A Memorable Hide and Seek Hiding Spot

Back in my teenage years, during a family camping trip in the beautiful Smokey Mountains of North Carolina, I found myself in a rather peculiar predicament that highlighted the ingenuity of hide-and-seek hiding spots.

Setting the Stage: A Family Camping Trip

I was around 14 years old, and I had the privilege of spending time with my extended family, including my uncle, his sons, my brother, and a cousin. We set up camp in a towable camper, a versatile and compact vehicle that served as our home base for the duration of our adventure. The camper was divided into two sections: one end had a bed for 2-3 people, while the other end featured a small dining table and a pair of benches.

A Clever Hiding Space

The most intriguing feature of the camper was a storage compartment located between the two beds. This compartment was a rectangular cuboid, roughly 1′ wide, 1.5′ tall, and 6′ long. It was designed to hold various camping gear when closed. However, it had a clever design: a cushion on one end could be lifted to reveal a storage space that had a lid resting on wooden beams spaced about a foot apart.

While the idea to hide in this space wasn’t one of my better ideas, it turned out to be my best-ever hiding spot in a game of hide-and-seek. The compartment was much easier to enter than to exit, and the walls were thin, making it almost impossible for others to detect my presence. Here's a little backstory to illustrate the adventure:

The Unforgettable Hiding Spot

One morning during the trip, while I was inside the camper with a cousin, my uncle, brother, and another cousin were outside. I whispered to my cousin, who was an accomplice, my plan to climb into the storage compartment. We knew it would be challenging to get out but decided to give it a shot.

The process of getting inside the compartment was a feat in itself. I managed to shimmy in pretty quickly, and my cousin went outside to act as a distraction. We had a small campfire nearby, and the walls of the camper were thin, allowing us to hear the conversation outside the door.

The exchange went something like this:

Cousin: “Where’s Paul?” Uncle: “I thought he was inside with you.” Cousin: “No, he’s not in there.” Uncle: “There’s no way he came out here and got past me without me noticing.”

The uncle began a meticulous search, checking under the blankets and moving from one end of the camper to the other. After a short while, the door opened, and we could hear him walking back and forth, eventually returning to the cousin and brother.

Uncle: “He’s not in there. Did you guys see him come out when I wasn’t looking?” All: “No.”

Despite their diligent search, the uncle decided to check the campsite bathroom and send his older son to the river. Eventually, I started giggling and called out from underneath the storage compartment. My uncle, surprised, opened the door and laughed as he asked, “Where?”

After a tense moment, I revealed my hiding spot by saying, “I’m under the bench.” It took me the better part of an hour to squirm out of the compartment, and I lost some skin in the process, but I gained a few bruises. Although it wasn’t a graceful exit, I was confident that nobody would have thought to look for me there. This little adventure became a cherished memory among those who were part of that camping trip.

Conclusion

Reflecting on this experience today, I am reminded that sometimes the most unexpected hiding spots can lead to unforgettable adventures. Whether you're playing hide-and-seek, exploring new places, or just spending quality time with family, these little moments can make a big impact. So, the next time you're playing hide-and-seek, consider hiding in the most unique and quirky spots — just make sure you have an escape plan!