I closed up the office and went up to my room. I didn’t feel much like running in the rain so instead I opted to have a shower/laundry session. I gathered up only the filthiest of our clothing and three grimy looking towels.

Scrubbing the clothing in the shower and wringing it out caused perspiration to bead on my forehead. My back and my forearms were aching after I finished with the last towel. I strung out my makeshift laundry line and spread the clothes out to dry. With the humidity in the air, I figured it might take until Thursday.

I had a quick shower and put on warm track pants and a sweatshirt. I wrapped my wet hair in a towel. I sat down on the bottom bunk and decided it was a perfect time for a nap. I could hear voices from the dining hall where some of the instructions had taken up residence, but it was hardly bothersome.

I curled up under the sleeping bag and quickly drifted off into an interrupted sleep. I first woke to scratching sounds that stopped upon my wakening. I figured I was probably dreaming about the earwig. I fell back to sleep but was woken again by the bell for change of instructions. I dozed off for a  third time but wakened to hear the persistent ‘beep beep’ of a delivery truck backing up. Then I fell into a deep sleep before I was finally woken by an anguished howl of a man’s voice.

I sat bolt upright, horrified. Another dream? I listened and heard the clanking of metal and a loud, “FUDGE!” Except it wasn’t that word, but one very similar. But more shocking. Especially at a church camp. For kids.

Probably not a dream.

I lay back down and let my heart rate settle down again. I waited.

“Nurse Aaaaaaaaaanne!” I heard a far off bellow.

My call to action.

I pulled off the towel wrapped around my head, slipped on my sandals and jogged down the stairs and out of the foyer onto the deck outside the kitchen. There was an enormous food delivery truck backed up to the deck. It looked like the delivery was complete as the dolly was secured in the back of the truck and the ramp was partially retracted. The delivery truck driver was sitting on the park bench under the balcony and was bent over holding his wrist, his right hand still in a work glove, as he rocked back and forth. Shawn was sitting beside him with his arm across his shoulder attempting to provide some comforting words.

“You guys need some help?” I asked as I approached the twosome.

“You heard me!”

“Oh yes. I heard you both.” I said as I sat down on the other side of the delivery man. He looked about thirty. He was wearing a navy blue pants and buttoned shirt with “AL” on the name tag.

“Thanks for coming. Al here got his finger wedged between the loading ramp and the lock.”

“Hi Al. I’m the camp nurse here. How did you get your finger out?”

“The ramp was crushing my finger and it hurt so bad. I couldn’t get the ramp off it cuz my finger was wedged in too much, so I panicked and just pulled really really hard and that’s when I screamed.”

I looked down at the gloved hand. Blood had stained the middle finger of the glove.

“Hey Shawn. How about it you grab the first aid kit, while I take this glove off?” I asked him calmly.

“Sure thing.” Shawn ran back to the kitchen.

“You hold your wrist firmly across here.” I showed Al. I wanted to create a tourniquet effect. “I will pull the glove off so we can see what the damage is.”

“OK. OK.” Al said as he gripped his wrist tightly and grimaced. I grabbed the glove at the index and fourth finger and quickly pulled the glove off. “Shoot!” Al yelled. Except it wasn’t that word, but one very similar. But more shocking. Especially at a church camp. For kids.

I held Al’s hand up to have a look. He had managed to deglove the tip of his middle finger. There was no skin or fingernail. I looked inside the glove but couldn’t see a thing. I turned over the glove, gave it a shake, and Al’s fingertip fell out into my upturned hand.

Yup. A fingertip in my hand.