I'll Be Just Fine

I'll be Just Fine written by Bonnie Joy

When Mark's mother came into his room, not only was he awake, but he was dressed, and his bed was made.

"Mark I am very proud of you," she said.

"Breakfast will be ready in five minutes" Mark's mother said, wiggling the fingers on one hand.


"Five minutes is juuuuust enough time for me to get all the things I need for camp,"
Mark thought to himself. He had never been to camp before and Mark wanted to be sure he was prepared properly.

Mark took out the list he had made the night before and checked off the items as he put them in his knapsack.


1) Deck of cards
2) Game boy
3) Comic books
4) Kite
5) One chocolate bar

As he zipped up his backpack, he noticed the list his mother had made the night before, Mark took his mother's list and tucked it under his pillow.

Hoisting his backpack over his shoulder, he went downstairs for breakfast.

Mark was so excited about his first day of day camp that he did not feel like eating breakfast.

But he knew the rules:

No one leaves the house without eating. So Mark ate a slice of toast and drank a glass of juice.

He was about to leave when he heard his mother ask, "Did you take everything on the list?"

"Yuuuuup!" Mark said as he raced through the door. He did not want his mother to see his blushing face.

She always knew when he was lying, even if it was half a lie. He did take everything on the list, but his list, not hers.

As Mark sat on the big yellow bus, he wondered about the activities at day camp. He wondered if he would have time to play cards or game boy.
As the bus stopped at camp the counselor told the boys to go to the boys changing room and the girls to go to the girls changing room, because the first activity would be swimming.
All the children cheered with delight.

Mark thought to himself, "I don't need a bathing suit,

I'll be juuuuust fine!"

In the changing room Mark rolled up his pants. He decided he would swim in them.

The counselor explained the swimming rules and reminded the children to put on sun block.
Mark thought to himself, "I don't need sun block,

I'll be juuuuust fine!"

Mark had a very hard time swimming. His pockets got so full of water he could hardly move.

So he just watched as the other children swam and enjoyed themselves.

The counselor blew his whistle, and everyone got out of the water.
Mark noticed that all the children had on sandals or flip-flops, Mark thought to himself. "I don't need flip-flops,
I'll be juuuuust fine"!

As the groups made their way back to the changing rooms, Mark tried very hard to pretend that the hot sand was not bothering his feet.

When Mark put on his shirt, he noticed his shoulders were bright red and painful.

All the children gathered eager to hear what the next activity would be.
The counselor announced that it was time for lunch.
Mark thought to himself. "I don't need lunch,
I'll be juuuust fine"
As Mark watched all the children enjoying their lunch, he could hear his stomach growling. He suddenly remembered about his chocolate bar. He reached deep into his knapsack, and felt something warm and creamy, when Mark pulled his hand out, it was full of melted chocolate.

After lunch, the counselor announced that they would be going on a hike.
Mark noticed all the children spraying themselves with bug spray.
Mark thought to himself. "I don't need bug spray,
I'll be juuuust fine"!

As the group hiked up the trail, Mark was so busy swatting the bugs, that he did not see the tree root and fell flat on his face.

He quickly picked himself up, dusted off the dirt from his pants and continued to follow the group.

The counselor told the children that it was time to get back on the bus.

Feeling hungry and very uncomfortable, Mark sat on the bus listening to all the children talk about what a great first day they had at camp.


When Mark got home, he ran right to his room, He felt like he needed to take a rest.

Mark climbed onto his bed thinking about his first day of camp.
When he put his hand under his pillow, he found his mother's list.

1) Bathing suit
2) Sun block
3) Flip flops
4) Lunch
5) Bug spray

Reading the list, Mark thought to himself. "Tomorrow, I’ll be juuuuust fine