Submitted by Brian Counselor on April 21, 2008 - 6:02pm.
I remember ‘The Great Water Battle’ on Star Wars “Big Day” 1980 something - old camp. Never again will such a number be gathered upon a battle field – number of water balloons that is, mountains of them all around, boxes full. Yea but for the merciful mysteries of water, many souls would have left that field for glory in the ensuing carnage of insane play. In fact, I don’t believe I am quite dry to this very day my dears...
I think I was a Wookie that day or something. Whaaaaoooaahhh!
Our backs against the bluff, the Rebels master plan was to hold fire until the massive Empire army drew close – thanks Dave Ballote! I must confess, I knew fear in those opening moments, though I was among friends – Laura, Mark, Hillary, Krissy, Pat, The Little Debbies, the popular Dirty Dozen and others.
How could any of us know that just a few seconds later, on a small patch of ground at a summer camp, before an alter of God and the James River, in one slice of time there would exist a twenty foot space of air filled with more water balloons than exists in some small countries I think.
There, beneath the charging bathing suit mob, we heard a sickening ‘thwop!’ as perhaps hundreds of water balloons found their targets. And the attack progressed with fury and insane laughter down Dining Hall Hill (slope) perhaps as the sun moved the shadows off some distant moon far far away. You know like in a galaxy far far away or something.
Of course “The Empire” brought the heavy equipment. Two pump action fire extinguishers and the dreaded water hose stalked among a hundred or so screaming campers and staff wielding buckets, squirt guns, powder bombs and water balloons. In a few seconds it was all over.
By the way, I think technically the Empire won that day so we left the plot… Ah, the Rebels left wetter than the mighty “Empire” – Much!
Regardless, the Rebels threw an Ewok party that night on the beach (as is the Wookie custom! Arhaaoooogggg!) and everyone was happy to be alive, though not quite dry still… <><>
Blue Gums himself was not so great a deterrent to the late night movements that called us out of our tents, sometimes with friends, to venture out to the edge of camp where the latrines waited, black and silent. In fact, during many frightening camp fire tails, it was not uncommon to catch a whole semicircle of campers and staff, clutching blankets, holding arms around the fire, staring off into the woods in the direction of the outhouses. 
Man I have a thousand stories I could post; like the very late moonless night we initiated our very British brother Alan Brackenridge into the glorious Order of Fog. 