The Power of Spite

Now, I don't consider myself a spiteful person.

Usually. Sometimes though, I can be persuaded.

Here at camp we have an activity in the morning called Polar Bears. Before anything else in the day, people have the option to jump in to the freezing cold lake. And when I say freezing cold, I mean fed by melted snow from the mountains cold. You can jump in the nice warm pool after.

Everyone goes on Monday to check it out. The rest of the week is optional.

A few Mondays ago, everyone was milling about during Polar Bears, and I noticed that one counselor had a lot of campers asking for him to jump in the lake. He looked at all of them, turned and looked at me and said "I'll do it if she does it".

She being me. Now, I think he was under the impression that I wouldn't do it. He might have been under that impression because I haven't done it in many years. What he didn't know is that I would happily do it, just so he would also have to. That morning at announcements, I announced to the whole camp what had happened, and that both of us would be jumping in the lake the next morning.

Here I am regretting my decision.

And jumping in the lake.

It was very cold, but also refreshing.