Lake Reflections: Young Summer Love

By Helen Whitehead-Teske

Camp MiVoden on Hayden Lake in Idaho is where many of my lake memories are centered. We went to Family Camp there every summer during my early and middle teen years. One of my earlier memories at Camp MiVoden took place when I was 12. I was naïve and inexperienced in the art of catching the attention of boys. There was, however, a boy named Mike whose eye I definitely wished to catch. He was from Canada. Dark eyes, wavy brown hair, and a beautiful golden tan, he melted my young, 12 year old heart. We became acquainted and hung out together on the dock or on the sandy shore. Then one day he invited me to go up to his cabin. I went with him, my heart beating faster. “What will we do in his room?” I wondered.

(I still remember my bathing suit that year. This would have been the summer of ’71, and apron two pieces were all the rage. Mine was hot pink with yellow and white flowers on it.)

So, I found myself in Mike’s cabin, in my cool hot pink bathing suit. An uncomfortable silence ensued. Then to my amazement and horror, he said, “Would it be all right if I kissed you?” I barely considered his request, before answering, “Well, I’m 12 years old, and I’ve never kissed a boy. And I don’t particularly want to start now.” Mike was nonchalant about it all, and we soon left the cabin for more populated areas.

I don’t think we spent too much time together after that. I spent part of the remaining time at camp kicking myself for not letting this beautiful brown boy kiss me, and the other part of the time feeling glad I hadn’t readily given up my first kiss.

I never saw or heard from Mike again after that short week at Camp MiVoden. But, I have often wondered what happened to him. Where did he end up? Is he happy? I hope so. I hope the dark-eyed, brown boy who lingered in my mind for months after that week at Camp is enjoying the golden life that I imagined for him, and that he enjoys sweet kisses from someone who treasures him.

Helen Whitehead-Teske writes from Yakima, Washington

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