Mike was happy to be done with his college classes and off to his summer job. He was a recreation major and had been glad to find one in his field. The flier on the college bulletin board had asked for good athletes with strong leadership skills. After a phone interview with Dave Mindos, the owner of the sports camp, he had got the job.
There were six other counsellors, college students like himself. The first night after diiner, Dave began the training sessions that would take up their week before the first campers arrived. Dave was a retired semipro baseball player, about thirty five years old. And, as Mike discovered when Dave stopped to say a long prayer over dinner, a very religious man.
The first surprise had come after the welcoming meal. The counsellors had to report to the cabin they would share for the week where they found a pile of clothes on their bunk. Each man had been issued a pair of gym shorts, a jock, and a camp tee shirt. "Men, to be a team, we have to look like a team. The camp will take care of your laundry. You'll be issued a kit each morning, and again after lunch when the weather is hot. Now take your own clothes and stow them in your lockers."
Mike took the jock in his hand. He had never actually worn one! As a soccer player he had worn mostly compression shorts or even his boxers under his shorts and his track shorts, with their built in liner didn't require any supporter. But he figured a job was a job, and clean clothes were clean clothes and he shucked off his jeans, boxers, and shirt and put on his uniform
"These _d_a_m_n_ things always give me a boner," Tony another of the counsellors mumbled as he got dressed at the next bunk. Mike just smiled as he felt a stirring in his own groin. The tightness of the strap was very differnt from the feeling of the boxer shorts he had worn since junior high. But there was a snug feeling he had to admit he liked. It made him conscious of his balls and conscious of himself as an athlete.
The counsellors reassembled in the main lodge. For the first time, Mike noticed that hanging over the big dusty fireplace was a row of worn wooden paddles, two of them about two feet long, and maybe ten others that were shorter, maybe ten inches. All of them had small holes the size of quarters bored in them. Mike winced. His time as a fraternity pledge had taught him what those small holes were for!
The training session droned on. Dave instructed them in how to handle medical emergencies, how to deal with a homesick camper. Then he stood up from his chair and launched into what was clearly a well rehearsed speech.
"Men, we come now to the most important topic we will deal with. We all have an opportunity to have a great influence on the lives of our campers and on their families as well. It is our duty to teach them to play by the rules and to live upright, decent lives. Are you with me?"
"Yes, Dave." Mike mumbled along with the others, though he noticed that the older counsellors, who had worked at the camp for a few years, shouted loudly.
"And, Sean, tell the men what is the biggest danger our campers face? Where do they need our help the most, Sean?"
Sean was a big football lineman. He stood up from his chair and stood stiffly, almost as though he were at attenion.
"Dave, the biggest danger our campers face is the danger of ruining their lives through self-pollution."
Mike was puzzled. He had no idea what "self-pollution" meant. They'd had huge hamburgers with dinner, so the guy definitely wasn't a vegetarian.
Dave spoke. "And tell the new men why self-pollution is so dangerous."
Sean still stood at attention and Mike noticed that no one seemed to find it weird that he was doing so.
"Dave, self-pollution is dangerous for three reasons: first it robs the campers of their vitality and enerby; second, it abuses their bodies; and third it is against the teachings of the Bible."
Dave beamed back at Sean. "That's right! And Sean, tell the new men how we deal with self-pollution at Camp HiLoBa."
"We follow the Biblical manner."
Mike noticed that the other new counsellors seemed as puzzled as he was. What did the Bible have to do with eating junk food? Maybe, Mike figured, Dave was worried about smoking, being an athlete and all.
Mike's puzzlement only increased when Dave stepped back to the fireplace and turned to take down the small paddles that hung over the mantel. He took seven of them and began giving them out to the counsellors at the tables. He saw one of the returning men smile as he took his paddle.
Finally Dave turned to face them. "Men, now we get to the heart of the matter. And I have found from my years of experience, that actions speak louder than words. Mike, since you're our youngest counsellor, would you be so kind as to come forward to help me with this little demonstration.
Mike jumped up and went to the front of the room. As he did, he saw Sean grab the handle of the paddle that lay in front of him on the table. A nasty grin crossed the linebacker's face.
"And Sean, as our most experienced counsellor, please come forward."
Somehow, Mike knew that this would not all go well. And he sensed how unprotected his butt was when he wore a jock and worn gym shorts.