when I’m around.  However, I’ve never worked at a place like Interlochen.

Here, they still use paper to record everything.  No computer except to submit work orders and check a general email inbox.  Paper and pens everywhere.  Wow.

So, after several hours of sitting and hearing about my job, and the nurses’ jobs, I was sent to the Junior/Intermediate Girls’ Infirmary, lovingly referred to as J-I-G.  Why they don’t call it JIG (as in the dance) is beyond me.  I’ve determined to change the 50-year tradition since I’m in charge of answering the phone.  How does this sound? 

“JIG infirmary.  You’re treated for a runny nose, you leave dancing on your toes.”

I know it needs work, but I’m determined :-)

So, when I finally showed up, I was told that my job was to organize my desk.  I was given two boxes full of office supplies.  And mouse poop.

Or maybe it was chipmunk poop.  I’m not an expert, so don’t quote me on it.

If it had been up to me, I would have pitched the boxes, sight-unseen, and run to Meijer to purchase new supplies with my own money.  Unfortunately, when I tried to throw away pens that were covered in gooey mouse pee, one of the nurses (whom I am convinced is a hoarder in her life outside camp) pulled one pen out of the garbage and put it back on my desk.  Then, when I asked her later what to do with a pile of papers that were stained with mouse pee, she proceeded to go through them and tell me that I could still save some of them.  And the three whole punch that was caked with poop?  She took me out back.

Yes, out back.

Low and behold, there was a 20-year-old hose with a sprayer covered in spider webs that I was instructed to connect to a spigot that points diagonally up.  I can only imagine what the front of my pants would have looked like, had I not noticed the unusual directionality and connected the hose before turning on the faucet.  What was I to do?  Use the hose and sprayer and clean off the office supplies.

We’re talking about 99 cent pen holders here.

At this point, I began to question if any of this was really worth it.  Saving $17,000 over 6 weeks, my afternoon was worth at least $500.  Okay, it was worth it, but I cursed Human Resources and their nepotism at that moment.  If I’d known that I was going to be doing this kind of job, I would have driven my tractor from PA and scooped every last mouse turd this camp holds.  Too, I would have brought my work gloves and hat.  At least some of my skin would have been protected from the water/poop mixture that shot back up into my face from the force of the water meeting the 0.99 pencil holder.

Meanwhile, the other health professionals were sitting comfortably in the infirmary, discussing the possible organization of PRN medications.  Feeling like I was about to crawl out of my skin, I decided to fetch paper for our fax machine.  Riding my bike to a different infirmary across campus, I gathered two full reams of paper in my arms and brought them back to JIG, in the rain, while riding my bike, through pot holes and over the floor of the forest.

Farm girl, what?

Yes, I can hang with the most sophisticated.  I can have intelligent conversations about world politics and current events.  I can sight-read just about any piece of piano music put in front of me.  I have raised four talented and amazing children.  But the quality of which I was the most proud of at that moment?

I am a beast.  I can work.  I can scrub mouse poop off office supplies.  I can happily walk to the dumpster numerous times..  I can make the lives of other people easier. 

Too, I can endure.  I can do this for my family.  Afterall, that’s why I’m here.  Only five weeks and six days left.  Ah, the magic of Interlochen J