Switched at Birth??

Worker #3 (and yes, I use the term "worker" VERY lightly) is leaving on a Boy Scout camping trip bright-n-early tomorrow morning.

This is the child who does not like to perspire.
He does not like to get dirty.
He is thoroughly convinced that he is allergic to physical labor of any sort.
He can usually be found hiding under a bush somewhere reading the latest installment of Harry Potter instead of helping fix the fence, or catching the-smarter-than-your-average-cow when she escapes the pasture yet again.
He is the child who believes that all would be well with the world if video games were allowed to be played 24 hours a day 7 days a week round here.
He is in the "gifted & talented" program at school. He is very smart.
This child has known we were all beneath him since the day he was born.
As far as he is concerned, there was a terrible mistake made somewhere... because he surly was meant to be an only child. **sigh**

He is going camping.
Not only is he going camping.. but they are going camping in the Texas Desert!
Um... I'm thinkin that his scout leaders failed to mention that in the desert... it is HOT. It's not warm.. it's HOT!

When my brother and I were young, we went on scout camping trips. We Loved em!
Girl Scout Camp (camp Whatchamacallit) created some of my fondest memories!

Like the time someone brilliant decided to throw a bunch of poison Ivy into the camp fire and three girls ended up in the ER with poison ivy in their lungs.
Or the time they washed the cabin walls down with a really REALLY strong soap and I got covered in hives and my eyes swelled shut.
Oh yeah... and there was the Tye-dyed shirts, making sit-up-ons (I still have mine as a matter of fact) , singing songs, flipping the canoe, cooking S'mores over the fire, making crafts, telling scary stories round the camp fire, etc etc etc.. I really loved it!

But, I didn't have a strong aversion to "roughing it" I love "roughing it".
Worker #3 is not the "roughing it" kinda kid.
He is kinda like my little spoiled-rotten sister who's idea of roughing it is staying in a 4-star hotel instead of a 5-star. Or drinking drip coffee instead of some exotic blend that I can't even pronounce.

Anyway...
I was doing the final check of his supplies in his footlocker and marking everything with his name, it went something like this.

Me = "Honey, why do you have an extension cord in here?"
Him = "So I can plug in my PSP (hand-help video game) charger."

"What are you planning on plugging it into out in the dessert? You do know there will be no power out there right?"
"Yeah... I know, but I'm sure someone will let me plug it into their generator."

"Um... I don't think they will have a generator and if they do , I doubt they will be using it for video games."

"Well... Then how will I plug in this fan??"

"Honey, you can't take a fan with you... you are "roughing it" that means you don't get to take a fan... and don't you think 5 bottles of bug spray is just a tad bit more than you'll need?"

"No... they might have killer Bee's there, I read about killer bee's and did you know they can KILL YOU??? Do you WANT me to DIE???"

"No Dear... I don't want you to die." **rolling eyes**

"Mom... the paper said we will have communal showers... what does that mean?"

"um... that means you take showers together in one big shower room"

"At the same time??"

"Yes, at the same time."

"Let me get this straight... I am supposed to take a shower, with my clothes OFF in front of other people????"

"Yep."

"I'm NOT gonna take a shower!"

"Well... You'll end up pretty darn ripe smelling if you don't take a shower. I'm sure there will be other boys who feel the same way... you can take a shower with your swimming suit on, just make sure you clean yourself really well and rinse off all the soap."

"I'll think about it."

"OK.... everything looks like it's here... Your good to go. Is there anything else you will need?"

"Yeah... can you make sure the Shout Leader knows that I should sleep close to the Air Conditioner? I sweat at night."

***sigh*** I hope the Scout Leaders know what is in store for them....