The Raft Race

Hello future readers!

 Yesterday after that bad scene at the lake with Jason and Danny, we called a meeting and voted to have Robyn team up with Wendy for the big raft today. After rest period we all met by the lake. Jason and Danny were waiting for us with these big smiles on their faces. I knew what those smiles meant...they thought the couldn't lose. Anyway, Kerry talked to Wendy, Robyn, Jason and Danny and let them know that she only agreed to this race because she believes in equal rights for boys and girls and that one isn't better than the other. But she also warned them about oar smacking and using the rafts like bumper cars. This was going to be a fair race, and anyone caught cheating or horsing around would lose the race, and their activities for a whole day. (even the boys!)

The race was to go like a relay. First Wendy and Jason would paddle past the platform, around the buoy in the middle of the lake, and back to shore where they would switch with Robyn and Danny, who would do the same thing. The team that made it back to the shore first were the winners. Wendy and Jason put on their life vests and Kerry yelled "On your mark, get set, GO!" and both kids pushed their rafts off the shoreline and into the water. Wendy was in front of Jason for pretty much the whole time they were racing.Wendy may be be small, but she's strong! Was Jason ever gonna be sorry he opened his big, fat mouth!

When they got close enough to shore, Jason tried to make up some time by jumping out
of his raft and dragging it back to shore. He got his favorite sneakers all wet! By the time he made it back to shore, Robyn was already pushing her raft off. When Danny finally got in the water, he was paddling like crazy. At first he pushed ahead of Robyn.

Jason jumped up and down yelling things like "C'mon Danny! You can beat her! Show her what us guys can do!" But then suddenly Robyn paddled faster and passed Danny!

Now it was our turn to start yelling. "Go Robyn! Pour it on!" Our yelling must have worked, because Danny didn't pass Robyn again.

 Close to shore, Robyn hopped out of the raft and pulled it up on the sand. The girls team won! Far out! All the girls started yelling and jumping up and down and hugging Wendy and Robyn, especially April. I knew she was really proud of her sister.

I don't think I've ever seen the boys looking so sad. I know Jason was sad because they lost, but somehow, I think Danny was more sad because he let Jason shoot off his mouth and insult us and tried to act like a big shot because of him . A lot of us girls were friends with Danny before Jason ever knew him, and he knew it was wrong to say that boys were better than girls. After a while Danny and Jason came over to shake hands with Wendy and Robyn.

They both said that the girls did great and apologized for acting like a couple of creeps. I thought that was pretty big of them. And they both promised NEVER to say that boys were better than girls, and they would beat up anyone who ever said it!

They even apologized to the rest of us who were in on that argument yesterday. And Sunny apologized for wanting to punch Jason and Danny in the nose!

We have a movie night coming up. The boys said they were gonna ask the cook at their camp to help them with the chocolate chip cookies and bring them for all of us to share! Outta site!

So I guess we're all friends again. I wonder of kids in the future still have stupid arguments like these? You guys probably figured out a long time ago that girls are just as good as boys. But here in the 70s, even grown-ups fight about this same thing. But I'm glad we're not gonna fight about it anymore.

Until next time,
Your friend,
Julie Newman