If you read my recent column "It's our thing, try to understand" (Aug. 10) about us Jews and summer camps, you probably caught the ending about the fleeting notion of me sitting down and actually converting those romanticized experiences into a screenplay (I'm told there is already a movie out there called "Wet Hot American Summer" -- or something like that -- touching all the bases, anyway).
Writing a screenplay is tough work. I've tried before and it takes a lot to put together one scene. What's easier is assembling songs for a soundtrack. So even if I never make it to Hollyweird, you can build your very own playlist on your iPod with the following songs that bring back memories more than they rock:

Summer of 1974 (flashback scene to Mr. Basketball Camp before the opening credits:

Tell Me Something Good - Rufus
Rock The Boat - Hues Corporation

The narrator then explains that I had passed the test and was ready for the full overnight camp experience.

Summer of 1975 (My first at Camp Arthur. Although we only saw the girls once or twice -- I never had a latency period -- it was a fun enough summer that I couldn't wait to go back again.)

Old Days - Chicago (This would be the theme song, period)
Listen To What The Man Said - Paul McCartney and Wings

Summer of 1976 (My worst hockey summer ... team in last place, only made all-star team as a replacement when another kid got Poison Ivy. I also set a camp record by wearing the same shirt, a Mick Jagger iron-on thing, for 21 straight days. Had a girlfriend named Gwen.)

Don't Go Breaking My Heart - Elton John (With Kiki Dee)
Blinded By The Light - Manfred Mann's Earth Band

Summer of 1977 (One of my most fun summers, as I became more a comedian with my bunkmates. I cried in the car on the final day. The summer went by too fast. I also established myself as a goal-scorer again. Less luck with the girls, though.)

Do You Wanna Make Love? - Peter McCann
I'm In You - Peter Frampton

Summer of 1978 (Disco fever. I was in a bunk with some of the main heartthrobs -- some of them are more fat and/or bald than me now, though -- so it was more female frustration. However, I was an all-star in all three sports and won a few fistfights, honing my tough-guy rep.)

Macho Man - Village People
Last Dance - Donna Summer

Summer of 1979 (Everything came together. I won hockey MVP and a big year at the plate in the softball action. A couple of minor romances.)

My Sharona - The Knack
Logical Song - Supertramp

Summer of 1980 (My first in the teen camp, Beker. The village of bunks were, unbelievably, co-ed. Honestly, I still missed not playing sports as much. My age group, the 15-year-olds, toiled as waiters. No fun. I was unstoppable when we did play hockey, though. I also won the Strat-O-Matic Baseball championship.)

Turn It On Again - Genesis
Sailing - Christopher Cross

Summer of 1981 (The one that stands out the most. I was a PC -- practice couselor -- but I spent most of the days sleeping to conserve my energy for more important endeavors. We actually beat another camp, Greenlane, in hockey. I was the team captain but got tossed for fighting. I was also much more comfortable with the opposite sex and formed many friendships with the girls that were a year younger. I'm still in touch with many of them to this day. I would say this was my "coming of age" summer.)

In The Air tonight - Phil Collins
Urgent - Foreigner

Summer of 1982 (All good things come to an end. I was a counselor and the kids in my bunk all looked up to me. It didn't really hit me until then what a mini-celebrity I had become because I could score goals against non-goalies. And getting thrown out of the game the summer before certainly helped, too. I also had a serious girlfriend who actually liked me more than I liked her. She went home early, allowing for hook-up time with some others. However, the summer took a bad turn. All of my tapes were stolen. On top of that, there was a food poisoning incident that ended up on the Channel 6 news. A lot of the parents came and took their kids home. The following summer, there was no more Camp Arthur. With half the campers returning, all the operations were on the girls' side of the lake. The golden era -- and the "Gordie Era" -- was over.)

Hard For Me to Say I'm Sorry - Chicago
Take The L - The Motels

The screen will fade to black but return to show us older -- and fatter and balder and with kids who look and act just like us -- at the camp for a reunion before the wrecking ball comes in. Think the ending of "A League Of Their Own." (I'll use an original song here, maybe from A Study In Her, the official band of The Times Herald Web site.) We all embrace, laugh and reminisce. The narrator says something touching to put it all into perspective and "Old Days" plays again as the credits roll ...