MORE STORIES
My old friend Gene Bergner
wants more stories about camp. He hasn’t
come right out and asked that of me - but I sense it nonetheless. In a recent packet of old camp photos,
patches and humorous emails he had also enclosed a short hand-written note:
“Dear Noeleo,
No, I’m not mad at you – just lazy. I keep reading your stories over and
over. I find something new every
time. Many thanks. If we don’t call,
Happy Father’s Day. I hope some of the
enclosed will make your day. Phone or
email when time permits.
Love,
Gene”
Although the Father’s Day
note was a nice touch, what really struck me was the fact that he had been
reading the pieces. You see, I had
written close to thirty short remembrances
over the past few years. They covered a mixed assortment of experiences in my
life - many of them dealt with Camp Ahwahnee and my years there on staff, where
I first met Gene and Gladis Bergner way back in 1969. Gene particularly loved the tale that dealt
with, among the other strange events that took place that summer, our meeting
for the first time. It’s entitled, “Bad
Food.” And, it was a hoot to write. I was especially happy that it brought joy to
my old friend and former boss.
The actual story was,
however, that Gene started out as just our
ranger that first summer but was rapidly promoted to camp director by
the next season. As he was a man of immense
talent, the local Scout council saw fit that he should run Ahwahnee for the
succeeding ten years. His wife, Gladis,
stepped in as the camp’s business manager. They were an awesome team. I worked
at camp for nine summers myself in various staff positions. Consequently we had grown very close during
all that time - and our partings from
Ahwahnee, as well as from one another years later, were pretty emotional. I had come to look upon the Bergners as
another set of parents. In fact, they
and my own folks grew close over the years as well. I was one lucky kid indeed.
At any rate, by the time I
had graduated from college I realized that I had to get on with my life, which
meant getting a real job – thus ending my idyllic summers in the
mountains. Four years later, Gene and
Gladis lost their home at Ahwahnee as well when the Scout council decided to
sell the property – a mistake beyond all reckoning in the estimation of all of
us who had come to love the place.
So, some thirty-odd years
after our initial meeting I began to write little ditties about camp and a few
of the characters that inhabited our piece of the mountain. I eventually sent them on to Gene and Gladis. After that, a more frequent correspondence
took place between us once more. It was
almost like the old days. We were all
just a bit older – my two friends in particular, especially since they were
approaching their mid-eighties. But you
would never have guessed their true age based upon their upbeat letters and
phone calls.
Now, I have a theory that the
camp tales have worked their way into Gene’s heart and perhaps rekindled some
old memories. Actually, I have a strong feeling that those camp days are never
far from Gene’s thoughts, thus hardly in need of rekindling anything, as a
blaze of memories burn within his mind, no doubt. I am certain of this as that same fire has
been heating up my soul for the past three and a half decades. I can only imagine just how brightly it burns
in the man who lived upon that sacred, haunted land we called Ahwahnee. Gene and Gladis watched a dozen seasons
change there, year after year. They
greeted thousands of young men and adults during that time and inspired many of
us to return to camp again and again just for the pleasure of their company and
to share in the joy of the land.
So, whether I really ‘sense’
that my good pal Gene actually does want more stories or whether I just need an
excuse to exorcise some more old Ahwahnee spirits from my soul … well, I don’t
really know - nor do I care exactly.
Some of my experiences will
precede yours by a summer or two, old friend, but then we’ll eventually
meet! I had to move on with the close of
the Bicentennial camp season but you continued on at Ahwahnee for a bit longer,
continuing the tales from there. So,
throw a few more logs on the old campfire, boss. May it brightly burn in both of our collective
memories.
August 8, 2007
Epilogue:
Gladis Bergner died in
February of 2005.
Gene Bergner was never quite
the same after losing Glad, his bride of 60 years.
He died of stomach cancer in
December of 2005. He never
complained. In fact, he never let on to
me that he was so gravely ill – not even when we last spoke on his eighty-fifth
birthday, just three months prior to his passing. Fortunately, Gene was now in the gentle care
of his daughter, Claudia, and her husband Rich.
I had mentioned to my old
friend, in that last phone call, that when my time was up, I wanted my ashes to
be spread along Inspiration Point – up at old Ahwahnee of course.
Gene thought that was a fine idea.
His somewhat melancholy mood suddenly lightened as we said our goodbyes.
When Claudia called to inform
me of his passing, she said that her dad had changed his mind about wanting his
ashes spread out at sea, as originally had been planned. In fact, he told her that he now wanted his
ashes spread off of Inspiration Point – and to talk to me about seeing to
it. I fessed-up that I was to blame for
the change in venue no doubt. Claudia
and family thought it was a good idea nonetheless. And so, we started to plan for a spring
reunion at camp.
Gene’s ashes were spread
along Chapel in the Pines, which is just feet from Inspiration Point in May of
2006. It was a simple ceremony. There were just eight of us that day:
Claudia, Rich, Gene’s two grandchildren, his sister, Jeff Vaughn, Fred La Velle
and me. We spent three hours at the
point telling one another our favorite stories about Gene and Gladis. I theorized that the rain and snow of seasons
to come would roll some of Gene’s ashes down the steep hill and eventually
bring him to Deep Creek way below. From
there that melodic waterway would find its way to points far beyond. Gene always was a traveling man. We were fortunate to have both he and Glad looking out for us on that old mountain for the dozen years that they called Ahwahnee home. Now, at least part of him was home once more.
When we left camp we drove
into Running Springs where we had lunch, all the while telling more stories
of Gene of course. From there we parted company – Claudia and clan
back to Northern California while Jeff made the drive back to Nevada. Fred and
I headed home to Orange County.
I had not been in the San
Bernardino Mountains for twelve years.
It was the most beautiful
late spring day – a perfect prelude for summer.
Chapel in the Pines, May 2006
Chapel in the Pines, May 2006
i just read this today 7/29/13...
ReplyDeleteNoel we all looked to Gene and Gladis as parents and had felt that scouting made a big mistake in selling it all, for it was with their spirits that i kept going back. Gladis was my first area boss working at Ahwahnee. She, Michael and i worked the business office in 1975.
Because i left for the Navy in 1977; 1976 was also my last year up there. I have sadly missed. Don (my father)i know continued to go to Awahnee till it closed with Woodbadge courses. I just wish that i could have been in contact with him but the years between, i lost track of all. it was not until this year that i accidently came across you.
it is fitting that Gene's ashes were spread out at Inspiration Point because that was my favorite place in camp.
i wish there was a way to connect the 2 blogs because i have started writing more memories and stories/poetry that were inspired by camp, its' staff that hopefully would bring back memories and more stories from others.
You have really summed up the feelings -
wish i could have sent my Love to Both Gene and Gladis!