Chapter II
Sing To Dana, Are You Crazy?
Anyway, that year at CF camp I met a whole new group of friends, one of those was a cute 12 year old girl, who as I recall, had short curly hair. Dana was her name. Sadly, I have no pictures of Dana from CF camp 1992. To my knowledge, Shawnna Gould (RIP: 9-12-12) was the only person who had a picture of myself and Dana slow dancing together. Yes, you read that correctly, slow dancing. I remember several years ago I wanted a copy of that photo, but I felt bad about asking her for it so I could make a copy.
So, there I was at our camp's dance, just looking around. I saw this girl, who I wanted to ask to dance, but I was shy about the whole thing. I remember a few people (campers) around me egging me on to go and ask her to dance. Willy Halpin who was my camp counselor in 1989, walked up to me. I remember the conversation going something like this.
"Go ask her to dance. Go on. . come on, just go and ask her."
So I slowly walked up to the girl, who was the same height as me. I remember asking her to slow dance, and she said sure.
There we were, slow dancing. I held Dana in my arms. It was almost like a scene from the hit TV show The Wonder Years. Just like Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper, but I have to admit, we were dancing much closer than o'l Kev and the Coopster were.
Everyone was looking at us. I remember Dana saying into my ear.
"Oh my gosh, everyone is starring at us."
I remember telling Dana something like.
"It's ok, just look at me, and sway to the music. Just imagine no one else in the room, besides us."
I'm not sure what slow song was playing, but at that moment our friendship started. Dana was the cutest thing.
The next day or two I remember being in the room where our camp talent show was going to be held. I wasn't doing anything for the talent show that year. I'm not sure who suggested it to me, but it was a female camp counselor. I was talking to her, but she must have known Dana or maybe she was Dana's camp counselor for that year in 1992. She was going through some records and tapes and came across the 1966 song (You're My) Soul And Inspiration (Click to play) by the Righteous Brothers. I remember her saying something like.
"Jesse, you should sing this song to Dana at the talent show. She would love it."
I never said it, but I thought it.
"Me sing? Are you crazy?"
Listen, I can't sing a tune at all. If The Righteous Brothers heard me sing their hit song, they would throw tomatoes at me. I would have just embarrassed myself, and Dana included. I didn't even try to sing, I just knew it was in my best interest (and Dana's) for me to pass on this. Looking back 21 years ago, I still don't regret that decision.
A few days had passed and it was time for our talent show. As I was waiting for the talent show to begin, I saved Dana a spot next to me, as everyone was sitting on the wooden floor getting ready for the talent show to begin. Dana didn't know that I was saving her a spot, but my world was about to change.
A pretty blonde girl came up to me and asked nicely.
"Is anyone sitting here?"
I said.
"No, the spot is all yours."
I'm not sure where Dana was, but she did find a spot somewhere else. Dana and I were just friends at this point, but who was the blonde? The babe (my nickname for her) was Amanda Bain, who would become one of the most important people in my life. As we both were sitting next to each other, her hand hovered over mine and within seconds she placed her hand on top of mine. I couldn't believe this girl was flirting with me. I remember turning my head and we both smiled at each other. Amanda and I became an item at CF camp that year. The whole world knew it, and any chance we got we were together. From that night forward, Amanda and I were boyfriend and girlfriend for the next several days at CF camp, and leaving her was very hard. It was raining during our last day at CF camp, and saying goodbye to Amanda was very difficult and emotional.
So whatever happened between Dana and I? For the record (again), Dana and I were just friends this whole time. Yes, I thought she was cute and attractive, but it's very odd, I think we both knew we were just going to be friends. We never said anything to each other about it, but. . . after the talent show, we became even closer friends because we got to know each other, and our group at Camp became close.
So whatever happened between Amanda and I? We continued being boyfriend and girlfriend for 1 year and 3 months. September 1993 we broke up. I broke up with her. The long distance relationship was very hard (it was my first), plus I didn't want to hold her back from dating other people. We continued to be friends, saw each other at camp 1994, 1995, and 1996, which was our camps final year. There was no camp for our session in 1993. We continued to communicate through the years. Sadly, Amanda passed away on January 20th 2006 from CF. She received the gift of life on October 15th 1998, 7 years prior to her passing and was granted a new set of lungs. At the time of her passing she was engaged to a guy named Lance. He proposed to her while she was in the hospital.
So where did Jason Sevrey fit into all this? As many of you know, Dana and Jason became an item at CF camp, but not that year. Jason teased me a few times about Dana's hair, but little did Jason know, 3 years later, him and Dana would become an item. How funny is that? Life has a very strange way of connecting people. Jason had the hots for a girl named Beth that year, but to my knowledge, she never attended CF camp again, so Jason and Dana basically weren't an item. That would all change. . . . oh boy, would that change.
'How Do You Talk To An Angel'
By: The Heights
Year: 1992
Sing To Dana, Are You Crazy?
I entered my 4th year at Cystic Fibrosis (CF) Camp Onkoi Benek (Indian phrase = "To Conquer Tomorrow") at the age of 13, which is on the outskirts of Battle Creek, MI in Dowling, MI. Actually, it's called Outdoor Education Center and the camp is called Camp Clear Lake and has been operated by Battle Creek Public Schools since 1947. As of this typing, there's word that it might close for good. I guess Battle Creek Public Schools are doing some cut backs and the 1933 camp looks to be on the chopping block. The camp is the oldest public school camp in the nation. <----- Yeah, I think the government should get involved in this one. Sorry, just my opinion. When World War II broke, the U.S. Coast Guard used the camp as a training facility from 1942-1945. A final decision has not been made as of this typing.
Anyway, that year at CF camp I met a whole new group of friends, one of those was a cute 12 year old girl, who as I recall, had short curly hair. Dana was her name. Sadly, I have no pictures of Dana from CF camp 1992. To my knowledge, Shawnna Gould (RIP: 9-12-12) was the only person who had a picture of myself and Dana slow dancing together. Yes, you read that correctly, slow dancing. I remember several years ago I wanted a copy of that photo, but I felt bad about asking her for it so I could make a copy.
So, there I was at our camp's dance, just looking around. I saw this girl, who I wanted to ask to dance, but I was shy about the whole thing. I remember a few people (campers) around me egging me on to go and ask her to dance. Willy Halpin who was my camp counselor in 1989, walked up to me. I remember the conversation going something like this.
"Go ask her to dance. Go on. . come on, just go and ask her."
So I slowly walked up to the girl, who was the same height as me. I remember asking her to slow dance, and she said sure.
There we were, slow dancing. I held Dana in my arms. It was almost like a scene from the hit TV show The Wonder Years. Just like Kevin Arnold and Winnie Cooper, but I have to admit, we were dancing much closer than o'l Kev and the Coopster were.
Everyone was looking at us. I remember Dana saying into my ear.
"Oh my gosh, everyone is starring at us."
I remember telling Dana something like.
"It's ok, just look at me, and sway to the music. Just imagine no one else in the room, besides us."
I'm not sure what slow song was playing, but at that moment our friendship started. Dana was the cutest thing.
The next day or two I remember being in the room where our camp talent show was going to be held. I wasn't doing anything for the talent show that year. I'm not sure who suggested it to me, but it was a female camp counselor. I was talking to her, but she must have known Dana or maybe she was Dana's camp counselor for that year in 1992. She was going through some records and tapes and came across the 1966 song (You're My) Soul And Inspiration (Click to play) by the Righteous Brothers. I remember her saying something like.
"Jesse, you should sing this song to Dana at the talent show. She would love it."
I never said it, but I thought it.
"Me sing? Are you crazy?"
Listen, I can't sing a tune at all. If The Righteous Brothers heard me sing their hit song, they would throw tomatoes at me. I would have just embarrassed myself, and Dana included. I didn't even try to sing, I just knew it was in my best interest (and Dana's) for me to pass on this. Looking back 21 years ago, I still don't regret that decision.
A few days had passed and it was time for our talent show. As I was waiting for the talent show to begin, I saved Dana a spot next to me, as everyone was sitting on the wooden floor getting ready for the talent show to begin. Dana didn't know that I was saving her a spot, but my world was about to change.
A pretty blonde girl came up to me and asked nicely.
"Is anyone sitting here?"
I said.
"No, the spot is all yours."
I'm not sure where Dana was, but she did find a spot somewhere else. Dana and I were just friends at this point, but who was the blonde? The babe (my nickname for her) was Amanda Bain, who would become one of the most important people in my life. As we both were sitting next to each other, her hand hovered over mine and within seconds she placed her hand on top of mine. I couldn't believe this girl was flirting with me. I remember turning my head and we both smiled at each other. Amanda and I became an item at CF camp that year. The whole world knew it, and any chance we got we were together. From that night forward, Amanda and I were boyfriend and girlfriend for the next several days at CF camp, and leaving her was very hard. It was raining during our last day at CF camp, and saying goodbye to Amanda was very difficult and emotional.
So whatever happened between Dana and I? For the record (again), Dana and I were just friends this whole time. Yes, I thought she was cute and attractive, but it's very odd, I think we both knew we were just going to be friends. We never said anything to each other about it, but. . . after the talent show, we became even closer friends because we got to know each other, and our group at Camp became close.
'How Do You Talk To An Angel'
By: The Heights
Year: 1992
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