Boy Scout Camp: A Comparison

A plethora of mysterious things occur during Boy Scout Camp. Here's a list of ingredients in that mysterious recipe, to be compared with YW Camp:

• Outhouse contests: (You sure you want to know?) Boys of higher ages encouraging boys of lower ages to drop larger and larger rocks down the outhouse hole until, finally, the glorious brown splash is produced and said younger boys realize why it's not such a fun activity after all.
• Pyromania.
• Swearing.
• Guns. In the hands of 12-year olds.
• Nicknames: some nice, some not as nice. (Nathan earned the nickname "Hawaii 5-0" for the shell necklace he wore, as well as his very cool demeanor. So he says.)
• Food fights.

And these are just the things I actually heard about. Heaven knows what else went on. According to seasoned scouting parents, I won't hear the worst of the stories for another 15-20 years when the statute of limitations has run out.

The result? It truly is a mystery, but somehow, this recipe managed to produce:

• 6 merit badges
• slightly increased responsibility
• a healthy sense of independence
• a growing faith

Wow. Vastly different recipes. Equivalent results. Well...nearly. I would have posted a photo, but oddly, no one took any during the camp week. Mysterious.