Beth grew up hearing her grandfather Robert Tuttle tell this story over and over. He never told it the same way twice but until his death at '96 he claimed the story was true. It was difficult for her as a storyteller to write it down because as her grandfather before her, she never tells a story the same way twice.
Tommy Boy
All the counselors arrived early on the Friday before the campers came on Saturday. We each were handed a list of our assigned campers for that week. When I received mine, there was an unusual red star right beside the name Tommy Inglehart. I quickly questioned the reason for the mark and was told to discuss it with the director. I rushed to the camp office for clarification. I was informed that I was chosen out of all the other guys to be assigned as Tommy’s counselor because he had been diagnosed with terminal cancer but insisted he still be allowed to attend camp this week. I was instructed that Tommy did not want any special treatment and just wanted to be considered a normal kid. No one knew at that time what his life expectancy was but he had just completed his 2nd round of chemo and would probably be very weak. Man, I was really ticked! Why me? I don’t like to be around anyone who is sick, I’ve been this way since I was a kid. I requested a change in assignment and was told flatly no!
The next day I was very surprised when Tommy showed up with his mom and dad. He was very pale with what looked like a white mop for hair. He seemed like a pretty cool kid kinda quiet and reserved but he didn’t look like he was ready to die or anything. He fit right in with the other kids in our cabin. Tommy could participate in all the daily camp activities. He could row the canoe, hike, swim in the lake and was a pretty good fisherman and archer. By the end of day two I simply had forgotten he was sick. Big mistake!! That was when things really started to get weird.
Our daily routine was up at 7, dress and head to the mess hall for breakfast. Then we rotated the rest of the morning between the craft hut, learning survival skills and a nature hike. Lunch precisely at 12:00 and then either fishing, boating, archery or swimming until supper. After supper, the kids had some free time and then we met around the campfire and told stories and sang campfire songs. We were to be in bed and lights out by 10:00. Let me tell you those kids were beat!! Most were out as soon as their heads hit the pillow.
My bed was in an alcove at the front door to the cabin to prevent any funny business after hours. It was well known among the campers of the shenanigans of previous camper raiding other cabins in the middle of the night.
Night 2: sometime after midnight I awoke with a jerk from a deep sleep. I sat up and I had goose bumps all over my body!!! Something was wrong I just knew it. I jumped from my bed and immediately searched each boys bed. When I got to Tommy’s it was empty. I frantically began searching the cabin for him trying not to disrupt the others. No Tommy to be found!! I unlatched the screen door to the cabin and walked out into the dark night. There was no moon out that night and all I had was my mini flashlight. I didn’t want to alarm the entire camp unnecessarily so I began my search. After seeing no sign of Tommy in the camp proper I ventured down to the lake. My worst fear could not be happening. Drowning! My worst fear!! All of a sudden something strange caught my eye. It’s hard to describe this stuff to you but what I saw was a very small orb shape suspended over the lake on the other side. The glowing orb was floating around very slowly and gently. I dropped my flashlight and ran back to camp. I had no idea what I was going to do and in my confusion, I ran back into our cabin instead of the intended camp directors cabin. I was out of breath and scared half to death but when I glanced at Tommy’s bed I couldn’t believe what I saw, Tommy. The kid was sound asleep snoring softly and safely in his bed. Man, I was freaked out!!! Did I dream it all? Unfortunately, the answer is no, how I wished it was just a dream.
You see the next 3 nights this nightmare continued. I woke up sweating like a pig and knew before I looked that Tommy would not be in his bed. I ran like a flash to the lake and night after night saw the strange apparition floating haphazardly above the lake. The events of nights 3 through 5 occurred in the same manner, but night 6 was an entirely different thing.
You see I was afraid to tell anyone else what was happening each night with Tommy. Only me and the director knew of his medical condition and I really thought the others would think me daft. But I will never forget night 6. It was the last night of camp and I was determined to get to the root of the strange events. I forced myself to stay awake that night so that I could observe for myself what was going on. Around midnight I heard rustling from the area of Tommy bed. I then saw him rise from the bed wearing just his white boxers, white T shirt and white socks. He walked right by me as if he was clueless to my presence right in front of him. I whispered his name, Tommy, but no response. He appeared to be sleep walking as he walked straight to the screen door and I kid you not the kid walked right through that door!!! I know it because when I followed him I pushed the door to open and it was still latched. No lie!!! Man, I was shaking in fear all over and it took my nervous hands a couple of seconds to flip the latch. By the time I reached the bottom of the stairs Tommy was nowhere to be seen, but I knew where I would find him so I raced to the lake. Yep, there it was, the orb. Was it somehow Tommy? Was it a reflection of the moon or some strange swamp gas or something? I was baffled. I just stood there watching in amazement as the thing slowly began getting closer and closer to the edge of the lake and me!!! I began to see it more clearly as it approached me and it was to my shock Tommy. It was Tommy and it was not Tommy! I still don’t know today how it happened but when Tommy reached the shore he began walking back to the cabin. I hesitantly followed him with no intention of waking him up as he climbed the steps, entered the cabin and went to his bed. He laid down and began softly breathing in normal rhythm. Of course, I got no sleep for the rest of the night and never took my eyes off Tommy boy.
The next morning Tommy seemed very calm and restful. No change at all in his demeanor. His parents arrived on time and I helped him load his duffle bag into the trunk of the car. He politely introduced me to his mom and dad and thanked me for a great week. The kid shook my hand and with a slight smile and head nod he got in the car and left.
I thought every remaining day of that summer about Tommy. I convinced myself that what I saw was just some figment of my imagination. I began to doubt myself.
On the last day of camp, after all the campers had left, our director called all the counselors into the mess hall. He thanked us all for a safe and fun filled summer and read to us several letters he had received during the summer from parents and campers. The last letter he read was from the parents of Tommy Inglehart. The letter stated that the doctor had told his parents that in no uncertain terms was Tommy to come to camp. They also said that Tommy insisted and his parents decided to allow him one final wish. Mr. and Mrs. Inglehart wanted to express their thanks to the camp for accepting his application, fully knowing the risk involved, and that Tommy was so disappointed that he was not able to attend. He had been admitted to the hospital the Thursday before camp and had passed away Saturday morning.
As my head was spinning from the news, my heart was pounding in my chest. I felt dizzy, sick, confused. Who or what had I encountered that hot July 4th week at Camp Blue Ridge? I guess I may never know for sure. What do you think?
Check back weekly for more voices of the North Carolina Storytelling Guild. If you enjoy these stories, you're bound to enjoy the Tarheel Tellers Storytelling Festival on November 3 & 4, 2017, at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, NC.
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