Stuck as a Tadpole - 1
I was inspired to write this story when I heard a radio review of a new book: "Do-Over!: In Which a Forty-Eight-Year-Old Father of Three Returns to Kindergarten, Summer Camp, the Prom, and Other Embarrassments" by Robin Hemley. He tells of his real life experience reliving parts of his past. I took the concept and made my character go back to summer camp as a fourteen-year-old. My story is not about Robin but is fiction about a man's failures and the resulting spankings and shavings by his young peers and others. If these subjects are offensive, uninteresting or if you are a minor (i.e., child) please leave now.
This, part 1 of the story, is about the two weeks the narrator spends in summer camp and part 2 is about the long term consequences after he returns home.
This work is copyright by the author and commercial use is prohibited without permission. Personal/private copies are permitted only if complete including the copyright notice.
The author would appreciate your comments – pro and con, including constructive criticism, and suggestions. Please take a moment to e-mail: YLeeCoyote(at)mail.com
Stuck as a Tadpole - 1
By
Saturday
Usually I'm Mr. Theodore Mangold a fifty-year-old businessman in charge of a sizable department of a large company with a wife and two kids. Starting today for the next two weeks I'm going to be plain Teddy – just a fourteen-year-old boy at summer camp. Let me explain. I was looking back at my life and many things bothered me – more precisely – my failures. I've set out on a project to go back and DO OVER many things hoping to get them right. Starting now I'm keeping a voice log and will use it to report what happens. I did pretty well in kindergarten although I did not nap very well. The actual five year olds treated me as just like another new boy even though I was a bit larger. One even asked who was picking me up and was surprised when I said my wife. He explained that he expected me to say "My Daddy".
I expect that summer camp will be a more intense experience since it is 24/7 for a fortnight. My seatmate on the bus is Lance, who happens to be from my town. We are both dressed in the camp uniform as required and were paired up by the camp for the bus trip. We ignore the two ten-year-olds also on the bus going to the same camp although Lance is supposed to keep on an eye on them and me as he is the senior camper. I'm not used to being dressed so casually. I'm in a navy blue T-shirt with the camp's name in gold (the camp colors), navy shorts with gold stripes on the sides, baseball cap, crew socks and sneakers. Lance has been going to the camp for several years and he's completely comfortable in the outfit. It helps that he has a body that is trim and the outfit fits him well. I'm a bit bigger and the largest size is a bit tight on me. The shorts are also traditional as they are really short with just a three-inch inseam rather than the Bermuda sort down to the knees that are worn by all these days. They are the sort of shorts boys wore when I was a kid and that helps me feel like a kid.
Lance is anxious to get there and be with his friends from previous years. The camp started two weeks ago but he had to attend some family events so had to miss the first of four two-week units. I'm only scheduled for two weeks. Lance is fascinated by my story and gets a huge smile on his face when he learns that we'll be in the same fourteen to sixteen-year-olds group. He even figures out that we probably be in the same cabin because of the communications he got from his friends. I know that I'm going to be the new boy but at least I've gotten to know Lance a little. I hope that will make the initial contact with the rest of my cabin mates a little easier.
Lance surprises me when we have to change buses. He carefully makes sure that the four of us get our stuff into our backpacks and orders us into a hand holding chain with the little ones in the middle. "I don't want to lose any of you." he explains insisting that I hold hands also as we go to the line for the next bus after making a pit stop. Once on the second bus, he again ignores the kids. Lance definitely takes his assignment seriously and seems happy to be in charge of me. This is a harbinger of what is to come although I don't realize it.
We are meet at the bus stop by one of the counselors with the camp van. At the camp we all get the welcoming talk from the director, have to turn in wallets, keys and electronics. Lance was right and he guides me to our cabin and introduces me. It is then that I learn that I'm a mere tadpole. All first time campers are tadpoles until they learn the camp song and pass the swimming test. Also, I am the only tadpole except for the little kids (who are permanently tadpoles) as everyone else has been here at least two weeks. I'm not sure it is an honor that I really want. I was surprised that everyone is in their uniforms but it is the rule for weekend dinners when families might visit. Lance gets a nice lower bunk which his buddies arranged by evicting Stu, the kid who had it for two weeks, while I get the worst upper in the cabin.
It is after dinner that I learn what being a tadpole, especially the only tadpole in the group, means. I am at the bottom of the pecking order and everyone can and does boss me about. There are three cabins for my age group but my five cabin mates are the lucky ones. My first task is to learn the camp song. After an hour of studying and singing with my betters, I get tested. Surprise! I fail. But there is a consolation prize. I'm forced to strip. This is embarrassing although we will all be naked a lot during my time here. Then I must bend over and present my butt. Each of my cabin mates is brandishing a flip-flop and gets five shots at my tail. They may be only teens but they put their all into it and my tail is soon toast. I'm told that I'll be tested every night. I resolve to study very hard so as not to fail and get spanked again.
I'm standing rubbing my sore tail, when one of my dear cabin mates makes a terrible observation. "This tadpole has pubes. Tadpoles are hairless infants." Of course, his buddies know what must be done to correct this abnormal situation. I'm given a choice: (1) to cooperate and lose my body hair or (2) not to cooperate and lose my head and body hair. There are enough of them to overpower me so I opt for the former. They strip down and soon we are all in the shower room. It is crowded as it was not designed for six at one time. All of them are obviously well into puberty and have big bushes although they are all trimmed. One, Stu, was a tadpole two weeks ago and his very short pubes shows that he was shaved. It is of some comfort to know that I'm not being picked on or singled out.
Stu is given the big honor or privilege of making me conform to proper standards. To add insults to injury they are using my own shaver so rather than shaving my face it is doing my crotch and pits. They were all grinning and gripping their own crotches as they transform me into a boy. I sleep prone that night.
Sunday
I'm glad that Sunday is a relatively quiet day at camp because of family visits. With only one, rather than the usual two, activities I have time to study the camp song. My bunkmates are fair and allow me some time to do this rather than to explain to everyone why I am here. At swim time I change with the rest of my group including those from the other two cabins who check to see what I look like. Several of them comment (snicker!) about my bald pubes. Once outside, I am separated from them because I am an untested tadpole who has not passed the swimming test. I see that the youngest group is nude while the rest of the guys are in briefs or trunk swim suits rather long shorts. I'm only allowed in the shallow part of the swimming area. Lance, having proved that he could swim three years ago, is given a quicky test which he aces. I will be tested the next day.
In the evening after dinner, I'm tested on the camp song and almost get it right. I get smacked again but only three spanks from each of them. I'm told that I'm doing better than most tadpoles who need most of a week to do this well. I feel better but it is sports that I worry about. When I was really a boy I did miserably and felt bad about it.
Monday
It is after breakfast that I discover how informal the camp is midweek. Early morns are chilly, so everyone is in a T-shirt, jeans and a windbreaker. We start with some warmup and then it's strip down to basics. I hadn't expected to change and tell the counselor I need to go back to the cabin for my shorts. The junior counselors (JC) are college men not that much older than my cabin mates and are delighted with having middled-aged me in their charge (power!). The adult counselors are assigned to the little kids and special activities because teens need a lot less supervision. I am told that this is a clothing optional camp most of the time and hairless boys and lowly tadpoles like me are required to be naked whenever possible. "Strip, tadpole." the JC barks. I hesitate and get warned that I'll get my worthless tadpole tail warmed if I delay any more.
I did not have much of a problem in the cabin or the changing room at the pond, but here, on the playing fields, it does not seem right. Even though about half of the group is already nude and the rest just in shorts, I just stand there. One of my cabin mates asks: "Shall we help him, Uncle Terry?" The JC nods with a shit-eating grin and I'm jumped by several guys. Three minutes later I am starkers having even lost my sneakers. The guys line up in two files. I am told to bend over and hold onto the bench. The first guy with the right sneaker then proceeds to whack my right butt check with it. The left sneaker then kisses my left butt cheek. This continues until everyone has a turn. I get my sneakers back and put them on my butt hurting from seventeen enthusiastic whacks.
"I trust that you are warm enough, tadpole." snarls the JC and we get on with shooting baskets as practice. I achieve the worst score. I'm no better that I was when I was a real kid. Maybe I'll do better next time. Of course, I'm the last chosen for the game.
When we go swimming, I find that almost everyone is nude, but I'm the only big kid without pubes. I claim that I can swim so I'm given the test. There are a few other kids who want to be tested, but I'm paired with Lance. The test he had yesterday was only a one day temporary "licence". I find that I can jump into the water and not drown like everyone else can. I'm only on my fifth lap when Lance finishes the required ten. I'm banished back to the shallow end and Lance joins the other big boys.
After dinner, I get whacked again for not knowing the camp song. I only hope that this will not become a permanent event each evening.
Thursday
I definitely have been improving and my cabin mates are actually rooting for me even though they love bossing me about. One of the honors accorded to a tadpole (à la the youngest kid) is to sweep out the cabin and take out the garbage every day. My athletic skills are still inferior but a bit better than when I started. I actually got some applause when I managed to get the camp song right. I get a hug from everyone.
I did not expect that I would be dragged outside at midnight for a special celebration for getting the song right. We were all naked and I was told we were going to have a circle jerk. I tried to object but I was told to keep quiet or we would all be in deep trouble for being out after lights out. To encourage my cooperation it was mentioned that the head counselor has a very heavy fraternity paddle that I don't want to make the acquaintance of. I admit that it feels good to be naughty but this is not quite what I expect. When we get to the baseball field, I am told to lie down and the others gather around me. One touch and each of them is hard and I am told to take myself in hand. It is not my usual activity by far, but it is exciting to see five hard youths standing over me and jerking so I do so also. Foolishly, I don't realize what is going to happen when they each come. In short order, I am being baptized! My own load soon joins theirs. I am allowed to stand and they each rub the jizz into me. By the time we get back to the cabin, I am dry and forbidden to shower. They said that I will be stronger and gain some of their strength from it. I'm sure that I am close to moving out of my tadpole rank.
Friday
Pretty much the same except I am feeling like part of the gang. When we go swimming, two of the guys paired up with me to practice laps so that I could past the swim test. "It will be a lot more fun to dunk you in the deep water, Teddy." they say to explain their altruism. They also dunk me several times and my efforts to retaliate are useless. My athletic skills in the water are as dismal as those on land.
Saturday
My wife and two kids visit because they want to see what Daddy is doing at summer camp. For Carri, who is only nine, a simple look was sufficient to see that there are not any girls to play with. My twelve-year-old son, Monty, was much more interested in the camp and, like kids do, quickly got friendly with several in the eleven to thirteen group and played some games with them. I am, most happy that I could be dressed again although at night I was naked again as we all were.
Sunday
At lunch Monty says he wants to stay and his mom and I go see the camp director. There is an opening in his age group because someone left early and he offers a special deal for the week. (The camp has some extra clothes although he needs little.) My son is delighted and so is his sister for she will do some touring and have the full and undivided attention from her mom.
My cabin mates are somewhat disgusted with me because I still have not passed the swimming test. They tell me that I got to shape up and reshave my pubes as show that they mean business. They realize it is hopeless to get me to do any better on the ballfields. I found this depressing as I had hoped to do better than when I was a kid. I hear them talk about asking that I be put in with a younger group and they meant the pre-elevens.
Monday
I don't see Monty until everyone is down at the pond. It is the first time that I have seen him naked in years and am surprised at how well he has developed. He is first to take the swimming test and he passes it in record time. That doesn't surprise me for he is in the swim club at the Y and goes at least twice a week. He notices that I'm still a tadpole after a week since I'm in the shallow section.
After dinner he comes to visit. He laughs about my looking like a little boy without hair and explains that he wasn't shaved because he beat his cabin leader at arm wrestling and has a couple of days to learn the camp song. It turns out that there are actual rules about all this hazing stuff and he was smart enough to learn them.
Wednesday
Everyone is disappointed with me for I still cannot pass the swimming test while everyone is proud of Monty because he is no longer a tadpole having learnt the camp song as well as passing the swimming test. I learn that he had risked his head hair as part of the initial deal.
Monty has gotten permission of the head counselor to try to get me to swim better and works with me to practice. It is like having a personal trainer who cares but is strange having to obey my son's every single directive. Usually tadpoles are only subjected to the orders of those in their own group, older groups and the counselors but technically he has the right. He gets very fed up with me and quite loudly states: "If you don't do this I am going roast your lazy bottom, tadpole!" I could not do it. A couple of minutes later I was bent over leaning on a bench and he was using a swim flipper on my bottom. It really hurt and I could not help but to yelp a little. He was the hero of the camp. He was immediately envied by all the other boys for publically spanking his own father. Even the JC's congratulated him.
Thursday
Both Monty's and my group go on a field trip to visit an old fort. Everyone is dressed in the uniform and other visitors think I'm one of the counselors until I get yelled at for lagging behind. In the gift shop, Monty needs a couple dollars more than the allotment and asks me for it. He won't tell me what he wants to get because it is a present for me. I try to go into father mode but my cabin mates won't allow it. "Lend your little 'brother' a couple of bucks, TADPOLE. In fact, without the two dollars you still have more than a tadpole should." they tell me.
Friday
I find out what the present is at the pond when Monty gets exasperated with my failures and lack of effort again. It's a little cutesy paddle with the fort's name on one side and the helpful instruction on the other: "For the cute little deer with the bear behind". He gives me a dozen whacks for encouragement and I try some more. Unfortunately, there not is anymore time to take the test again.
Saturday
Shortly after breakfast, my wife comes to pick us up. I was stuck in my camp uniform because I did not have anything else to wear. (The original plan was for me to use the bus home.) Monty chose to wear the uniform and was anxious to come back the next year. (They didn't have any opening for him for the rest of this season.)
Monty talked a blue streak about his week. He loved the intensity of the sports and being with his new friends. He boasted about how we each had set a record for being tadpoles. He had graduated to a regular camper within half a week and had a nice certificate to show for it, while I was still languishing as a lowly tadpole after two weeks.
"I tried to help Dad with his swimming but he's absolutely a hopeless case. I even paddled his bottom but it did not help." he told his mom and sister while I hid my face and tried to disappear into the upholstery.
Carri immediate reacted and demanded more info. "Did Monty spank you, Daddy?" Fortunately, my wife explained that Monty was exaggerating. Of course, when we got home she wrings the truth out of me and enjoys a good laugh with Monty. There wasn't anyway that she would not learn that I lost my pubes.
To find out how this changed my life significantly, Go to Part 2. Let me warn you it gets into real sex.
The End of Part 1
© Copyright A.I.L. June 30, 2009
Your comments are appreciated. YLeeCoyote@mail.com
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