Chapter 61

Burt Jamison turned 18 the day he decided he wasn’t Burt.

“I’ll thank you to call me Albert, Mom. Burt’s a kid’s nickname and I’m an adult now,” he announced over the cake and ice cream. “Albert.”

Of course, Jannie Jamison didn’t ... call him Albert. She called him Burt when Mom and Dad were around and Butthole when they weren’t. Fourteen year old sisters are a pain and a curse. What was worse ... she knew the cute girls ... and ... she was turning into one of them.

“Be nice to your sister, Burt. It’ll pay off when you start dating,” Dad had said.

He wasn’t ... and although admitting it pissed him off ... Dad was right.

That Fall, Albert Jamison started college ... at Big Rapids ... Ferris State.

That was three years ago. Every summer vacation Albert went somewhere besides home. Two summers he worked the boats. Last year he worked construction. If he went home, to Cadillac, Jannie made his life miserable.

Ludington ... Hamlin Lake ... was the site of the family cottage and he didn’t go there either. Jannie was sure to be there and every year for the last three ... Jannie ... and her friends graduated from pestilence to spectacular. This year ... Jannie had gone to Great Britain as a junior exchange student and the trade the family got was an 11th year Blond British Barmaid Busty 18 year old! HooBoy Howdy!

“Mom ... I’m coming to the cottage for the summer.”

“You’ll have to set up in the backyard ... Elizabeth and her friends are going to the cottage.”

“What? No room at the inn?”

“Nope. Six seventeen year old girls and Elizabeth ... out on their own ... first time,” Mom said.

“No chaperone?”

“Your father and I are going to England to pick up Jannie. We’ll be gone for the summer. Aunt Jean volunteered to watch the girls.”

Aunt Jean was 22, an Accidental Child, and a true BABE. And HIS age.

‘Things are looking up.’ he thought, but he said, “Elizabeth’s not going home?”

“She’s taking a year before Service.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t pick on the girls.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

Ludington ... he had all his camping gear in the garage at the Lake ... Big Rapids to Reed City, US 10 and turn left. Stay on 10 through Baldwin, right ... still on 1o ... a couple miles and left... 10 to the Sunoco Pioneer Party Store and stock up where the people won’t peach to Dad, and Ludington. Right on North Lakeshore Drive to 116 to 114 to Piney Ridge.

Since he was going to be in the yard he might as well get it done.

The twenty-one 27 foot poles were on the side of the garage under the eves. Talking to himself he looked at the poles carefully. Seems like they were solid. The way-back of the way back had the carpeted low platform he and Dad had built to keep the sand out ... tipis don’t have a floor, per se. They had laid indoor outdoor fake grass after the first time they set up the lodge.

Unlocking the garage side-door, the WorldWar 2 Ford GPA and small trailer looked a little dusty under the lights. The box with the tipi was right where he’s left it 4 summers ago ... on the shelf and out of the dirt. He picked up the box with the necessary pieces and took it out to the site.