reply

Chapter 9: THE GREAT ESCAPE

• 1,800-rated Class A chess player Ralph Deacon is a brave and foolhardy man. Chip should have known to fight harder against the counselor-vs.-camper bet. And Frank clearly doesn’t understand the gravity of the situation. 
• Pierre seemed to be the best counselor yet at handling Rudy: appropriately suspicious and attentive while also earnestly trying to get him interested in an activity. But that mail boat’s siren call….
• An armada of speedboats filled with camp counselors, with Chip waving his fist from the helm of the lead motorcraft, all pursuing the renegade Rudy and Mike across the open water with freedom in sight on the shoreline…. Tell me again why this isn’t a summer classic movie?!?
• The two boys meet their fate in the zunging lumberyard. And we get a deferential “Comrade” greeting. 
• Rudy Miller, Camp Director-for-a-Day. This should be fun.

@Asher: Add poor Mr. Morrison (DON’T CARE HIGH) to your list of Kormanian guidance counselors who don’t catch a lot of breaks. And, following your THE TWINKIE SQUAD reference, did you notice the appearance of bulrushes in the story? No time for frolicking, sadly. Your “What comes before tadpole?” logic would please Rudy (which you would be able to tell by the sparkle in his eye rather than by a smile). And, of course, Mike would be in fits. I’m glad you brought up the “updating” of the story in later editions of I WANT TO GO HOME. I’ve always preferred to read the OG text. So much of the story is a product of its times that changing some technology or dollar figures can feel jarring. For anyone reading along for this book club: Which edition are you reading?