Although most kids were free from the clutches of Marshall Lane at 3:07, I spent my afternoons in Campbell Care impatiently waiting for my mom to finally pick me up. Time in Campbell Care was spent playing hot lava monster, destroying my peers in wall ball, and attempting to dig to the bottom of the Earth.
Campbell Care witnessed my elementary school self’s many phases. In first grade, little Anjali bopped out to the newest One Direction album only to swear it off in favor of classic rock once I hit second grade (it’s way cooler anyways). From a young age, I had many interests, and the poor teachers working at Campbell Care were forced to hear about every new book, TV show, and movie. In my directorial debut, I gathered a crowd to act out the entire plot of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in front of the Campbell Care staff. I played Mad Eye Moody.
Memories of Campbell Care are not complete without the friendship of my first friend — fellow Shield writer and APUSH survivor Faith Gonia. On Wednesdays, we were allowed an hour and a half of time in the computer lounge, and we made for the greatest WaterGirl and FireBoy duo to ever exist. However, we usually spent our evenings sitting atop the Marshall Lane play structure, gossiping about the latest scandal. Even to this day, Faith continues to participate in every one of my hijinks. Some things never change.
At approximately 6:30 every day, I experienced the most humiliating thing that could possibly happen to a Campbell Care goer: getting picked up last. In the dead of the night, my mom would emerge from the shadows and make her way to the pick up center. Inside, I would be standing next to a disgruntled staff member. My mom would make awkward small talk and fake laugh at jokes, all in hopes of forgetting the piling late pickup fees.
In fourth grade, I officially graduated from Campbell Care. Looking back, my elementary school self did not appreciate Campbell Care nearly enough.