July 2002

“Wake up, buddy, we're almost there.”

Kurt blinked his eyes open and looked out the window of the car as his dad turned onto a dirt road.  A large wooden sign read “Welcome to Ride ‘Em Cowboy Ranch Camp.”  Underneath it were several smaller signs – “Private Drive” “Speed Limit 10” “Caution – Horses Crossing”.  

Gazing up at the towering pines that lined the road, Kurt felt a mixture of excitement and trepidation about what the next two weeks would bring.  Would he miss his mom and dad?  Would he make friends?  Would he fall off his horse?

Years later, when Kurt looked back on his 8-year-old self, that first week at camp all seemed like a blur.  Yes, he had missed his parents, but not too badly.  Yes, he had made friends, but no one who he thought about much once the week was over.  And no, he hadn't fallen off his horse, although he'd come pretty close a couple of times.

It wasn't until his second week at Ride ‘Em Cowboy Ranch Camp that Kurt's life changed forever.

Since he was the only one from Shetland Cabin who was staying on for another week, Kurt had spent the weekend with the handful of older boys who had remained at camp.  They had been friendly enough, but Kurt didn't feel like he really fit in.  As Sunday afternoon approached, he was looking forward to meeting the other boys his age who would be moving into his cabin.

Kurt was sitting on his lower bunk when a little boy with curly hair and a big smile burst through the door and bounded over to him.  “Hi!  Can I have the top bunk?” the boy asked.

“Um, sure,” Kurt said.

“Blaine, honey, it's polite to introduce yourself first,” said a woman's voice.  Kurt looked behind the new boy and saw a man and a woman whom he assumed to be the boy's parents.

“Oh, sorry,” said the boy, holding out his hand.  “I'm Blaine.  What's your name?”

“Kurt.”

Blaine grabbed Kurt's hand and shook it solemnly, looking back at his parents for approval.  

“We can be bunk buddies, since you're gonna let me share your bunk, right?”

“Right,” said Kurt, smiling back.

“Cool.  Hey, where are your parents?”

“They're at home.  My dad brought me up last weekend, and he's coming to pick me up next weekend.”

“Wow – so that means you've already been here a week?  You must know everything!  Can you show me around?”

Kurt looked over to Matthew, the counselor, who'd been sitting quietly on his own bunk watching the whole exchange.  “Can I?” he asked.

“Well, I have to stay here to wait for the other campers.  But if Blaine's parents don't mind keeping an eye on you, then it's okay with me.”

“We'd be happy to have Kurt give us a tour,” Blaine's father told Matthew.

“Great!” said Blaine, grabbing Kurt's hand again and pulling him to his feet.  “I can't wait to see the horses!”

That was the start of the best week of Kurt's young life.  Blaine's enthusiasm was contagious.  And the way Blaine looked up to him as someone who already knew the ins and outs of camp life gave Kurt a sense of pride he'd never felt before.

Kurt began his tour by taking Blaine and his parents to the corral.  “These are just the horses the counselors and instructors ride,” he explained.  “Most of the camp horses are out in pasture ‘til tomorrow.  That's when you'll get matched up with your own horse for the week.”

“Are they all this big?” asked Blaine, sounding a little worried.  

“No, there are some ponies, too.  But just because we're the youngest campers doesn't mean we'll get matched up with the ponies.  Some of those ponies can be harder to control than the bigger horses.  Last week I rode Clarence, and he's one of the biggest horses here, but he's really easy to ride because he's really good and always did whatever I asked him to do.  And he never stepped on my foot, which some of those ponies were doing to the other boys.”

“Did their feet get broken?” Blaine asked, now sounding more than just a little worried.

“No, just bruised a little.  Don't worry, I'll show you how to work around your horse to make sure you don't get stepped on.”

Blaine smiled at him gratefully, and Kurt's heart gave a funny little lurch.

“Come on,” Kurt said, tugging at Blaine's hand, which he realized with surprise was still held in his own.  “Let's go over to the pavilion.  I bet it's almost time for Uncle Mike to give his welcome speech.”

“Your uncle works here?” asked Blaine, impressed.

“No, he's not really my uncle.  He just wants everyone here to call him Uncle Mike, ‘cause he says we're all like one big family.  I guess he's kind of like the boss, but he's really cool.”

Kurt led Blaine and his parents to the pavilion, where they found seats at a picnic table near the front.  Even after they sat down, Blaine kept hold of Kurt's hand.  Kurt found himself thinking more about his new friend than about the words Uncle Mike was saying, or the counselors and instructors he was introducing.  When Blaine finally let go of his hand to clap along with everyone else, Kurt was surprised to find that the presentation was over.

All around, boys were saying goodbye to their parents.  Blaine hugged his dad, then his mom.  Kurt didn't realize he looked sad until Blaine turned to him with a concerned expression.

“It kind of sucks that you don't have someone to hug goodbye, huh?  But guess what's even better?  You can hug me, and then not even have to say goodbye,” Blaine said, throwing his arms around Kurt and holding on tightly.

Kurt was taken aback for a moment.  He wasn't used to being hugged by other boys.  But in a moment he relaxed against Blaine, squeezing back.

“Thanks,” Kurt said, when they finally broke apart.

“That's what friends are for, right?” Blaine replied with a grin.    

For the rest of the week, Kurt and Blaine were inseparable.  Whatever they were doing – riding, eating, singing songs around the campfire – they were always together.  By the time Saturday rolled around, it came as a shock to Kurt to realize that he and Blaine were about to go their separate ways.

When their parents arrived to pick them up, both boys immediately began pleading to be allowed to come back the following year for the entire summer.  After much negotiation, and promises ranging from keeping their rooms clean, to eating all of their vegetables, to completing their homework without complaining, they convinced their parents to register them for three weeks of camp together the following summer.

With promises to write to each other, one last hug, and a few tears, Kurt and Blaine finally said goodbye.